Assistant Director- Center for Adult Services

The City of Alexandria is in northern Virginia, bordered by the District of Columbia (Potomac River) and Arlington and Fairfax counties. With a population of more than 160,000 and a land area of 15.75 square miles, the City is committed to addressing the critical issues that affect its residents, supported by strong and enduring partnerships with non-profit, faith, business, and philanthropic organizations. If you are interested in working for the vibrant City of Alexandria, we invite you to apply for the Assistant Director- Center for Adult Services within the City's Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS).

The Assistant Director- Center for Adult Services / Community Services Board Executive Director leads and directs all activities of the Center for Adult Services, which includes Aging and Adult Services; Clinical and Emergency Services; Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health Services; Community Support and Residential Services; and Central Administrative Support. The incumbent also serves as Executive Director of the Alexandria Community Services Board (CSB).

This role is responsible for strategic planning, program development, operational oversight, and budget management, and it drives coordination within the Center and across other DCHS Centers, City departments, and partner agencies to ensure aligned, effective service delivery. The Assistant Director- Center for Adult Services provides direct leadership and supervision to Division Directors and fosters coordinated management across all service areas.

Operating under the general guidance of the DCHS Director, the Assistant Director- Center for Adult Services exercises broad autonomy in decision-making. Performance is assessed through strategic outcomes, regular reporting, and collaborative review meetings, with feedback from both the DCHS Director and the Community Services Board.

We are looking for an accomplished behavioral health and human services leader with proven leadership and management ability: building and leading high-performing teams, developing and implementing effective programs, and applying continuous quality improvement principles. The ideal candidate has behavioral health fluency, including an understanding of the theories, principles, and practices of behavioral health program administration, and of the services and support systems needed by older adults and by adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including substance use disorder services. This candidate should possess a demonstrated commitment to advancing race and social equity, with the ability to integrate equity into service design, service delivery, and how staff are engaged and supported. Candidates should bring strong collaboration and communication, capable building effective working relationships across public, private, and community partners, as well as clear written and verbal communication, and advanced problem-solving and analytical skills. Additionally, we are looking for someone with comfort using data, program evaluation, and best-practice service models to measure impact and continuously improve programs.

Our ideal candidate has the experience with or the ability to develop:

• Familiarity with the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) and Community Services Board framework, including Virginia Code and CSB-specific operations.
• Accreditation processes and program-evaluation approaches specific to this environment.
• City of Alexandria budget development and municipal government policies, processes, and procedures.
• Virginia-specific funding dynamics, including state and federal budgets and Managed Care Organization (MCO) relationships.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Leads and directs the activities and functions of the Center for Adult Services, comprising Aging and Adult Services; Clinical and Emergency Services; Community Support and Residential Services; and Central Administrative Support.
• Serves as Executive Director of the Community Services Board (CSB), with primary responsibility for implementing mandates from the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) and for accredited programs. Collaborates closely with the CSB Board, DBHDS leadership, the Regional Management Team, and other key stakeholders to ensure regulatory compliance and advance priority program initiatives.
• Develops and manages budgets and provides ongoing oversight of spending, responding to funding changes and challenges.
• Leads strategic planning, operational oversight, and continuous improvement of programs, including making budget recommendations and monitoring program effectiveness and impact.
• Provides strategic leadership as part of the Department's Leadership Team, driving the development and execution of the Department's mission, strategic plan, policies, and operational priorities, including budget planning and resource alignment.
• Leads the formulation and implementation of Center policy and procedures.
• Provides direct supervision to Division Directors and receives general direction from the Director, Department of Community and Human Services.
• Conducts and attends meetings with the Department Director, departmental staff, City Manager's Office staff, residents, non-profits, boards, and commissions.
• Represents the Department on local, regional, and state-level committees and workgroups focused on behavioral health, adult services, and aging-related priorities.
• Provides data on program effectiveness and directs the study of systems and processes to improve operations and services.
• Ensures coordination of work within the Center and with other Department Centers and City agencies and departments.
• Prepares docket memos and reports on budget, program, and grant issues, and assists the DCHS Director in presenting and discussing them at City Council meetings and work sessions and in meetings with residents, boards, and commissions.
• Responds to Council, City Manager, and resident concerns and complaints.

DCHS, through a staff of close to 700 employees, provides critical services including behavioral health, child welfare, developmental disabilities, domestic violence/sexual assault, early childhood, economic supports, homeless prevention, public benefits assistance, residential, substance use, workforce development, and youth development services for individuals across the lifespan. In addition to the Center for Adult Services, the Department provides services through three other centers: the Center for Children and Families, the Center for Economic Support, and the Center for Operations.

DCHS works to provide the highest quality of services to support individuals and families as they work to accomplish their goals and overcome critical challenges. Our dedicated and highly skilled staff draw on their expertise and best practices to ensure that those we serve are engaged effectively and that their needs are met. As an organization, DCHS focuses on the key elements that produce the best experience and outcomes for those we serve, including improving access to services; using trauma-informed and culturally relevant approaches; advancing equity; attracting and retaining the best staff; building community partnerships; unifying planning approaches; and increasing the integration of our services.

Four-Year college degree in psychology, social work, social sciences or related subjects and five years of progressive management experience administering a medium-large size behavioral health, social or human services or developmental disability division, program or agency and five years of experience with grant-writing, management, program evaluation, accreditation and best practice service models and/or any combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.

Master's or doctorate degree in psychiatry, psychology, social work, public administration or related field. Professional clinical license in Social Work, Psychology or Licensed Professional Counselor. Ten or more years of progressively responsible experience administering a medium-to-large sized behavioral health, human services or developmental disability agency; Public sector behavioral health and social service delivery experience; Extensive knowledge of and experience with behavioral and human service delivery systems. Considerable experience in implementation of racial and social equity and cultural competency practices in the workplace, working cooperatively with policy-making Boards, City Council, and other City officials and managing complex budgets.

This position requires the successful completion of pre-employment background checks including but not limited to: Criminal Records Check; VA State Child Abuse/Neglect Registry; Medicare/Medicaid Fraud Database; education/certifications; and driver's license.

Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:30AM – 5:30PM, with evening meetings and infrequent weekend events.