Director of the Office of Children, Youth, & Families

About Pittsburgh and Allegheny County 

Allegheny County (pop. 1.23 million) is the second most populous county in Pennsylvania and home 

to Pittsburgh, the state's second-largest city. Pittsburgh was named a top 2026 global destination by National Geographic. With a median household income of $80,000, 40% more primary care doctors per capita than state and national averages, and a strong base of world-class universities and health systems, the region offers exceptional quality of life, outstanding schools, and deep civic infrastructure. Pittsburgh offers a rare combination: a city small enough to get every key stakeholder in the room, yet large enough to drive policy change with national visibility that is backed by progressive elected leadership willing to think ambitiously and support creative solutions. 

Allegheny County's diversity is a lived reality throughout its neighborhoods, workplaces, and governance. Through inclusive engagement and its commitment to collaborative governance, the county understands the disparities that continue to exist and works towards building a community where every resident feels represented, valued, and empowered to thrive. 

About Allegheny County Government 

Allegheny County is governed by the County Executive, Sara Innamorato, an appointed County Manager, and a 15-member elected County Council. The County government works in partnership with 130 self-governing municipalities across the county. 

Executive Innamorato's priorities for County Government all support the idea of making Allegheny County a “county for all.” To achieve this vision, Allegheny County Government is making significant investments in the following areas: 

• Economic Development: Supporting business districts to ensure their vitality and increase opportunities through the Allegheny Together program. 
• Transportation: Expanding the Bus Rapid Transit service and modernizing both the light rail system and Pittsburgh International Airport. 
• Employee Benefits: Guaranteeing a range of benefits to County employees on their first day on the job, including parental, sick, and vacation leave as well as time off under the Family Medical Leave Act. 
• Healthcare: Increasing access and convenience to high-quality, affordable healthcare for all residents. 
• Environmental Health & Sustainability: Providing low-cost, long-term financing for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and water conservation projects via the Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy program. 
• Housing: Increasing access to long-term housing with the “500 in 500” plan to make 500 units available to people in the county's shelters within 500 days, starting in June 2024. 

About the Office of Children, Youth and Families 

The Office of Children, Youth and Families (CYF) is Allegheny County's public child welfare agency and one of the largest offices within the Department of Human Services (DHS). CYF is required by law to protect children from abuse and neglect, preserve families whenever possible, and make sure every child has a safe, permanent home. Pennsylvania administers child welfare at the county level, which gives Allegheny County unusual freedom to design its own approach to prevention, protection, and permanency. CYF serves families through regional offices across the county and a large network of contracted provider agencies. 

CYF operates under both local and state oversight. Locally, the Children, Youth and Families Advisory Board meets in public session to review the office's work and advise Department of Human Services (DHS) leadership. At the state level, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services' Office of Children, Youth and Families licenses and monitors county agencies and approves the County's annual Needs-Based Plan and Budget. CYF also works closely with the Family Division of the Court of Common Pleas, which hears dependency cases. 

About the Director of the Office of Children, Youth and Families 

“...one place where families can get connected to the right help at the right time.” 

–– Alex Jutca, Director, Allegheny County Department of Human Services 

Allegheny County (core city, Pittsburgh) is seeking a person of experience, integrity and good judgment to fill the position of Director of Children Youth and Families (CYF). This Director is responsible for increasing children's safety and well being in a county of 230,000 children by leading the office responsible for child protective services and collaborating with other partners in child welfare, including Courts, schools, and community agencies.  

We are a solid, quality system that has shown willingness to make large-scale changes when needed. We are seeking a Director to further solidify quality practice and chart the course for the next decade of system improvements.   

This position reports to the Director of the Allegheny County Department of Human Services (DHS) and is a member of the department's 9-person executive team. The incumbent will oversee several direct staff, including three Assistant Directors and 540 indirect-report staff. Please submit your Resume, a Cover Letter that explains why you are a great candidate, including specific examples from your experience, and up to 3 References.    

