Public Agency Consultant: New Allies

Company Overview

Youth Villages is a nationally recognized non-profit organization helping youth, young adults and families live successfully. With a high-performing and dedicated staff of more than 4,000 and services in 26 states and D.C., and an annual operating budget of approximately $400 million, the organization serves more than 39,000 individuals annually.  Our commitment to helping youth, young adults and families find success spans 40 years and includes a comprehensive array of evidence-based programs and services implemented by Youth Villages and our partner organizations.

Position Overview

The New Allies team works directly with public child welfare agencies and their system partners to develop policies and practices that contribute to improved outcomes for children and families. We are seeking individuals with a strong sense of purpose who have a passion to make a positive impact of individuals interacting with child welfare systems.

Public Agency Consultants work directly with leaders at all levels of public child welfare systems to provide coaching and support; develop resources and policy/practice guides; and coordinate efforts among a variety of players to streamline collective impact.

This Consultant will work specifically in the area of Transition-Age Youth policy, practice, and systems. This may include Extension of Foster Care program design and implementation, service array, financing, etc. All job responsibilities will be applied within this context.

Reporting to the Director of New Allies, they will lead practice improvement efforts in 1-4 sites while supporting efforts in an additional 2-3 sites as needed. Public Agency Consultants should be mission-driven, critical thinkers who can successfully lead projects and project teams, build trusting relationships with diverse stakeholders, present to and engage leaders, and conduct analyses and distill their findings into opportunities.  Applicants with lived experience or a personal connection to the foster care or other social service systems are strongly encouraged to apply.

This is an extraordinary opportunity for mission- and results-driven individuals with public child welfare leadership experience to have significant and national-scale impact on youth and families.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Independently lead projects focused on specific areas of improvement or opportunity related to Transition-Age Youth, for public agency sites
• Conduct and manage research and operational analysis to proactively identify improvement opportunities unique to each agency site; research may include stakeholder interviews, agency staff interviews, case reviews, surveys, assessment of nationwide and site-specific performance data, and organizational analysis
• Use statewide performance data and other relevant indicators to identify future sites well-suited for New Allies engagement.
• Identify strengths and improvement opportunities within key areas of state agency practice.
• Communicate findings and recommendations appropriately and effectively to internal Youth Villages leaders, site leaders, stakeholders, and local child welfare professionals.
• Develop and maintain relationships with child welfare leaders and ensure strong understanding of current developments, trends, and innovations in child welfare practice.

Location: This position can work remotely full-time or from any Youth Villages office.

Travel: About 30-50% of job time requires domestic travel, with some months being higher and others having no travel. 

Requirements

• 10+ years working for a public child welfare agency (all relevant experience will be considered, including internships)
• Bachelor’s degree required
• A degree in Social Work (MSW), healthcare administration (MHA/MHSA), public administration (MPA), psychology (MP), or related field is preferred
• Master’s degree is preferred
• Experience supervising child welfare professionals required
• Experience in both frontline work and systems-level leadership (preferred)
• Experience working with older youth in foster care, young people who aged out of foster care, Independent Living or Transition-Age Youth divisions, or similar experience.
• Applicants with lived experience or a personal connection to the foster care or other social service systems are strongly encouraged to apply

Benefits
Medical, Dental, Prescription Drug Coverage and Vision
401k
2 weeks paid vacation
12 paid sick days per year
11 paid holidays

Paid parental leave
Mileage & Cell Phone Reimbursement (when applicable)
Tuition and Licensure Reimbursement is available

Youth Villages is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Youth Villages is committed to not only advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace but also in our work with children and young adults. We know that children, families and young people of color can face inequity in child welfare and justice systems, and we train our employees to build the skills they need to work with the communities that we serve, as well as, other employees from different cultures and backgrounds. Youth Villages is opposed to racism in any of its forms and is committed to inclusion, equity, and diversity. We believe that respect for each other is crucial in the work that we do each day.