Associate Director, Permanency

DePelchin Children’s Center • Houston, TX

22h • Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Director, Permanency provides strategic and operational leadership for key placement, permanency, family connection, and assessment functions within Texans Together Community Based Care. The position oversees Intake & Placement, Child Watch & Placement Support, Texas Adoption Resource Exchange (TARE), Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS), Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC), and Family Finding. In partnership with the Director, Permanency, the Associate Director ensures these functions operate as an integrated system focused on timely and stable placements, family connections, child well-being, and permanency outcomes.

The role provides continuity of leadership and operational direction while evaluating and improving systems, processes, partnerships, and performance. It ensures compliance with applicable federal and state requirements, agency policies, contractual obligations, Community Based Care expectations, and Texas Child-Centered Care principles, while promoting family-centered, evidence-informed practices that support safe, stable, connected, and permanent outcomes for children and families.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, human services, or a closely related field; relevant experience may be considered in lieu of the education requirement.
• Eight years of professional experience in child welfare, social services, behavioral health, or a related human services field.
• Four years of management or supervisory experience, preferably managing multiple programs, teams, or operational functions.
• Demonstrated knowledge of child welfare practice, permanency planning, foster care, placement, adoption, kinship care, and family engagement.
• Knowledge of federal and state child welfare laws, regulations, and applicable court procedures.
• Knowledge of Community Based Care and Texas Child Centered Care.
• Knowledge of placement resources, placement matching, placement stability, and caregiver support strategies.
• Understanding of family finding and family connection practices.
• Understanding of adoption recruitment and permanency strategies.
• Familiarity with CANS and the use of assessment information to inform service and placement decisions.
• Familiarity with ICPC processes and interstate placement requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to develop, implement, and evaluate policies and procedures.
• Demonstrated ability to use data to drive operational and strategic decisions.
• Ability to translate organizational goals into clear expectations and measurable outcomes.
• Ability to manage multiple programs and competing priorities simultaneously.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Ability to lead through ambiguity, organizational change, and complex system conditions.
• Ability to build trust and productive relationships across organizational boundaries.
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Ability to work effectively in complex, high-risk, and high-profile situations.
• Demonstrated ability to coach, develop, and hold leaders accountable.
• Ability to identify systemic barriers and develop practical solutions.
• Ability to balance regulatory and contractual requirements with individualized, child- and family-centered practice.
• Reliable transportation is required for frequent travel.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in Community Based Care, Texas Child Centered Care, or a similar child welfare system.
• Experience with placement, permanency, family finding, adoption, kinship care, or related child welfare functions.
• Experience leading organizational change, process improvement, or system transformation.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for Intake & Placement, Child Watch & Placement Support, TARE, CANS, ICPC, and Family Finding programs.
• Oversee integrated service delivery to strengthen placement stability, family connections, adoption recruitment, and permanency outcomes.
• Lead strategies to address complex placement needs, reduce placement disruptions, and improve child- and family-centered services.
• Evaluate program performance, identify opportunities for improvement, and ensure compliance with regulatory and contractual requirements.
• Supervise and develop program managers and leaders, promoting accountability, collaboration, and operational effectiveness.
• Collaborate with DFPS, caregivers, providers, and community partners to strengthen placement resources and permanency outcomes.
• Lead process improvements and innovative strategies to enhance service coordination, program efficiency, and outcomes for children and families.
• Serve as a key operational partner to the Director of Permanency, providing leadership, consultation, and decision-making support.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director