DHS PROGRAM DIRECTOR 3 - 64589

Executive Service

This is a hybrid position.

For more information, visit the link below:
https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/human-services/documents/DHS_Prog_Dir3_Putnam_020325.pdf

Who we are and what we do:

DHS MISSION: Strengthen Tennessee by Strengthening Tennesseans

DHS VISION: To revolutionize the customer experience by growing capacity to reduce dependency.

DHS VALUES: High Performance Collaboration Continuous Improvement A Shared Vision Customer-Centered Solutions

How you make a difference in this role:

The Tennessee Department of Human Services, Division of Rehabilitation Services, Vocational Rehabilitation Program (VR) is accepting resumes for the position of Assistant VR Director of Transition and Youth Employment.

The VR Program seeks to provide employment-focused rehabilitation services for individuals with disabilities consistent with their strengths, priorities, and resources. The VR Program provides a variety of individualized services to persons with disabilities in preparation for their employment in the competitive labor market. Services provided that reduce or eliminate disability related barriers to employment may include counseling and guidance, training, maintenance and transportation, pre-employment services for students ages 14-22, transition services from school to work, personal care assistance, rehabilitation technology services, job placement, post-employment services, supported employment, and independent living services.

Under the general supervision of the VR Director, the Assistant VR Director of Transition and Youth Employment is responsible for leading the departments transition programs for students with disabilities to promote the successful transition to life after high school including employment and post-secondary educational opportunities. The Assistant VR Director of Transition and Youth Employment serves as the principal liaison with the Department of Education and facilitates collaboration with the local education agencies across the state. This includes implementing processes to ensure high quality transition and youth employment services are delivered to students with disabilities across the state.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serves as the subject matter expert for all aspects of transition and youth employment services statewide.
• Leads, guides, and directs the transition and youth employment services team to ensure innovative service delivery opportunities exist for students with disabilities that lead to competitive integrated employment outcomes.
• Evaluates and oversees the organization, structure, and staffing of the transition and youth employment services team to achieve VR program goals including meeting the needs of students with disabilities, the local school systems, and compliance with the requirements of Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA) in collaboration with the quality assurance team.
• As one of the three Assistant VR Directors, provide leadership and guidance to all VR field staff, to include topics specific to transition. This could include providing discussion sessions around best practices to the field in various areas within VR.
• Ensure policy and procedure compliance throughout the state in collaboration with the policy and case management system staff.
• Provide day to day oversight of 25 Transition Services staff, including conducting regular meetings and professional development plans and training opportunities for staff. Establish, maintain, and strengthen relationships with state education and workforce partners, including the Department of Education, Economic and Community Development (ECD), and the Department of Labor and Workforce Development (DLWD).
• Oversee the various contracts with providers of transition and youth employment services.
• Served as the Statewide Director and subject matter expert for the execution of the Project SEARCH program in Tennessee and oversaw all Project SEARCH sites.
• Maintain and strengthen relationships and communication with advocacy organizations, the disability community, and other stakeholders specific to the transition program and represent the department and the VR program to a variety of audiences across the state.
• Develop and implement innovative education and outreach plans to increase awareness of transition and youth employment services that target eligible students (ages 14-22) within the state.
• Develop and implement innovative education and business outreach plans that target geographic locations and business industries based on the needs of both VR-eligible student customers and the business community based on labor market data and employment trends in Tennessee.
• Oversee the expansion of work-based learning sites available to VR-eligible students across Tennessee.
• In collaboration with the Assistant VR Director of Business and Community Services, develop and implement pre-apprenticeship opportunities for students and youth receiving VR services in the state.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree and seven years of full-time professional work in one of the following: social/human services, education, and/or social services grant coordination.
• Applicants for this class may be required to: Complete a criminal history disclosure form in the manner approved by the appointing authority; agree to release all records involving their criminal history to the appointing authority; supply a fingerprint sample prescribed by the TBI based on criminal history records check.

Pursuant to the State of Tennessee's Workplace Discrimination and Harassment policy, the State is firmly committed to the principle of fair and equal employment opportunities for its citizens and strives to protect the rights and opportunities of all people to seek, obtain, and hold employment without being subjected to illegal discrimination and harassment in the workplace. It is the State's policy to provide an environment free of discrimination and harassment of an individual because of that person's race, color, national origin, age (40 and over), sex, pregnancy, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status or any other category protected by state and/or federal civil rights laws.