Director of Human Services

Organization: Dane County, Wisconsin
Salary: The beginning will be negotiable depending on the experience and qualifications of the selected candidate
Close Date: The position will remain open until filled and the process will move forward immediately upon receipt of an adequate pool of well-qualified applicants.

Job Description:

Dane County is home to more than 500,000 residents, Wisconsin’s State Capitol, world-class colleges and universities including the University of Wisconsin and Madison College, good schools, more than 60 cities, villages, and towns and some of the most productive farms in the state and the nation. Dane County is also blessed with fish-filled lakes, rivers and streams. Parks, including one of the few free to the public zoos in the country, are plentiful throughout the County. The county airport provides quality connections to the world for residents and businesses.

Dane County was created by the first Wisconsin territorial legislature in 1836 and was organized as a separate governmental unit in 1839. Its population is second only to Milwaukee County in Wisconsin. Within the County's 1,238 square miles, there are 33 towns, 20 villages, and eight cities. The City of Madison is the largest with 47.6% of the County’s population and 43.5% of the equalized value. The City of Madison is the capitol of Wisconsin and the site of the 43,820 student University of Wisconsin-Madison. The County unemployment is consistently below state and national averages. The 2017 annual unemployment rate in Dane County was 2.4%. The low unemployment rate can be attributed to the stability of the workforce and type of business located in the County. National publications, including Forbes, USA Today, Livability, have recognized Madison and the Dane County metropolitan area as one of the best places to live in the Midwestern United States.

The County provides a range of governmental services authorized by state statute, under the direction of an elected Executive and a thirty-seven member Board of Supervisors. The County Executive is elected to a four-year term and the thirty-seven Board Supervisors are elected to coterminous two-year terms. There are six elected department heads. In addition, the County has numerous non-elected department heads who are appointed by the County Executive to manage their departments and administer the county, state and federal regulations specific to their departments. The Director of the Department of Human Services is among this group.

The County Department of Human Services (HSD) provides a comprehensive array of services and programs to more than 30,000 customers. The Department is organized into five divisions — Administration; Badger Prairie Health Care Center; Adult Community Services; Children, Youth and Families; and Economic Assistance and Work Services. HSD employs 665.95 FTEs who work from eight locations. HSD’s 2018 budget is $227 million which includes $179 million in support to more than 300 contract service providers.

Under the general administrative direction of the County Executive, Director, Department of Human Services (Director) appoints and directs staff, annually prepares and submits a proposed departmental budget, develops an annual comprehensive work plan to include priorities, objectives and measurement indices for all programs and services; develops, recommends and implements policies and procedures, directs the planning and implementation of new programs, continually evaluates the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of departmental services, directs the purchase of contracted services; develops staff, directs and promotes effective internal and external communication with staff, clients, client advocates, community organizations and private firms, represents the Department to the media, community agencies, professional organizations and the general public, directs the preparation and negotiation of requests for federal, state and private grants; prepares narrative and statistical reports for administrative and public review, staffs Health & Human Needs Committee and the Human Services Board; closely monitors the Department’s budget on an ongoing basis and participates on Statewide committees and organizations pertaining to the work of the Department.

The County’ s current Director is retiring after serving 46 years with HSD including 16 years as Director. For more information about Dane County and the Department of Human Services, visit www.countyofdane.com

Required Education and Experience: A master's degree in a human services, public administration, business administration or related field and five years of management experience (human services management experience preferred), or a bachelor's degree in one of the above specified fields combined with at least seven years of management experience, preferably in human services. Experience gained in the administration of multiple human services programs for a community-based agency including program planning, administration and personnel supervision is preferred.

Ideal candidates will have comprehensive knowledge of management principles and practices including budgeting, planning, personnel management, participative management techniques, program evaluation and management information systems; possession of or ability to gain thorough knowledge of federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations regarding the operation of programs; possession of or ability to gain knowledge of governmental and private grant procedures; ability to plan, organize and direct the activities of a large organization and staff; ability to develop, implement, direct and evaluate client centered service programs; ability to develop and effectively present ideas and concepts verbally and in writing to a variety of governmental policy and advisory boards or committees, governmental agencies, and the news media, employees and the general public.

Compensation:
The beginning will be negotiable depending on the experience and qualifications of the selected candidate. Dane County provides excellent benefits including: Wisconsin Retirement System, choice of health insurance, Dental Insurance, life Insurance, disability insurance, long-term care insurance, vision care, available deferred compensation, flexible spending accounts, transportation cost assistance and comprehensive paid time off benefits.

To Apply: The position will remain open until filled and the process will move forward upon receipt of an adequate pool of well-qualified applicants. If interested, please email your resume and cover letter with your current salary to slavin@bellsouth.net. For best results, please respond by November 21. For additional information about this opportunity, contact Robert E. Slavin, President at (770) 449-4656 slavin@bellsouth.net or David Krings, Midwest Regional Director at (513) 200-4222 david@kringsconsulting.com.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY RECRUITER AND EMPLOYER
Download a comprehensive profile information document (PDF)



© Copyright Slavin Management Consultants. All rights reserved.

Close This Listing Window