Child Services Regional Assistant Director
Date Posted: Feb 20, 2026
Requisition ID: 473061
Location:
Gary, IN, US, 46402
Work for Indiana
Begin a fulfilling career with the State of Indiana by joining one of the largest employers in the state, offering a range of opportunities across 60+ agencies. At the state, you'll find competitive compensation, a robust benefits package and a commitment to work-life balance. Most importantly, you'll have the chance to make a real and measurable impact on the lives of Hoosiers across Indiana.
About the Department of Child Services (DCS):
Join a group of passionate, dedicated public servants to support one of Indiana's most critical missions!
The Department of Child Services helps children who are victims of abuse or neglect and strengthens families through services that focus on family support and preservation. We pursue permanency for children and families through reunification, guardianship, and adoption. Our services also encompass foster care, child support, and transitional support for those adjusting to adulthood. Our culture is built upon our MVP foundation:
Mission: Champion Indiana's future by protecting children and strengthening families with compassion and determination.
Vision: Every child in Indiana thrives in a safe, loving, forever home.
Purpose: Ignite hope. Cultivate joy.
Role Overview:
The Regional Assistant Director works closely with the Regional Manager to oversee operations within the DCS region. In this role, you will communicate and implement child welfare practice decisions and strategic plans, foster a learning environment for staff, and promote a culture of respect for children and families. Additionally, you will assist in advancing statewide initiatives to integrate program development and implementation, ensuring that services are comprehensive, coordinated, and streamlined.
This role works primarily from Gary, Indiana, and will serve counties in Northwest Indiana. Residency in the service area is preferred.
Salary:
This position traditionally starts at an annual salary of $85,020 but may be commensurate with education and job experience.
Use our Compensation Calculator (https://in.accessgov.com/spd/Forms/Page/spd/compensation-calculator/) to view the total compensation package.
A Day in the Life:
Responsibilities include:
Ensure that children living in the region are protected and/or are moved to permanency in a timely, efficient, and compassionate manner.
Manage supervisory employees deployed to local and county offices within one of the agency's geographic service regions.
Maintain active, open communication with local and county offices across the region to support employee morale and rapport.
Communicate and ensure compliance with agency policies, mission, vision, and purpose statements across all offices in the region.
Communicate and track performance goals, objectives, and key performance indicators (KPIs) for managers and their local/county offices.
Analyze, implement, and monitor policies and practices to support optimal child services delivery.
Recruit, select, onboard, and train Local Office Directors to ensure role responsibilities, expectations, and agency mission, vision, and purpose are clearly understood.
Provide direct and hands-on support to a local/county office in times of child services crises.
Interact with regional communities through meetings, presentations, and participation in relevant committees and boards.
Support regional and/or centralized budget/finance management through monitoring and reporting related to budget and spending targets.
Implement change management projects at the direction of central office and regional leadership.
Support Regional Director, as needed, in leadership of monthly meetings of Local Office Directors to understand, monitor, and address child services needs and trends.
Maintain an understanding of best practices, literature, and/or research on workforce/employee management.
Represent the Regional Director in meetings, events, and other functions as needed.
The job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time.
This position is exempt from overtime compensation for additional work hours that may be required to complete essential functions or other assigned work. Exempt employees may work more than 75 hours in a pay period without additional compensation and must report a minimum of 75 hours per pay period of work hours and/or paid leave taken to receive their base biweekly salary.
What You'll Need for Success:
Credentials:
Bachelor's degree in Child Development, Education, Healthcare, Psychology, Guidance and Counseling, Social Work, Sociology, or related area. Master's degree preferred.
Six (6) years of child welfare or related experience including management or executive-level experience.
Additional qualifications:
Able to perform essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation.
Extensive knowledge of federal, state, and local laws impacting program compliance and child services delivery.
Extensive knowledge of DCS programs and operational goals.
Extensive knowledge of workforce, personnel management, budget management, and/or human resources policies supporting a regional network of offices.
Broad knowledge of public relations and communication theory and practices.
Broad knowledge of employee relations, engagement techniques, and solutions.
Broad knowledge of the state and agency budgeting and financial management processes.
Broad knowledge of human service delivery systems.
General knowledge of change management and conflict resolution.
General knowledge of state and local community advocacy groups.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Exceptional ability to think critically and solve complex problems with potentially significant dependencies and/or resource constraints.
Exceptional ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with internal and external stakeholders and representatives.
Exceptional ability to effectively prioritize and manage multiple high-profile cases or emergency projects.
Strong ability to address the public, special interest groups, and organizations in an open forum and in potentially stressful circumstances.
To maintain employement you must:
Maintain a valid driver's license, reliable automobile, and appropriate automobile insurance coverage at all times.
Consent to pre-employment and random drug and alcohol testing.
Supervisory Responsibilities/Direct Reports:
This role may provide direct supervision for one or more staff members.
Benefits of Employment with the State of Indiana:
The State of Indiana offers a comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees that includes:
Three (3) medical plan options (including RX coverage) as well as vision and dental plans
Wellness Rewards Program: Complete wellness activities to earn gift card rewards
Health savings account, which includes bi-weekly state contribution
Deferred compensation 457(b) account (similar to 401(k) plan) with employer match
Two (2) fully-funded pension plan options
A robust, comprehensive program of leave policies covering a variety of employee needs, including but not limited to:
150 hours of paid New Parent Leave and up to eight weeks of paid Childbirth Recovery Leave for eligible mothers
Up to 15 hours of paid community service leave
Combined 180 hours of paid vacation, personal, and sick leave time off
12 paid holidays, 14 nn election years
Education Reimbursement Program
Group life insurance
Referral Bonus program
Employee assistance program that allows for covered behavioral health visits
Qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
Free Parking for most positions
Free LinkedIn Learning access
Equal Employment Opportunity:
The State of Indiana is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to recruiting, selecting, developing, and promoting employees based on individual ability and job performance. Reasonable accommodations may be available to enable individuals with disabilities to complete the application and interview process as well as perform the essential functions of a role. If you require reasonable accommodations to complete this application, you can request assistance by contacting the Indiana State Personnel Department at jobs@spd.IN.gov.
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