Assistant Director (Unclassified)

Philip Murphy Governor Tahesha L. Way, Esq. Lt. Governor Christine Norbut Beyer, MSW Commissioner JOB VACANCY POSTING POSTING #: 391-24 ISSUE DATE: September 20, 2024 TITLE: ASSISTANT DIRECTOR CLOSING DATE: October 4, 2024 (UNCLASSIFIED) LOCATION: Department of Children and Families (DCF) Office of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging 50 East State Street Trenton, NJ 08625 POSITIONS: 1 DISTRIBUTION: STATE-WIDE SALARY: Commensurate with education and experience SCOPE OF ELIGIBILITY: Opportunities are subject to current promotional and hiring restrictions. SPECIAL NOTE: This position may be eligible to work remotely for up to two days in a calendar week. DEFINITION: The Department of Children and Families is seeking a candidate to function as the Assistant Director of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging. Reporting directly to the Executive Director in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging (DEB), this managerial position will assist the Executive Director in establishing and implementing DEB policies throughout the Department. This position will be responsible for the following: Work with leadership across the agency to develop and advance specific policies and practices that reduce disparities in outcomes for children and families that are the result of bias based on race, ability, gender or gender expression, and/or sexual orientation Identifies and analyzes the causes of disproportionality in New Jersey’s Child Welfare System to permanently and aggressively eliminate disparities in DCF practices for children and families of color Provides strategic leadership on policies, best practices and change management in DEB to accelerate a climate of equity and inclusiveness Develops and implements initiatives and policies that promote equitable outcomes for children and families of color Builds the capacity of staff at all levels to respond effectively to structural racism and individual and implicit bias Promotes culturally competent policy and practice within DCF and among our contracted services Develops methodology and improvement plans to measure and evaluate the effectiveness of the Department’s programs and initiatives Systematically builds out processes and procedures that scale and measure the impact of DEB and agency culture Integrates and advises on DEB strategies and initiatives with the goal of fostering positive and sustainable change in the organizational culture, working closely with the Race Equity Steering Committee, leadership, and staff at all levels Will provide direct supervision to supervisory staff at the DEB and oversight in organizing and managing staff development, activities, and initiatives REQUIREMENTS EDUCATION: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree. EXPERIENCE: Demonstrated interest in and understanding of Diversity, Equity, and Belonging concepts and best practices; demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills to identify and address complex DEB related challenges within the organization. Strong ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with government and business audiences; proficient in grammar, spelling and editing. Experience in collecting and analyzing data to summarize findings. Ability to understand and address the needs and concerns of employees as well as to work collaboratively with cross- functional teams to drive DEB efforts. Ability to navigate various assignments in a fast-paced environment. 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. 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, your supporting documents (Schedule A or B letter), must be submitted along with your resume by the closing date indicated above. For more information on the SAME Program visit their Website at: https://nj.gov/csc/same/overview/index.shtml, email: CSC-SAME@csc.nj.gov, or call CSC at (609) 292-4144, option 3. 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. NOTE: APPLICABLE SPECIAL RE-EMPLOYMENT LIST ESTABLISHED AS A RESULT OF A LAYOFF WILL BE USED BEFORE ANY APPOINTMENTS ARE MADE. IMPORTANT NOTICE RESIDENCY - Effective 9/1/11, NJ PL 70 (NJ First Act), requires all State employees to reside in New Jersey, unless exempted under the law, or current employees who live out-of-state and do not have a break-in service of more than 7 calendar days, as they are “grandfathered.” New employees or current employees who were not grandfathered and who live out-of-state have one year after the date of employment to relocate their residence to New Jersey or request an exemption. Current employees who reside in NJ must retain NJ residency, unless he/she obtains an exemption. Employees who fail to meet the residency requirements or obtain an exemption will be removed from employment. Electronic Filing: Forward a cover letter and resume as a single PDF document, saving the file by your Last Name, First Name to: Job.Posting@dcf.nj.gov Include the Job Posting # in the subject line of your email. 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.