Job Description

Posting number: 27-00156

Department: Social Services

Job classification: Assistant Director of Social Services

Posting type: Open

Categories: Social Services

Customer Experience: It’s Our Business, It’s Our Passion.

The Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services is a dynamic, mission-driven agency serving one of Virginia’s largest and most diverse communities. We are committed to strengthening families, protecting vulnerable children and adults, and delivering innovative, high-quality services that meet evolving community needs.

What You Do and How You Do It:

The Assistant Director for Family Services provides strategic, operational, and visionary leadership for all family services programs, including Child Protective Services, Foster Care, Adoption, Prevention, Adult Protective Services/Adult Services, Employment Services (VIEW), Crisis Assistance (housing, food insecurity, utility assistance) and related initiatives. This executive leader partners closely with the Director and senior leadership team to ensure regulatory compliance, advance innovation, develop the workforce, and cultivate a high-performance culture that delivers measurable outcomes for children and families.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Innovation

• Lead the development and execution of a clear strategic vision for Family Services aligned with agency priorities and community needs.
• Champion innovation, continuous improvement, and the use of data-driven practices to improve service delivery and outcomes.
• Identify emerging trends, regulatory changes, and best practices and translate them into actionable strategies.

Operational Excellence & Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, including Virginia Department of Social Services standards and court mandates.
• Oversee quality assurance, performance management, audits, and corrective action planning.
• Strengthen internal controls, policies, and procedures to promote accountability and consistency.

Workforce Development & Culture

• Build, mentor, and sustain a high-performing leadership team and frontline workforce.
• Develop succession plans, leadership pipelines, and targeted professional development opportunities.
• Foster a culture of trust, transparency, collaboration, and results-oriented performance.

Cross-Divisional Collaboration

• Partner with Benefits, Finance, Human Resources, Legal, community agencies, and other stakeholders to deliver coordinated services.
• Represent the department with courts, community partners, VDSS, and regional leadership groups.

Fiscal & Resource Management

• Contribute to budget planning, forecasting, and resource allocation to ensure effective use of public funds.
• Monitor program expenditures, grants, and performance metrics to ensure sustainability and efficiency.

Here's What You Need:

• Master's degree in social work, a behavioral science, counseling, business or public administration or related field supplemented with professional experience in social work or other human services field with some supervisory or other management work experience or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities required.

We’re Looking for Ideal Candidates Who Have:

• Master’s degree in Social Work, Public Administration, Human Services, or a related field.
• Extensive progressively responsible management experience in public social services, child welfare, or human services.
• Demonstrated expertise in regulatory compliance, workforce development, and operational leadership.
• Virginia Social Work License or eligibility.
• Experience leading large, complex divisions in a local or state social services agency.

The successful candidate will be:

• A visionary leader who can balance compassion with accountability.
• An innovator who thrives in complex systems and embraces continuous improvement.
• A developer of people who builds strong leaders and engaged teams.
• A strategic thinker with a firm grasp of compliance, performance management, and public accountability.

Current valid driver’s license and good driving record required. Based on the Virginia DMV point system, record must not reflect a total of six or more demerit points within the twenty-four months preceding the anticipated hire date, or one major violation of six demerit points within the preceding thirty-six months. Out of state driving records must be obtained by applicant and presented at time of interview. Records must reflect at least three years of history and be dated within thirty days of interview date. Pre-employment drug testing, FBI criminal background check and education/degree verification required. A Chesterfield County application is also required and must be submitted online by the deadline.

This position is considered Critical Safety Sensitive and is subject to random drug testing and alcohol testing. The use of medical marijuana for this position is prohibited.

This position is part of the supervisory team for Emergency Shelter during times of natural disaster, reporting to shelter duty as required.

Chesterfield County offers an attractive benefits package. As a local Department of Social Services, Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services may offer incentives, approved through the Virginia Department of Social Services, to candidates hired who possess additional relevant training, skills and experience. Those incentives apply to individuals who possess: a Masters or Bachelors Degree in Social Work, Masters in Human Services, LCSW, Child Welfare Stipend participants, completion of COVLC new worker training or are Bilingual (Spanish & ASL).

Did you know that working for a local government provides credit towards the Public Student Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)?

Visit careers.chesterfield.gov to view instructions and to complete and submit an application.

Qualifications

Monday - Friday; 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; after hours and weekends as necessary

Supplemental information

Social Services