Job Details

The County of Santa Clara is seeking an experienced Director for its Department of Family and Children's Services (DFCS) to provide strategic leadership for child welfare and family support programs in one of the nation's most diverse regions. The Director plans, organizes, and directs the operations and staff of DFCS, ensuring the effective management of critical services, including the Child Abuse and Neglect Center, child abuse and neglect investigations, transitional residential shelter sites, foster home recruitment, adoptions, and family preservation. The Director reports to the Deputy Director of the County's Social Services Agency and manages two Assistant Directors and nearly 800 staff.

The current salary range is under review.

How to Apply
This recruitment requires the submission of a resume and a compelling cover letter to the following executive search firm assisting the County with this recruitment: WBCP.

Please get in touch with recruiter, Wendi Brown, with any inquiries:

• ...@wbcpinc.com
• 866-929-WBCP (9227) toll free
• 541-###-#### (direct)

Secondary contacts are: Adrian Cudal, Executive Services at ...@esa.sccgov.org (408) ###.#### or Patricia Carrillo at ...@esa.sccgov.org. No paper applications will be accepted.

For first consideration, apply by April 24, 2025

Secure Dates

• Round one in-person interviews will take place on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. Finalists will move forward to round two in-person interviews on Thursday, May 29, 2025. Candidates invited to interview must be available for both days.

Job Responsibilities:

• Plans, organizes manages, evaluates and directs the operations and staff of the Department of Family and Children Services;
• Provides administrative direction to executives and managers in the formulation and implementation of departmental objectives consistent with the overall goals of the Agency;
• Ensures the establishment of policies and procedures to meet legal requirements, county policies, goals, and the delivery of required service levels;
• Provides guidance and direction in order to improve the understanding by staff of program and administrative policies and procedures;
• Determines budgetary requirements and administers expenditures;
• Reviews organizational structure, issues and operational methods for maximum efficiency and effectiveness;
• Maintains close working relations with the community for the purpose of assessing program needs and the evaluation of the validity and effectiveness of the service programs offered by the Department;
• May be assigned Disaster Service Worker responsibilities as needed; and
• Performs related work as required.

Minimum Qualifications:
Considerable education and experience, which directly demonstrates the ability to perform the above tasks, and possession and application of the following knowledge and abilities. The knowledge and abilities would typically be attained through education and experience equivalent to graduation from an accredited college or university with a degree in Social Work, Public or Business Administration, or a directly related field and a minimum of five (5) years experience in an administrative/managerial capacity directing the provision of client services in children service programs.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of management necessary to plan, organize, direct, manage and evaluate programs, administrative policies, organizational structures, and human services problems;
• Basic provisions of government codes pertaining to public assistance, child welfare services and other social services;
• Federal, State and County children services programs and their supporting legislation, codes, regulations, and policies pertinent to those programs;
• Principles, practices and techniques of administration, organization, budget preparation, personnel management, affirmative action, labor relations, counseling, supervision, training and development, financial administration, and public relations;
• Administrative problems involved in a large public social services department;
• Social casework objectives, concepts and methods;
• Principles of community organization and consultation.

Ability to:

• Plan, organize, direct and coordinate the work of a large professional and clerical social services staff in children services programs;
• Formulate and implement policies and procedures for the administration of children social services programs;
• Select, supervise and evaluate the work of staff;
• Effectively communicate in both oral and written form;
• Interpret and enforce federal, state and county laws and guidelines applicable to adult social services programs;
• Effectively represent the Department and Agency on a variety of matters;
• Develop and effectively utilize all available resources;
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with others, especially sensitive relationships with representatives of other agencies or governmental units and community and citizen groups, and deal tactfully and persuasively with others in controversial situations.