Position Summary

Director, Bureau of Youth Services is part of the DSP senior management team and provides statewide leadership to the Wisconsin child protective services, youth justice, runaway and homeless youth and other adolescent programs. In addition, this position consults and coordinates with Budget, Finance, BITS, and the Bureau of Performance Management as needed. The position supervises the managers and staff of the bureau. The position also works with county, tribal, and private agencies involved in the delivery of youth justice, child protection and youth services and has the primary responsibility for oversight of community-based youth justice services in Wisconsin.

The position manages the following functions: community-based youth justice (YJ) including the diversion of youth from the justice system, the prevention of delinquency, the treatment of youth in conflict with the law, truants and other status offenders, and the reduction of crossover youth and recidivism. Additionally, this position manages the development and implementation of a cohesive youth services safety net including independent living (IL) runaway and homeless youth services (RHY), Brighter Futures prevention programs (BFI), anti-human trafficking (AHT), and other programs designed to support positive outcomes for youth in the areas of education, employment, housing, and social emotional development. This position is responsible for promoting effective and coordinated services to youth in all jurisdictions of the state, and for strengthening a community of service providers with training, data, and continuous quality improvement in the above programs. This position provides quality oversight and technical assistance to the county child welfare systems and local and regional youth service and YJ providers. The position is responsible for working to ensure compliance with federal requirements.

The duties include the development and implementation of program policies and procedures to ensure effective delivery of YJ, IL, RHY, AHT, and BFI services in Wisconsin and statewide oversight of services provided at the local level. The position coordinates YJ and other Youth Services program activities with other Bureau and Division programs, with other Divisions and offices within the Department, and with other Departments. The position develops and maintains contacts with public and private providers and plays a lead role in implementing new program and policy initiatives and resolution of service delivery issues with providers. The position also advises the Department on YJ and Youth Services policy, including federal and state legislation, administrative rules and program standards.

In addition, as a member of the Division senior leadership team, this position provides coordination and direction across the Division's portfolio of strategic projects advancing the Division's strategic objectives. The position serves as executive sponsor on key division strategic projects, guiding teams through the process from ideation through implementation.

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Salary Information

The starting salary is between $56.00 and $60.00 per hour ($116,480 and $124,800 annually), depending on qualification s. Pay for current State of WI employees will be based on the compensation plan in effect at the time of the appointment. Pay for current state employees who are transferring will be determined based upon the pay on transfer rules (higher level duties or equity) as outlined in the compensation plan in effect at the time of appointment.

This position is included in the classification of DCF Manager. The pay schedule/range is 81-01. A two-year career executive trial period may be required.

Job Details

Due to the nature of the position, final candidates may be required to allow DCF to conduct a security background check to determine whether the circumstances of any pending charges or convictions would be substantially related to the job being filled.

Applicants must be legally entitled to work in the United States (i.e., a citizen or national of the U.S., a lawful permanent resident, an alien authorized to work in the U.S. without DCF sponsorship.) The Department of Children and Families does not sponsor visas, either at time of hire or at any later time.

Qualifications

Minimally qualified applicants will have:

• Experience supervising the work of a team of professional staff (recruitment, onboarding, assigning/evaluating work, providing feedback, performance evaluation, etc.).
• Experience developing, implementing, and/or monitoring policies and programs for families involved with the child welfare system (child protective services and/or youth justice) in accordance with research and best practices in the field
• Experience managing budget and fiscal operations, such as establishing budgets, monitoring spending, procuring services, and managing contracts.
• Experience leading committees/workgroups comprising both internal and external partners with decision-making authority (identifying and engaging stakeholders, setting agendas, facilitating meetings, achieving consensus, assigning and monitoring follow-up activities).

Well-qualified applicants will have:

• Experience managing and/or directing the work of other supervisors who are direct reports.
• Experience managing complex operations of and relationships between state, tribal, and/or local governments in the management of human services programs
• Experience leading large-scale change initiatives that include new programs or significant changes to multiple programs

How To Apply

If you haven't already done so, you will need to create an account and apply online. You must apply online to be considered for this position. Application materials will not be accepted if received in an e-mail, as a hard copy or a fax. Applications received after the deadline will not be accepted.

After you are logged in and are viewing the announcement, click "Apply Now." You will be asked to provide your personal information and required materials. Online applications that do not include all of the requested materials will not be considered.

Both a resume and letter of qualification are required. If both documents are not submitted during the application process, your application will be disqualified. Your letter of qualifications and resume are very important parts of your application at DCF and are used during our evaluation process to determine your qualifications as they relate to the job. View instructions on developing your resume and letter of qualifications for your DCF application and what should be included in these materials.

Submitted materials will be evaluated by one or more subject matter experts and qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process.

Deadline to Apply

The deadline to apply is 11:59 PM on September 28, 2026. If you need assistance with the online application process, please contact, Yuliya Tchaikovski at 414-343-5748 or via email at [email protected] . Please see the Frequently Asked Questions for general wisc.jobs user information and technical assistance. Please note that due to a significant increase in applicant interest, there may be delays in the recruitment timelines.