Deputy Director - Social Services

CalHR•Crescent City, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Under executive direction, the Deputy Director plans, organizes, and directs the overall administrative activities of one or more of the major divisions of a social services agency to include administrative services units, employment, eligibility, or social services programs either directly or through subordinate managers. This role may act in the Director's absence and performs related work as required. A Deputy Director typically has responsibility for multiple functional areas in a social services agency, but may manage a single division or function through subordinate managers and/or supervisors. In these agencies, the Deputy Director serves in a second-level managerial capacity. The Deputy Director classification differs from the lower level Program Manager and Social Services Program Manager classifications in that the latter typically have responsibility for a single functional area within the agency.

Requirements

Knowledge of program development, administration, and service delivery related to programs in the area(s) of responsibility, which may include employment services, eligibility, and/or social services.
Knowledge of Federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations governing the operation of public social services agencies, including the California Welfare and Institutions Code and the California Department of Social Services Division Regulations.
Knowledge of principles of public administration, including intergovernmental relationships affecting delivery of public services.
Knowledge of current management and leadership theories, techniques, and applications to ensure that strategies employed in the supervision and oversight of staff are effective and appropriate.
Knowledge of planning and scheduling techniques to ensure that timelines and schedules are established appropriately, modified as needed, and adhered to.
Knowledge of budgeting principles in order to develop, manage, and/or track budgets, budget allocations, and expenditures.
Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with internal management and staff, and with a variety of external stakeholders.
Ability to monitor the activities in multiple programs or functions run by different subordinate managers or supervisors to ensure all activities are consistent with established policies and procedures, and the mission of the department.
Ability to develop solutions to complex problems and issues relating to programs, procedures, and policies.
Ability to be flexible in adapting to changes in priorities or resources that impact pre-established timelines and courses of action.
Ability to apply knowledge of laws, regulations, and policies to decision making and problem solving to identify solutions and courses of action that are most appropriate or compliant.
Ability to analyze and evaluate the impact and effectiveness of programs, procedures, and policies.
Ability to develop alternate work plans and strategies in response to changing priorities, problems, or setbacks to allow for the completion of projects and work assignments within desired timeframes.
Ability to develop short-range and long-range plans and schedules in support of operating goals and strategic plans of the department.
Ability to develop systems and controls to ensure the quality of work performed by staff, and overall quality of services provided.
Ability to delegate work assignments and appropriate level of responsibility to employees in order to ensure the completion of work assignments and projects.
Ability to read and understand complex written materials, such as laws, proposed legislation, policies, reports, etc., in order to interpret, explain, and apply.
Ability to use a personal computer to input data, access information, and create materials and documents using a variety of software applications.
Ability to communicate verbally, in person or by telephone, clearly and concisely with a variety of audiences on a variety of matters.
Ability to write to ensure effective and clear communication and proper composition of reports, correspondence, email, and other written communication.
Ability to review and edit documents written by others to ensure proper format, sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation.
Pattern 1: One (1) year of full-time experience performing duties as a Social Services Program Manager, Program Manager, Staff Services Manager, or Senior Staff Services Manager within an Interagency Merit System county.
Pattern 2: Four (4) years of full-time supervisory experience in employment, eligibility, social service programs, or administrative and staff services work in areas such as personnel, administrative analysis, accounting, auditing, budgeting, or data processing in a public social services agency.
Pattern 3: A graduate degree in public administration or business administration or a Master's Degree in Social Work or a Master's Degree from a two year counseling program; AND two (2) years of full-time supervisory or managerial experience in employment, eligibility, social service programs, or administrative and staff services work in areas such as personnel, administrative analysis, accounting, auditing, budgeting, or data processing in a public social services agency.

Responsibilities

Develops and implements goals, objectives, policies, procedures and work standards for a division.
Plans, organizes, coordinates and directs a division in the areas of administration, social services, eligibility or employment; establishing performance levels, communicating goals and performance expectations, and ensuring conformance to established policies and procedures, and standards for quality and timeliness.
Plans and manages, through subordinate managers and/or supervisors, the work of division staff; assigns, reviews and evaluates staff and provides for their training and professional development; monitors and directs employee relations activities; and provides guidance to subordinate staff regarding personnel matters.
Assesses service delivery to communicate findings to upper management, implements changes to improve efficiency and service quality, maximizes effectiveness of program operations, and ensures alignment with the department's mission.
Serves as an internal technical expert regarding program matters by providing consultation and guidance to staff, subordinate supervisors, managers, executive management, or the Director.
Prepares and recommends long-term plans for division services and programs; develops specific proposals for action on current and future division services and operations.
Assesses the need for changes to policies or programs based on initiatives to improve services, new services or program modifications, and opportunities for cross-collaboration of program areas.
Interprets laws and regulations, including new laws and proposed legislation, to determine relevancy to department operations and services, and assesses program compliance with laws and regulations.
Develops or revises policies or procedures to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness, and assists higher-level management in departmental strategic planning.
Works collaboratively with personnel of other agencies, community groups, contractors, and other public and private organizations to determine needs for social services, and coordinates shared services or collaborative projects, or the provision of services by contracted agencies.
Assists in development of the budget for assigned programs by preparing cost estimates and projections, and performing ongoing monitoring of expenditures to ensure compliance with budget provisions.
Serves as an external technical expert by providing consultation regarding program, legal, or policy matters to external entities such as County department managers or administrators, State departments, Board of Supervisors, advisory boards, and advocacy groups.
Ensures that information regarding department services and policies is provided accurately and thoroughly to external parties, and that all complaints are responded to appropriately and in a timely manner.
Performs other duties as assigned.