Operations Director

Company Description

A best-in-class city that attracts best-in-class talent, Philadelphia is an incredible place to build a career. From our thriving arts scene and rich history to our culture of passion and grit, there are countless reasons to love living and working here. With a workforce of over 30,000 people, and more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia offers boundless opportunities to make an impact.

As an employer, the City of Philadelphia values inclusion, integrity, innovation, empowerment, and hard work above all else. We offer a vibrant work environment, comprehensive health care and benefits, and the experience you need to grow and excel. If you’re interested in working with a passionate team of people who care about the future of Philadelphia, start here.

What we offer

• Impact - The work you do here matters to millions. 
• Growth - Philadelphia is growing, why not grow with it? 
• Diversity & Inclusion - Find a career in a place where everyone belongs.
• Benefits - We care about your well-being.

Agency Description

The Philadelphia Department of Human Services is the county child welfare and juvenile justice agency serving approximately 10,000 children per year with a workforce of over 1,500 employees.  With a budget of over 900 million dollars, the Office’s goal is to improve outcomes for children and families.

The core mission of the Department of Human Services is to engage and positively impact Philadelphia’s children, youth, families, and communities by delivering prevention, child welfare, and juvenile justice services with a focus on maintaining children with their families and their communities.

The division of Child Welfare Operations (CWO) operates 24 hour/7 days a week child abuse call center to gather information about allegations of the abuse or neglect of children and youth. The division works collaboratively with Community Umbrella Agencies (CUA) and Community Based Providers to provide services in the home, or out of the home, for children and youth who are unable to remain safely in their homes. The division is made up of the following responsibility areas:

Hotline: 24 hour/7days a week call center.

Intake: Investigates reports of abuse and neglect.

Ongoing Services: Provide in home and placement services to children, youth, and families.

Adoption and Permanency Services: Work with children and youth to achieve Adoption and Permanent Legal Custody.

Court Support Services: this area serves as liaisons between the CWO, the Family Court staff, the City Solicitor’s Office, and other counsel representing parents/legal custodians and children.

Prevention Services: Provide diversionary case management services and provide additional supportive resources to families to divert them from the formal Child Welfare System. 

Center for Well-Being: this area consists of the Central Referral Unit, Health Management Unit, Psychologists, and Nurses.

Family Team Conference: Complete team meetings with families, youth, DHS, CUA, and other members who know the families to develop a plan with the family.

Community Umbrella Agencies: Provide case management services in 10 geographical areas

Job Description

Position Summary

The Operation’s Director position is a senior level management position reporting directly to the Deputy Commissioner for the CWO Division.  The position will provide leadership and management of the daily operation of Front-End Services within the County’s Child Welfare agency including the county operated Hotline, Screening services, Child Protective investigations, and maintain partnership with the Philadelphia Safety Collaborative.

The position ensures the management of mandated Child Welfare services that focus on ensuring safety to children within the county of Philadelphia. The position will be responsible for planning, organizing, directing multiple levels of subordinate staff in the provision of continuous, protective and/or centralized social services for children and youth as mandated by state and local regulations to ensure safety, permanency, and well-being of all children and youth in DHS’ care. The position will also be responsible for the development of strategic plans to increase efficiency and effectiveness of services to children and families.  Duties and responsibilities will include, but not limited to formulating policies, managing daily operations, and implementing programmatic initiatives.

Essential Functions

1. Plans and directs, through subordinate management staff, the work activities of the assigned responsibility areas within CWO Division.
2. Establishes short- and long-term goals and objectives and defines responsibility areas for subordinate managers.
3. Assess process improvement opportunities to increase staff efficiency and effectiveness and management of division functions.
4. Reviews policy, budgetary, and day to day operational matters affecting the assigned responsibility areas with CWO Division programs and recommends best practices.
5. Develop policies and implement plans to support the goals and priorities of the CWO Division. 
6. Work closely with other senior management staff within DHS to address issues impacting the assigned responsibility programs.
7. Work collaboratively with our CUA partners, community-based providers, and other stakeholders to improve the outcomes of children, youth, and families.
8. Establish and maintain collaborative and effective working relationships with direct reports, peers, supervisor, and departmental leaders.
9. Represent Deputy Commissioner at meetings and/or work group committee meetings related to the CWO Division.
10. Perform other responsibilities as assigned by the Deputy Commissioner.

Required Competencies, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to work independently to achieve goals.
• Ability to problem solve and think creatively to produce solutions.
• Ability to respond appropriately to emergencies and/or crisis.
• Track record in establishing and sustaining collaborative and effective working relationships with direct supervisor, peers, staff, consultants, service providers, and vendors.
• Ability to effectively communicate – verbally and in writing - with a variety of stakeholders including direct supervisor, peers, staff, consultants, service providers, and vendors.

Qualifications

• Completion of a master’s degree at an accredited college or university with major course work in Social Work, Criminal Justice, other Social Science, and/or other relevant fields. 
• Minimum of 10 years of experience working in child welfare/behavioral health.
• Minimum of 5 years supervising multiple staff teams.

We value diverse experiences and are open to flexible qualifications. If you are passionate about this role and meet some of the key criteria, we encourage you to apply.

Additional Information

TO APPLY: Interested candidates must submit a resume.

Salary Range: $130,000 to $140,000

Discover the Perks of Being a City of Philadelphia Employee:

• Transportation: City employees get unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program. Employees can ride on SEPTA buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail for their daily commute and more.
• Parental Benefits: The City offers its employees 8 weeks of paid parental leave.
• We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available
• Pay off your student loans faster - As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Join the ranks of hundreds of employees who have already benefited from this program and achieved student loan forgiveness.
• Unlock Tuition Discounts and Scholarships - The City of Philadelphia has forged partnerships with over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities in the area, ensuring that our employees have access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships. Experience savings of 10% to 40% on your educational expenses, extending not only to City employees but in some cases, spouse and dependents too!

Join the City of Philadelphia team today and seize these incredible benefits designed to enhance your financial well-being and personal growth!

*The successful candidate must be a city of Philadelphia resident within six months of hire

Effective May 22, 2023, vaccinations are no longer required for new employees that work in non-medical, non-emergency or patient facing positions with the City of Philadelphia. As a result, only employees in positions providing services that are patient-facing medical care (ex: Nurses, doctors, emergency medical personnel), must be fully vaccinated.

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status. If you believe you were discriminated against, call the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations at 215-686-4670 or send an email to faqpchr@phila.gov.

For more information, go to: Human Relations Website: http://www.phila.gov/humanrelations/Pages/default.aspx