Description

ASSISTANT DIVISION DIRECTOR #329-26
Interim Position

SALARY:  $151,894.35

The Department of Children and Families (DCF), Office of Quality is seeking a qualified individual to fill the Assistant Division Director position located in Trenton. This position may be eligible to work remotely for up to two days in a calendar week.

SPECIAL NOTE: This is an Interim Appointment (IA) which may expire upon the return of the employee on a leave of absence.

DEFINITION: Under the direction of a Division Director, Deputy Director, or other senior official in a state department or agency, directs the staff and activities of an operational unit responsible for providing general administrative and/or fiscal management, program policy and planning services, or delivering a variety of social, medical, assistance, health care, and other services to a specific client population; does other related duties as required.

The  Department of Children and Families (DCF), Office of Quality (OOQ) seeks an accomplished and strategic leader to serve as CoQI Assistant Director, helping to drive DCF's Collaborative Quality Improvement (CoQI) processes to excellence. Reporting directly to the Director of OOQ, the CoQI Assistant Director will lead and oversee the CoQI implementation, directly supervising CoQI Managers. The CoQI Assistant Director will manage DCF’s CoQI infrastructure across Child Protection and Permanency (CP&P), Children’s System of Care (CSOC), Division on Women (DOW), and Family Community Partnership (FCP) to help drive quality improvement practices.

The ideal candidate will bring expertise in Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) or Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) methodologies, with a track record of delivering measurable results. We seek strong analytical skills, excellent attention to detail, exceptional communication abilities (including public speaking), and demonstrated project management experience. The successful candidate should be able to navigate complex systems and build consensus across all levels. The CoQI Assistant Director will integrate the Department’s mission of empowering New Jersey residents to be safe, healthy, and connected through core approaches including honoring lived expertise, promoting healing-centered practices, ensuring collaborative safety, championing evidence-informed decision making, and building meaningful partnerships with stakeholders.

RESPONSIBILITIES include but are not limited to the following:

Program Implementation & Oversight

• Lead and direct the implementation of CoQI processes and project deliverables across the Department in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
• Provide guidance and strategic direction on CoQI implementation across multiple divisions and programs.
• Establish and measure CoQI performance using appropriate systems, tools, and techniques.
• Oversee the tracking, analysis, and synthesis of patterns and trends from CoQI processes to evaluate efficiency and effectiveness statewide.
• Monitor and evaluate CoQI cycle deliverables (Priority Selection, IPS, Check-in, Peer Learning, and Final Review) across all assigned CoQI team portfolios.
• Identify, assess, and escalate systemic issues identified across CoQI cycles; meet with relevant senior leadership to develop action plans.
• Provide final approval of all CoQI deliverables.

Supervision & Staff Development

• Supervise and evaluate CoQI Managers and develop a team of CoQI staff.
• Hold regular supervision to communicate expectations, provide support and coaching, review deliverables, and develop staff.
• Conduct ePAR performance evaluations and provide timely, concrete feedback.
• Oversee, mentor, and motivate team members in their daily work.
• Oversee trainings for new hires and ongoing professional development for current staff.
• Promote a culture of continuous learning, inclusion, and staff health and wellness.

Strategic Leadership & Communication

• Act as a senior leader in OOQ, supporting the Director to ensure successful delivery of CoQI processes and strategic initiatives.
• Oversee the development and delivery of high-level presentations for varied audiences from Departmental leadership to external partners regarding CoQI performance, findings, strategic recommendations, and other topics, as requested.
• Provide support in reviewing and approving CoQI Implementation Plans, tracking themes and trends, and ensuring alignment with priorities and outcomes.
• Provide mentoring and support for CoQI staff implementing improvement planning and other required processes.
• Represent the OOQ in meetings and inter-agency collaborations.
• Proactively identify and address any inter-departmental coordination challenges that may arise.
• Conduct regular check-ins across CoQI teams to ensure all teams remain on track and address misalignments promptly.

Data, Reporting & Quality Assurance

• Direct the collection, tracking, and analysis of survey data to evaluate short-term and long-term program outcomes and provide recommendations.
• Oversee the development of accurate and informative reports from multiple data sources detailing CoQI process performance and initiatives. These reports, including data tables and graphs, will be presented to DCF executive leadership to show program volume, effectiveness, and highlight areas requiring additional focus.
• Lead the development of strategic, sustainable improvement plans derived from CoQI cycle implementation activities.
• Provide oversight and direction for the creation and continuous improvement of the CoQI training manual and implementation resources.
• Lead special projects and strategic initiatives that advance CoQI implementation and organizational quality improvement goals, as assigned.
• Other special projects or duties as assigned.  

REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must meet one of the following or a combination of both experience and education. Thirty (30) semester hour credits are equal to one (1) year of relevant experience.

Ten (10) years of professional experience in a public or private organization involved in programs providing either social/community, medical/health, rehabilitation/education, or vocational/occupational services to a specific client population (physical, intellectual, or developmental disability, juvenile offenders, socially/economically disadvantaged, etc.), three (3) years of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity.

OR

Ten (10) years of professional experience as an administrator responsible for planning, budgets, and administration of programs in a large public or private agency, three (3) years of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity.

OR

Possession of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university; and six (6) years of the above-mentioned professional experience, three (3) years of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity.

OR

Possession of a master’s degree from an accredited college or university in a field relevant to the position; and five (5) years of the above-mentioned professional experience, three (3) years of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity.

“Professional experience” refers to work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession’s principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the authority to act according to one’s own judgment and make accurate and informed decisions.

RESUME NOTE: Eligibility determinations will be based upon information presented on the resume only. Applicants who possess a degree from a college or university outside the United States must provide an evaluation of one’s transcripts from a recognized evaluation service at the time of submission by the above closing date. Failure to do so may result in your ineligibility.

LICENSE:  Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.

IMPORTANT NOTICES

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS: The Department of Children and Families provides many employee benefits, including but not limited to:

•             Alternative Workweek Program*
•             Deferred Compensation
•             Health, Dental and Life Insurance
•             Flexible and Health Spending Accounts
•             Pension
•             Telework*
•             Public Service Loan Forgiveness
•             Benefit Leave (Vacation, Sick, Administrative Leave)
•             13 Paid Holidays

*Pursuant to Department policy, procedures and/or guidelines

PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS: As a prospective employee of the State of New Jersey, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at StudentAid.gov/PSLF.

SAME APPLICANTS:  If you are applying under the NJ “SAME” program, you must submit any of the supporting documentation specified in N.J.S.A. 11A:7-13.3 along with your resume by the closing date indicated above.

RESIDENCY LAW

Please refer to the New Jersey Department of Children and Families’ website at https://www.nj.gov/dcf/stay-connected/employment-opportunities/index.shtml

TO APPLY: You must submit a cover letter, resume, and completed Application for Employment as a single PDF document, saving the file by your Last Name, First Name.  Please indicate in your cover letter where you found this job opportunity and send the file to:

Email:  Job.Posting@dcf.nj.gov


NOTE: Applicants are required to submit a completed State of New Jersey Application for Employment with their resume at the time of application.  Failure to do so will result in disqualification for this position.

The Department of Children and Families is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and is committed to fostering a respectful and inclusive work environment which reflects the diversity of the state we serve.