Deputy Division Director - Juvenile Division

This position will remain open until filled. Applicants who apply by Sunday, May 25, 2025, will receive first consideration in the process.

The King County Department of Adult & Juvenile Detention is seeking an inspired and talented leader with the vision, knowledge, skills, and drive to advance trauma-informed, developmentally tailored, and culturally responsive services. The candidate will be committed to partnerships that promote and expand alternatives to secure detention, prioritizing community safety, youth care, and well-being, all with a focus on our commitment to racial equity.

The Deputy Division Director – Juvenile serves in a key leadership role and is integral to coordinating and managing all division intra-governmental relations, serving as a liaison for a variety of legislative and policy issues, and maintaining effective, collaborative working relationships with elected officials, other criminal justice agencies, community partners, labor representatives, courts, and other King County agencies. This role provides oversight of the Juvenile Division which includes Secure Detention, Health Services, Food Services and Juvenile Community Programs. This position requires a keen understanding of the strategies and tactics necessary to operate and lead a juvenile detention facility, as well as a commitment to embrace best practices for detained adolescents. The ideal candidate should be innovative, and prepared to be mission-driven, data-informed, and laser-focused on safety, security, and expending opportunities for positive youth development. This role requires a self-starter with a strong business acumen, a keen attention to detail, commitment to build alliances and partnerships, ability to work in a fast-paced environment and strong grounding in juvenile detention administration.

The Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention (DAJD) is a King County Executive branch department with five divisions and approximately 900 budgeted employees supporting two adult detention facilities housing approximately 1,500 adult residents, a 112-bed juvenile detention facility, alternatives to secure detention, various community supervision programs, and administrative services. The juvenile detention facility houses youth between the ages of 12-17 with an average daily population of 61 youth in 2025.

DAJD MISSION: We provide in-custody and community-based services that are data informed, advance safety, lead system change, and promote equitable outcomes for the people we serve.

DAJD VISION: We lead the Nation in providing exemplary services that transform lives.

DAJD PRIORITIES

• Ensure safety and security of staff and residents.
• Recruit, develop, support, and retain staff.
• Promote opportunities to humanize the people in our facilities and programs.
• Strengthen community connections.
• Manage operational risks.
• Effectively manage resources and drive continuous quality improvements.

To learn more about DAJD, please visit our website at: https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/dajd

COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, RACE & SOCIAL JUSTICE

As the only county in the United States named after one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation’s history, Martin Luther King, Jr. County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the artistic and social traditions of many cultures.

We have a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change.

To learn more about the County’s ERSJ efforts please visit our website at: https://kingcounty.gov/en/legacy/elected/executive/equity-social-justice

Reporting to the Division Director - Juvenile, the Deputy Division Director – Juvenile will assist with the management of DAJD's Juvenile Division in a highly unionized, high-profile environment, ensuring safe secure management of the juvenile detention facility in King County.

The Deputy Division Director – Juvenile will:

• Identify and builds community partnerships to promote enhanced service delivery and positive reintegration to the community for justice involved youth.

• Coordinates with the Department's Human Resources section regarding personnel issues.

• Serves as the acting Division Director in the absence of the Division Director, when assigned.

• Assists the Division Director in developing the Division's business plan including creating performance indicators and outcome measures.

• Provide oversight of the Juvenile Division, which includes: Secure Detention, Health Services, Food Services and Juvenile Community Programs.

• Perform at a high level of accomplishment utilizing functional, technical knowledge and skills.

• Administer Juvenile Justice best practices to include Trauma Informed Care, Adolescent Behavior, Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI), Pathways, Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) and Restorative Justice Practices utilizing a comprehensive knowledge of best practices

• Conduct research and effectively communicate results to a general audience, as well as translate results into work plans and deliverables utilizing the ability to comprehend and interpret complex data.

• Coordinate and manage all division intra-governmental relations, as directed. Serves as a liaison for a variety of legislative and policy issues that require maintaining effective, collaborative working relationships with elected officials, other criminal justice agencies, labor representatives, courts, and other King County agencies as assigned by the Division Director.
• Prepare and conduct effective written and oral presentations for both formal and informal settings.
• Collaborates with the Department’s communication team on internal and external messaging and media.
• Manage and revise detention service provider contracts, developing scopes of work, budgets, and deliverables.
• Evaluate performance of assigned personnel, coach, and develop leaders.
• Perform other duties as assigned within scope and area of assignment.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Possession of a Bachelor's Degree in counseling, social work, social science, criminal or juvenile justice, psychology, or a related field; AND Eight (8) years of full-time increasingly responsible experience, of which six (6) years of experience must be in a supervisory or management capacity providing leadership, administration, development, implementation, and evaluation of department services; OR Any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the applicant with the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the work.

• A valid Washington State driver's license or the ability to travel throughout the County in a timely manner (by time of hire).
• Demonstrated history of strong problem-solving skills within a complex, multifaceted organization, promoting strong and sustained professional relationships with employees and partners.
• Excellent organizational and task-monitoring skills.
• Knowledgeable of and committed to equity and social justice initiatives.
• Able to be flexible and adapt as required, while working in a multi-faceted and sometimes ambiguous environment.
• Possess strong ability to navigate through conflicting stakeholder and community partner perspectives.

Desirable candidates will possess:

• Direct experience managing juvenile operations, supervising an alternative to secure confinement program or work experience within a wide range of criminal justice systems.

• General knowledge of personnel, human resources and union issues.

• A broad-based knowledge of detention operations, incident management, and detention policies

• Understand industry standards and risk/liability issues inherent in detention facilities and training requirements for staff.

• Knowledgeable of current and possible future policies, practices, and trends within the Juvenile Detention field, including trauma informed principles and the role of a public health approach in strengths-based programming.

• Knowledgeable of adverse childhood experiences and the effect of complex trauma on brain development and behavior.

COMPENSATION & HOW TO APPLY

This exciting opportunity is open to all applicants. The salary for this position in 2025 has a range starting at $158,297 up to a top end (based on experience) of $199,321 annually, and includes innovative and award-winning medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as a robust leave package. To see all of King County’s benefits, please visit our web site at http://kingcounty.gov/jobs/benefits.aspx.

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process, or if you have questions, please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

The following items are REQUIRED to be considered for this opportunity:

• Completion of the entire online King County application including education history, work history, position duties, and answers to the supplemental questions
• Resume
• Cover Letter-detailing your background and describing how you meet or exceed the requirements of the position.

Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application. Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted. Application submittals without resumes and cover letters attached are considered incomplete and will not be accepted. The selection process may include but is not limited to: evaluation of application materials and supplemental questions, interviewing, background check, and assessments.

To apply, go to: http://www.kingcounty.gov/jobs For assistance with the online application process, please contact NEOGOV (Governmentjobs.com) Customer Support toll free at: 1-877-204-4442.