ACAO - Health, Human Services and Opportunity (Assistant Chief Administrative Officer)

ASSISTANT CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER- HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICES & OPPORTUNITY

ABOUT THE JAWANDO ADMINISTRATION:

In June 2026, Democratic primary voters in Montgomery County chose their next County Executive: Will Jawando, a civil rights lawyer, Obama White House alum, and two-term County Council member who won by the widest margin of victory in an open primary in nearly two decades. He won on a promise to fully fund public schools, build affordable housing, and grow the economy from the bottom up.

Jawando is building his incoming team now, with a mandate to expand housing options and renter protections, invest in early childhood education alongside K-12 schools, treat equity as a standard for every decision, protect immigrant families and federal workers who call the county home, and craft a budget centered on working people.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

This is high level staff work directly supporting the Chief Administrative Officer and County Executive by carrying out a variety of assignments and functions in the executive branch of the County Government. As the incumbent of a non-merit position within Montgomery County Government, the employee will be appointed by the County Executive and confirmed by the County Council. Contacts include the County Executive, Chief Administrative Officer, elected County Council members and their senior staff, department and agency directors, division chiefs, officials from other government jurisdictions, corporate officers representing private sector companies, and representatives of public and private groups for the purpose of presenting, justifying, or defending policies and issues affecting the County Government.

An employee in this class provides staff support and advice to the County Executive or Chief Administrative Officer in designated functional or policy areas. Employees in this class also serve as project managers and task force leaders to study issues and implement actions in a variety of programmatic and management policy areas. The work involves developing major County policy option or issue papers, coordinating urban redevelopment projects, analyzing and making recommendations on proposed County legislation, assisting in preparation and development of new County legislation, and performing a variety of ad hoc special assignments for the Executive Branch. Assignments are stated in terms of broadly defined functions and areas of responsibility. The employee plans, designs, and carries out major projects, studies, or other work independently with little or no technical guidance. The work project or service is generally considered technically authoritative. The employee uses considerable judgment to interpret stated and written guidelines and to develop new criteria to evaluate programmatic issues or propose new management policies. The complexity of the work is characterized by a variety of duties that must be applied to new and unprecedented assignments and activities requiring extensive analysis. The work involves isolating and defining unknown or unprecedented conditions and developing new criteria to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of County Government programs and processes. The work also involves developing policy recommendations impacting major programmatic and management functions in the County government.

The work takes place in a normal office environment and involves no significant hazards or physical demands. Most employees in this class supervise staff by assigning and reviewing work, setting work standards, and acting on a variety of personnel matters affecting these employees.

Beyond internal management, the Assistant Chief Administrative Officer directs the County's health, human services, and opportunity portfolio, overseeing the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Public Libraries, and the Department of Recreation to expand access to care, early childhood supports, and youth development programs for County residents. This includes serving as the County's lead on immigrant affairs, including oversight of the Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center, and coordinating with the Department of Housing and Community Affairs to lead the County's housing stability strategy, encompassing homelessness services, rental assistance, and tenant protections. The Assistant Chief Administrative Officer also serves as the County Executive's primary liaison to Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and Montgomery College, and oversees the Commission for Women, building strong partnerships with community organizations and private-sector stakeholders in support of these goals.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES:  (Illustrative Only)

• Directs the Department of Health and Human Services, overseeing health, behavioral health, and human services programs for County residents.
• Serves as the County's lead on immigrant affairs, including oversight of the Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center and its budget.
• Coordinates with the Department of Housing and Community Affairs to lead the County's housing stability strategy, encompassing homelessness services, rental assistance programs, and tenant protections.
• Directs the Department of Public Libraries and the Department of Recreation, and oversees County early childhood and youth development initiatives.
• Serves as the County Executive's primary liaison to Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and Montgomery College, and oversees the Commission for Women.
• Coordinates, reviews, and prepares administrative procedures, executive regulations, and official testimony to ensure the appropriateness of the content prior to official issuance, and has signature authority for various administrative and legal documents.
• Directs the preparation of responses to selected correspondence, including inter-department coordination, on multiple issues for the County Executive's or Chief Administrative Officer's signature.
• Assists in the development, preparation, and review of all County legislation for the Executive Branch and provides liaison to departments and agencies.
• Provides advice and recommendations to the County Executive, Chief Administrative Officer, or other senior County officials regarding methods to implement public policy decisions affecting broad County Government operations or programs.
• Resolves or mediates issues involving controversy between citizens and proposed or current government activity.
• Organizes and works with interagency committees to develop policy documents and recommendations in a variety of functional areas and provides advice on budget, program proposals, and other matters affecting these areas to the County Executive or Chief Administrative Officer.
• Serves as legislative liaison for the Executive Branch and is responsible for communicating, researching, monitoring, analyzing, and advising on legislative issues and County Council activities.
• Coordinates special projects such as urban redevelopment activities or programs and serves as project manager to oversee project implementation.
• Performs citizen or community outreach services and coordinates the County Government's responses to public inquiries. Coordinates office staff activities, office automation services, and information retrieval and referral services for the Offices of the County Executive and Chief Administrative Officer.
• Performs special, ad hoc assignments such as researching issues, conducting studies, performing analyses, and developing recommendations on a variety of management and policy issues.
• Serves as project manager, committee chair, or task force leader to implement projects or study issues, as requested. Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Extensive knowledge of health and human services delivery systems, housing stability and homelessness response programs, and immigrant services.
• Skill in coordinating across health, housing, education, and community-based organizations to align services for vulnerable populations.
• Extensive knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of planning, formulating, analyzing, and implementing management and program policies and strategies.
• Extensive knowledge of multiple major County Government program areas.
• Skill in negotiating agreements with government and private sector organizations.
• Skill in oral and written communication sufficient to develop defenses of, and justification for, recommended courses of action. Skill in conducting or directing program evaluation and organizational management studies, and analyzing complex policy issues, organizational structures, and management problems.
• Skill in managing medium to large scale projects involving coordination of multiple departments or agencies. Ability to deal with people tactfully, effectively, and equitably.
• Ability to attend meetings and perform assignments at locations outside the office.

RECOMMENDED QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience: Extensive (6 years) professional administrative and/or high level staff experience involving program evaluation, management analysis, program management, or similar activities.

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree in Public or Business Administration or related fields.

Equivalency: An equivalent combination of experience or education may be substituted.

LICENSE: None.

SALARY: $160,000 - $240,000; commensurate with qualifications and experience.