Allegheny County DHS is known throughout the country for taking bold actions to improve the child welfare system. This includes: 

• Recognizing that a child and family's involvement with child protective services is traumatic—and therefore we need to change the system to minimize entry into child protective services to just those who need protection. 
• Changing the pathways to our family services and supports so that families can get services and tangible supports without becoming involved with CYF; and building a strong set of community-based prevention programs.  
• Minimizing out-of-home placements (CYF has managed a steady reduction in placements over the past decade); and, when placement is necessary, placing the majority of children with kin (more than 60% of placements are with kin).  
• Creating peer-support for children in care (e.g., young adults who've been in the system coaching teens who are CYF-involved); and offering that same support to parents in the system.   
• Investing in family services even when federal and state policies make it hard to do so. (CYF invests in high-quality legal representation of children and parents; and has increased investments in conflict counsel so that both mothers and fathers get the support they should be entitled to)  
• Providing CYF staff with information and tools that help them make sound decisions (e.g., tools to identify risk levels at the Investigations stage; and tools to identify inequities at each stage of the child protective services system).  

CYF is part of DHS, which is responsible for many health and social services. These include family support and prevention, childcare, and housing and homeless services (Office of Community Services), developmental supports (Office of Developmental Supports), early intervention, mental health, and drug and alcohol services (Office of Behavioral Health), services for older adults (Aging Services), and justice and safety supports (Office of Community Justice & Safety). This means that the CYF Director can expect and enjoy working on big problems with other best-in-class professionals.  

Profile and Duties 

We are looking for a leader in child welfare who has successfully administered large-scale programs or agencies and readily embraces the responsibility for leading a large system. This candidate envisions a system that is effective in protecting children and supporting families, seeks to minimize entry into the system, reduces inequities—and has the experience and skills needed to make such a vision possible. They have a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and wish to seize the opportunity to address the social and structural differences that are deeply embedded in society and impact families' abilities and willingness to engage in services.  

The ideal candidate is a great communicator. They ask questions, want to understand other points of view, and actively listen. Their clear mind and caring heart make them the kind of leader people want to follow. 

Knowledge Areas  

The Director of CYF:  

• Envisions, leads and shapes a system of care that is effective in protecting children, respectful of families and seeks to minimize entry into the system.  
• Establishes the operational structure, culture, and standards of practice that allow CYF to meet goals and key performance indicators; and ensures staff and providers understand the organization's purpose and goals and are motivated to work together toward the mission.  
• Directs and manages staff, programs, and operations in an organized, professional and clear manner, demonstrating a high degree of respect for staff.  
• Collaborates with other offices within DHS, the Courts, and the County to align in meeting goals for child safety and well being and reducing inequities in the system.  
• Builds and leverages partnerships with community organizations that have the trust of clients and families.   
• Communicates a strategic vision through frequent public presentations, listening sessions and presentations with staff and providers; and by cultivating relationships.  
• Remains current on local, state and national affairs, policies, and legislation that impact the system; and is highly knowledgeable about the parameters of funding sources.  
• Represents DHS and builds relationships with governmental entities, including those at the state and federal levels.  
• Ensures the Office applies a consistent framework for continuous improvement. 
• Interprets and applies the state, federal, and county regulations that govern children and youth services, and translates them into clear practice for staff and providers. 
• Develops the County's annual Needs-Based Plan and Budget with DHS leadership and state officials, grounded in an assessment of community needs and available resources. 
• Understands juvenile court, probation, and dependency practice, and works effectively with judges, court officials, and legal counsel. 
• Builds staff capacity through training and professional development. 

Qualifications 

• Bachelor's degree and six years of progressively responsible experience in social services, including three years in an administrative role within a children and youth services agency; or an equivalent combination of experience and training. 
• Leadership experience and aptitude 
• Ability to understand and synthesize information 
• Experience professionally operating a large system or programs (operations/management expertise)  
• Values that include:   
• • Integrity   
  • Using their abilities and position to reduce disparities in child welfare system and practice  
  • Placing priority on engaging with families, communities, staff and providers to understand how the system is working; and how to improve it 
  • Openness to hearing criticism and using this to improve their own work and the system they lead  
  • Experience in managing a large number of contracts that are critical to delivering services and support to families that achieve the performance we expect  

Track Record of Success 

The next Director of CYF will have a track record of success in the following areas: 

• Leading large, complex organizations through significant change and ambiguity 
• Identifying, developing, and retaining strong leaders and frontline staff 
• Using data and evidence to drive decisions, measure performance, and reduce disparities 
• Managing a large portfolio of provider contracts and holding partners accountable for results 
• Building trusted partnerships with community organizations, courts, schools, and families 
• Navigating federal, state, and local funding streams and policy environments 
• Communicating a clear vision to staff, providers, elected officials, and the public 

Compensation 

The salary range is $165,000-$180,000