The Loudoun County Department of Family Services (DFS) is seeking a highly experienced and accomplished child welfare leader to serve as a Temporary Interim Assistant Director for Child Protective Services (CPS). This is a unique opportunity for a proven leader to provide executive-level leadership to assist with ensuring continuity of mandated services for children, youth, and families. This temporary assignment is anticipated to last at least six months. Reporting directly to the Department Director, the Interim Assistant Director will provide onsite operational oversight and program leadership for Child Protective Services and related child welfare programs.
The position is responsible for the direct supervision of a Program Administrator and Program Manager and provides leadership and oversight for multiple supervisory and frontline staff teams responsible for CPS investigations, family assessments, ongoing services, and related child welfare functions. The position will assist the Department Director with implementing strategic operations for the CPS team with a focus on enhancing a professional and contemporary service model.
The Department seeks an individual with demonstrated significant experience leading complex CPS operations, supervising supervisors and other managers, strengthening workforce performance, and ensuring compliance with federal and state child welfare requirements. The successful candidate must be dependable and must be able to quickly assess CPS unit needs, implement operational improvements, require team accountability, and provide steady and leadership to support positive outcomes for clients.
The Assistant Director will play a key role in advancing organizational excellence by promoting and maintaining accountability, consistency, collaboration, workforce development, and continuous quality improvement within the department and across the County’s child welfare programs while fostering strong partnerships throughout the County organization and the broader human services system.
Key Responsibilities
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Provide executive leadership, strategic direction, and operational oversight for Child Protective Services.
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Provide direct supervision, coaching, and performance management to a Program Administrator and Program Manager responsible for CPS investigations, family assessments, ongoing services, and related child welfare functions.
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Lead and support a multi-layered management structure, ensuring consistency in supervisory practices, decision-making, staff development, and program implementation.
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Monitor program performance through case reviews, quality assurance activities, workload analysis, and outcome measurement to ensure effective service delivery and regulatory compliance.
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Provide consultation and guidance on complex child welfare cases, safety assessments, risk determinations, service planning, permanency decisions, and critical incident response.
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Lead workforce management efforts, including staffing plans, caseload management, succession planning, employee engagement, performance management, and professional development.
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Develop and implement strategies to improve collaboration, consistency, service delivery, and operational efficiency across child welfare programs.
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Establish and monitor performance metrics, data-driven outcomes, and quality improvement initiatives to evaluate program effectiveness and drive continuous improvement.
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Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, policies, standards, and best practices governing child welfare services.
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Partner closely with County programs focused on youth development, family support, behavioral health, education, and related services to develop coordinated approaches that improve outcomes for children and families.
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Build and maintain effective and appropriate working relationships with agency staff, County leadership, courts, attorneys, law enforcement, schools, community partners, advocacy organizations, and other stakeholders.
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Provide leadership in organizational change management, strategic planning, development, policy implementation, and system improvement efforts.
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Monitor CPS program performance through case reviews, quality assurance activities, workload analysis, and outcome measurement.
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Provide consultation and guidance on complex child welfare cases, safety decisions, risk assessments, and permanency planning.
Ideal Candidate
The successful candidate will be a collaborative, decisive, and results-oriented leader with a demonstrated record of advancing child welfare practice, improving organizational performance, and developing high-performing teams. This individual will possess exceptional communication skills, extensive child welfare expertise, strong leadership abilities, and the capacity to navigate complex systems while maintaining a focus on safety, permanency, and well-being of outcomes for children and families.
The ideal candidate will have demonstrated success leading Child Protective Services programs, supervising multiple levels of management, implementing quality improvement initiatives, and managing organizational change within a public child welfare environment.
Education and experience equivalent to a master’s degree in social services, or related field, and five (5) years of directly related, progressively responsible work experience, including three (3) years in a supervisory or management role preferably in government setting.
The successful candidate should possess substantial knowledge and experience in the following:
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Administration and oversight of Child Protective Services and child welfare programs.
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Supervision of supervisors, program managers, or other leadership-level staff.
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CPS investigations, family assessments, ongoing services, risk and safety assessment, and child welfare best practices.
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Workforce management, including caseload oversight, performance management, employee development, and succession planning.
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Development, implementation, and evaluation of performance measures, quality assurance activities, and outcome-based program management.
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Federal and state child welfare laws, regulations, policies, and compliance requirements.
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Data analysis and use of performance metrics to improve service delivery and program outcomes.
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Effective collaboration with courts, attorneys, law enforcement, schools, behavioral health providers, and community partners.
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Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, public presentation abilities, and stakeholder engagement experience.
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Experience serving culturally diverse populations and applying trauma-informed and family-centered practices.
Preferred Qualifications
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Ten (10) years of directly related, progressively responsible work experience, including three (5) years in a supervisory or management role in a local government setting.
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Clinical licensure (LCSW, LPC, LMFT, or equivalent).
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Experience serving as a CPS Program Manager, Assistant Director, Deputy Director, or equivalent senior leadership role within a public child welfare agency.
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Demonstrated experience supervising multiple levels of management, including program managers and supervisors.
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Experience overseeing CPS investigations, family assessments, in-home services, foster care, permanency, and quality assurance functions.
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Experience leading organizational change initiatives, system transformation efforts, accreditation activities, or performance improvement projects.
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Experience responding to state or federal reviews, audits, or program monitoring activities.
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Knowledge of evidence-based, trauma-informed, and family-centered child welfare practices.
If you are a strategic and experienced child welfare leader with a passion for public service and a commitment to achieving positive outcomes for children and families, we encourage you to apply.
