Title: Director of Interagency Strategy & Systems Integration

State Role Title: Policy Planning Spec IV

Hiring Range: Up to $170,000 (Commensurate with experience)

Pay Band: 7

Agency: Department of Social Services

Location: DSS HOME OFFICE

Agency Website: https://dss.virginia.gov/

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

At the Virginia Department of Social Services, we put people at the center of everything we do. We believe that every Virginian can live a life of dignity and that all voices, ideas and experiences contribute greatly to our pursuit of excellence. Inspired by continuous improvement, we commit ourselves to listening, learning and cultivating environments of trust, respect and positive engagement. Together, we are mission-driven, eager to achieve, and passionate about bringing the best of who we are to those we serve. We design and deliver high-quality human services that help Virginians achieve safety, independence and overall well-being. We are a $2 billion agency – one of the largest in the Commonwealth of Virginia – partnering with 120 local departments of social services and 31 community action agencies, along with faith-based and non-profit organizations, to promote the well-being of children, adults, and families statewide. We proudly serve alongside 1,650 (state) and 12,200 (local) human services professionals throughout the Social Services System, who ensure that thousands of Virginia’s most vulnerable citizens have easy access to the services and benefits available to them.

The Virginia Department of Social Services is excited to share that we are looking for a Director of Interagency Strategy & Systems Integration to help join and lead our team!

Reporting to the Commissioner, the Director of Interagency Strategy and Systems Integration provides statewide leadership in developing and advancing cross-government strategies that improve the economic security, stability, health, and well-being of individuals and families across the Commonwealth. The Director serves as a strategic connector across state agencies, local governments and boards, community organizations, employers, educational institutions, and other partners to address complex challenges that span multiple systems and cannot be effectively addressed through a single program or agency.

The Director is a strategy-and-integration leader who works across SNAP, TANF, VIEW, child care, housing, and other programs to lead the identification, development, and implementation of interagency initiatives addressing key social and economic conditions that shape individual and family well-being, including economic mobility and employment, food and nutrition security, early childhood and family supports, housing stability, aging and social connectedness, and other emerging priorities. The Director uses data, research, community input, and program performance information to identify systemic barriers, align resources and strategies, establish shared goals and measures, and advance policy, program, and systems improvements across the Commonwealth. The Director serves as a catalyst for cross-government action on emerging issues and opportunities that require coordinated responses across agency and program boundaries.

The Director provides strategic leadership for the development and expansion of sector-based programs, employer partnerships, career pathways, training opportunities, apprenticeships, and other workforce strategies that connect individuals to quality employment and create pathways to long-term economic stability, career advancement, and financial security.

The Director identifies opportunities to leverage existing programs and resources, reduce duplication and fragmentation, strengthen partnerships, and advance innovative approaches that improve outcomes for individuals and families. The Director works collaboratively with local departments of social services, workforce agencies and boards, educational institutions, community organizations, employers, and state agency partners to align resources, strengthen service delivery, establish shared accountability, and create a cohesive, results-driven system that advances economic mobility, food security, family stability, and overall well-being across the Commonwealth.

The Director establishes and supports cross-agency governance structures, workgroups, and partnerships to advance shared priorities and ensure sustained coordination and accountability. The Director monitors demographic, economic, social, and community trends to identify emerging challenges and opportunities; brings together relevant agencies and stakeholders to assess their implications; and develops coordinated responses, policy recommendations, and implementation strategies for consideration by agency and Commonwealth leadership.

Minimum Qualifications

· Demonstrated experience leading complex strategic initiatives, cross-agency collaborations, or multi-stakeholder programs addressing economic, social, workforce, human services, or community well-being priorities.
· Experience developing and implementing strategic plans, policy initiatives, or systems improvement efforts that require coordination across multiple organizations, programs, or service-delivery systems.
· Demonstrated ability to convene diverse stakeholders, build partnerships, establish shared goals and accountability structures, align resources, and advance collaborative initiatives in environments where authority and responsibility are distributed across multiple organizations.
· Experience using data, research, performance measures, and stakeholder input to identify systemic barriers, inform policy and program decisions, monitor implementation, and evaluate outcomes.
· Experience developing and advancing strategies related to economic mobility, workforce development, employment, human services, food and nutrition security, family well-being, housing stability, education, or other related public policy priorities.
· Demonstrated ability to develop policy recommendations, advise senior leadership, manage competing priorities, and translate strategic objectives into actionable implementation plans.

Additional Considerations

· Progressively responsible experience leading initiatives across agencies or sectors in government, human services, workforce development, or a related field.
· Experience working in state government with a Governor’s office, Secretariat, legislative staff, or statewide commission.
· Experience with SNAP E&T, TANF, WIOA, or registered apprenticeship programs, and with building employer partnerships.
· Experience working with local human services agencies and workforce boards on food security, economic mobility, or economic security, in Virginia or elsewhere.

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

The selected candidate is required to file a Statement of Economic Interests form pursuant to the Code of Virginia § 2.2-3114, as a condition of employment. The filing must be completed on or before the first day of employment and annually thereafter on or before February 1. The selected candidate is required to complete the Statement of Economic Interest training within 2-months of becoming a state filer and at least once during each consecutive period of two calendar years commencing on the first odd-numbered year thereafter. For more information, please visit http://ethics.dls.virginia.gov/.

Selected candidate(s) must successfully pass a fingerprint-based criminal history background check. A record of criminal history does not automatically bar an applicant from consideration. Employment verification will be conducted to include current/previous supervisory employment reference checks.

VDSS will record information from each new employee’s Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) into the Federal E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

This position may be eligible for telework opportunities; availability, hours, and duration will be in accordance with the Commonwealth’s Teleworking policy on a case-by-case basis.

Contact Information

Name: VDSS – Division of Human Resources

Phone: dssrecruitment@dss.virginia.gov

Email: dssrecruitment@dss.virginia.gov

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.