CHIEF, PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

State of careers Rhode Island•Cranston, RI

8h•$92,369 - $104,711•Onsite

About The Position

Within a state department, this role is responsible for the total planning, program development, and research for the department's various programs. The goal is to coordinate programs within the department and with other agencies, improve existing programs, and create new ones to provide better services to the state's residents efficiently and effectively. The position is located in the Rhode Island Training School / Division of Youth Development.

Requirements

Thorough knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of program planning and development as it relates to the implementation of a variety of departmental programs and in terms of statewide and community needs.
Ability to establish standards, policies, and administrative controls for such programs.
Working knowledge of federal, state, and community resources and legislation and their interrelationships.
Ability to apply such knowledge in the identification of the population to be served, needs and priorities, resources available, planning and implementation of the programs, and evaluation.
Ability to act as a liaison between the director and his division heads in coordinating all planning and programs.
Ability to act as a liaison for the department with local governments and community groups in order to coordinate programs, gain their assistance or assist them in initiating, developing and implementing projects.
Ability to coordinate current and proposed programs with other state departments where their cooperation is necessary.
Ability to evaluate existing programs and to develop plans for their expansion, modification, or elimination.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with department officials, professional people, voluntary agencies, community representatives, other state and local agencies and the public.
Possession of a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, one of the Social Sciences, or a closely related field.
Employment in a responsible capacity involving program development in a field of human service.
Any combination of education and experience that shall be substantially equivalent to the above education and experience.

Nice To Haves

Experience in juvenile justice administration.
Experience with accreditation processes and quality assurance.
Experience with Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) oversight.
Experience with Performance-based Standards (PbS) / Center for Improving Youth Justice (CIYJ).
Experience with Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI).
Experience with evidence-based and trauma-informed cognitive-behavioral, rehabilitative, and vocational programming.

Responsibilities

Responsible for the total planning, program development, and research for the department's programs, coordinating them internally and with other departments and agencies, improving current programs, and creating new ones for better state services.
Responsible for program development, including identifying the population to be served, needs and priorities, available resources, and planning and implementing the program and its evaluation.
Acts as a liaison between the director and division heads to coordinate planning and programs, assisting them with new program ideas or suggesting possible programs.
Coordinates current and proposed programs with other state departments when cooperation is needed.
Acts as a liaison for the department with local governments and community groups to coordinate programs, gain assistance, or help them initiate, develop, and implement projects.
Responsible for evaluating existing programs and developing plans for their expansion, modification, or elimination based on changing needs, funding availability, and advancements in ideas and methods.
Responsible for tracking national and state legislation, interpreting its provisions regarding program financing and new program development.
Participates in preparing requests for federal grants.
Drafts reports and reviews material for the director concerning program development.
Leads grant development and management activities, including researching opportunities, drafting proposals, securing funding, managing budgets, tracking performance, and submitting reports.
Supervises assigned professional, administrative, and technical personnel, including performance evaluations, work assignments, scheduling, and providing guidance.
Assists the Division with confidential labor relations matters, personnel reviews, internal investigations, collective bargaining preparation, union grievance research, and sensitive administrative documentation.
Drafts confidential correspondence, strategic policy memos, judicial summaries, legislative reports, and executive summaries for Division leadership.
Leads the research, drafting, review, revision, and maintenance of all Rhode Island Training School operational policies, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and program guidelines.
Serves as the primary manager for facility accreditation processes and continuous quality assurance measures.
Supports facility-wide Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) oversight by analyzing data trends, facilitating quality audits, maintaining documentation, and assisting with corrective action plans.
Leads facility-wide implementation, data collection, and analysis for Performance-based Standards (PbS) / Center for Improving Youth Justice (CIYJ), translating data into continuous quality improvement (CQI) strategies.
Supports compliance, CQI, and programming alignment with Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) core strategies and juvenile justice best practices.
Designs, implements, and maintains high-level CQI frameworks to evaluate program effectiveness.
Oversees data collection mechanisms, synthesizes operational data, and prepares statistical reports for leadership, legislative inquiries, judicial entities, and federal reporting requirements.
Works closely with the Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent to align program development, policy revisions, and operational priorities with broader Division and Department strategic objectives.
Serves as a high-level confidential assistant and strategic advisor to the Executive Director, providing senior executive support on sensitive operations, restructuring, policy execution, and initiatives.
Manages administrative operations for assigned program areas, including calendar management, executive scheduling, procurement, and ordering supplies.
Researches, develops, and writes executive talking points, speeches, presentations, and public communications.
Researches, recommends, and assists in implementing evidence-based and trauma-informed programming.
Serves as a senior technical, administrative, and confidential liaison on committees, task forces, and interagency initiatives.
Collaborates with the Deputy Superintendent and facility management to design, update, and evaluate staff training curricula.
Analyzes resident grievance patterns, incident reports, and disciplinary trends to provide data-driven recommendations.
Oversees and evaluates vendor performance, specialized service contracts, and community partner agreements.
Leads complex, highly confidential administrative studies, operational reviews, and strategic planning initiatives.
Participates in critical incident debriefings, operational reviews, emergency management planning, and crisis management activities.
Performs other related duties as assigned.