Executive Director Neighborhood Safety (NCS) - Mayor's Office

Baltimore City•Cocoa, FL

5d•$157,684 - $260,224

About The Position

The City of Baltimore seeks an inaugural Executive Director to lead the newly established Department of Neighborhood Safety (DNS) in the Mayor’s Office. DNS oversees, coordinates, provides, and evaluates community-based safety services, including alternative response, violence prevention, and other non-law-enforcement strategies intended to promote public safety and well-being. The Executive Director establishes and executes the City’s vision for alternative response and violence prevention, providing strategic, structural, and administrative direction and aligning staff, programs, policies, and resources to achieve measurable community safety outcomes. The Executive Director sets departmental strategy and priorities, leads operations through division directors, oversees budgets and enterprise resources, builds partnerships across government and community organizations, and serves as the department’s principal public spokesperson. The role also establishes governance, accountability, data practices, and community engagement strategies, while ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, grant requirements, and City policies. The position requires an advanced degree in a relevant field and ten years of progressively responsible management and leadership experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. A valid Maryland Class C Noncommercial driver’s license or equivalent, eligibility for a Baltimore City driver’s permit, and submission of a license copy with the application are required. The position has a six-month mandatory probation and a City residency and voter-registration requirement: the incumbent must meet it at appointment or declare an intent to do so within six months. A financial disclosure is due within 30 days of hire. Candidates under final consideration for this position of trust must successfully complete the required background check and/or fingerprint screening.

Requirements

Advanced degree from an accredited college or university in Public Health, Public Administration, Public Policy, Social Work, Criminology, Emergency Management, Behavioral Health, or a closely related field; an equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted.
Ten years of progressively responsible management and leadership experience in public health, behavioral health, emergency response, human services, public policy, criminal justice, or related governmental or community-based programs, including oversight of multidisciplinary staff, complex operations, and significant programmatic and fiscal resources; an equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted.
Valid Maryland Class C Noncommercial driver’s license or equivalent driver’s license and eligibility to obtain a Baltimore City driver’s permit; provisional driver’s licenses are not acceptable.
Upload a copy of a valid driver’s license with the application.
Strong administrative and management skills.
Strong strategic, organizational, and project management skills.
Excellent relationship-building skills and experience collaborating across agencies, community organizations, public safety partners, and diverse stakeholders.
Exceptional written, verbal, and public communication skills, including the ability to influence, build consensus, and navigate sensitive issues.
Results-oriented approach and proven ability to implement strategies, achieve organizational goals, and foster interagency accountability.
Knowledge of alternative response, violence prevention, community engagement, and data-driven decision-making.
Knowledge of data governance, privacy frameworks such as HIPAA, and relevant cross-agency behavioral health and public safety data sharing.
Must successfully complete a six-month mandatory probation.
Must reside and be a registered voter of Baltimore City at appointment, or declare intent to meet both requirements within six months of appointment.
Must submit an initial financial disclosure within 30 days of hire.
Must successfully complete a criminal background check and/or fingerprint screening if required for final appointment.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience in local, state, and/or federal government is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Provide executive leadership for the Department of Neighborhood Safety and establish its vision, strategic direction, and organizational priorities in support of the Mayor’s public safety agenda.
Advise the Mayor, City Council, and executive leadership on community safety policy, emerging issues, legislative priorities, and evidence-based practices.
Develop and oversee evidence-based and trauma-informed strategies to improve community and personal safety outcomes.
Establish department-wide goals, performance expectations, governance structures, and accountability systems.
Develop and implement a departmental strategic plan integrating alternative response, violence prevention, and other community safety initiatives.
Lead organizational development, change management, continuous improvement, and talent development initiatives.
Oversee department divisions through Division Directors, evaluate divisional performance, and hold leadership accountable for operational, fiscal, and programmatic outcomes.
Resolve cross-divisional priorities and ensure coordinated service delivery and execution of the department’s core operating model.
Establish standards for performance management, quality assurance, and data governance.
Oversee training design and workforce certification in partnership with division leadership, consultants, and HR.
Develop and administer the department’s operating and capital budgets and allocate financial and personnel resources across divisions.
Approve major contracts, grants, and procurement activities and ensure sound fiscal stewardship.
Identify and secure sustainable funding, including braided financing strategies involving Medicaid or insurance reimbursement through Maryland’s AHEAD model, hospital partnerships, and philanthropic investment.
Build executive-level partnerships with City agencies, elected officials, healthcare systems, community leaders, housing and homelessness service providers, philanthropic organizations, and state and federal partners.
Establish department-wide community engagement strategies promoting transparency, trust, and shared accountability.
Serve as the department’s principal spokesperson before elected officials, community organizations, media, and the public.
Establish departmental policies, governance frameworks, and strategic priorities, and ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, grant requirements, and City policies.
Evaluate department-wide outcomes and recommend policy or organizational changes based on performance data.
Oversee data governance, data-use agreements, and analysis of tracked data and outcomes.