Interim Assistant Director for Child Protective Services (CPS)

About the Role

The Loudoun County Department of Family Services (DFS) is seeking a highly experienced and accomplished child welfare leader to serve as a Temporary Interim Assistant Director for Child Protective Services (CPS). This temporary assignment is anticipated to last at least six months and provides executive-level leadership to ensure continuity of mandated services for children, youth, and families.

Reporting directly to the Department Director, the Interim Assistant Director will provide onsite operational oversight and program leadership for Child Protective Services and related child welfare programs. The position is responsible for the direct supervision of a Program Administrator and Program Manager and provides leadership and oversight for multiple supervisory and frontline staff teams responsible for CPS investigations, family assessments, ongoing services, and related child welfare functions.

The successful candidate must be dependable, able to quickly assess CPS unit needs, implement operational improvements, require team accountability, and provide steady leadership to support positive outcomes for clients.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership, strategic direction, and operational oversight for Child Protective Services.
• Provide direct supervision, coaching, and performance management to a Program Administrator and Program Manager responsible for CPS investigations, family assessments, ongoing services, and related child welfare functions.
• Lead and support a multi-layered management structure, ensuring consistency in supervisory practices, decision-making, staff development, and program implementation.
• Monitor program performance through case reviews, quality assurance activities, workload analysis, and outcome measurement to ensure effective service delivery and regulatory compliance.
• Provide consultation and guidance on complex child welfare cases, safety assessments, risk determinations, service planning, permanency decisions, and critical incident response.
• Lead workforce management efforts, including staffing plans, caseload management, succession planning, employee engagement, performance management, and professional development.
• Develop and implement strategies to improve collaboration, consistency, service delivery, and operational efficiency across child welfare programs.
• Establish and monitor performance metrics, data-driven outcomes, and quality improvement initiatives to evaluate program effectiveness and drive continuous improvement.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, policies, standards, and best practices governing child welfare services.
• Partner closely with County programs focused on youth development, family support, behavioral health, education, and related services to develop coordinated approaches that improve outcomes for children and families.
• Build and maintain effective and appropriate working relationships with agency staff, County leadership, courts, attorneys, law enforcement, schools, community partners, advocacy organizations, and other stakeholders.
• Provide leadership in organizational change management, strategic planning, development, policy implementation, and system improvement efforts.

Requirements

• Education and experience equivalent to a master’s degree in social services or a related field.
• Five (5) years of directly related, progressively responsible work experience, including three (3) years in a supervisory or management role, preferably in a government setting.
• Substantial knowledge and experience in the following areas:
  • Administration and oversight of Child Protective Services and child welfare programs.
  • Supervision of supervisors, program managers, or other leadership-level staff.
  • CPS investigations, family assessments, ongoing services, risk and safety assessment, and child welfare best practices.
  • Workforce management, including caseload oversight, performance management, employee development, and succession planning.
  • Development, implementation, and evaluation of performance measures, quality assurance activities, and outcome-based program management.
  • Federal and state child welfare laws, regulations, policies, and compliance requirements.
  • Data analysis and use of performance metrics to improve service delivery and program outcomes.
  • Effective collaboration with courts, attorneys, law enforcement, schools, behavioral health providers, and community partners.
  • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, public presentation abilities, and stakeholder engagement experience.
  • Experience serving culturally diverse populations and applying trauma-informed and family-centered practices.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ten (10) years of directly related, progressively responsible work experience, including three (3) years in a supervisory or management role in a local government setting.
• Clinical licensure (LCSW, LPC, LMFT, or equivalent).
• Experience serving as a CPS Program Manager, Assistant Director, Deputy Director, or equivalent senior leadership role within a public child welfare agency.
• Demonstrated experience supervising multiple levels of management, including program managers and supervisors.
• Experience overseeing CPS investigations, family assessments, in-home services, foster care, permanency, and quality assurance functions.
• Experience leading organizational change initiatives, system transformation efforts, accreditation activities, or performance improvement projects.
• Experience responding to state or federal reviews, audits, or program monitoring activities.
• Knowledge of evidence-based, trauma-informed, and family-centered child welfare practices.

Job Contingencies

Successful candidate will undergo required background and professional reference checks.