Nonprofit Chief Program Officer, Child Welfare

Join a team that makes a difference in the lives of children and teens in the US foster care system!

NAA is seeking a Chief Program Officer to join its team!

Overview:

The National Adoption Association (NAA) is hiring our first Chief Program Officer at a very exciting time for our organization as we grow and scale our programs and impact!

The Chief Program Officer (CPO) will bring demonstrated and significant experience supervising leaders of organizations at the Executive, Senior Director, and Vice President level. They will be an experienced non-profit leader who comes with knowledge of growth/scaling for change, data management/continuous quality improvement, and grant administration/reporting. The CPO is a remote position. As Black, Latino, and tribal nations/indigenous populations are over-represented in foster care, the ideal CPO should have experience in state, territory, and/or tribal child welfare. Working with systematically marginalized communities to promote, advance their needs and work is critical to NAA’s mission. They will report to NAA Chief Executive Officer, Kamilah Bunn, and will collaborate closely with her to advance NAA’s mission, vision, and philosophy.

• Mission: Leaders advancing best and inclusive practices in adoption from foster care.
• Vision: To build the premier network of professionals and agencies and create innovative strategies and solutions so that every child has a permanent loving family.
• Philosophy: We believe that adoption is addition, not subtraction. We advocate extending the concept of shared parenting to unite birth, kin, and adoptive families for the betterment of children and teens in care.

Education and Experience:

• Master’s degree in social work, nonprofit management, public administration, or closely related field. 
• Minimum of 20 years of experience in child welfare, especially foster care adoption. Public child welfare experience is preferred. Their years of service must include 10 years in senior management.
• Experience with federal grants preferred. 
• Technical federal reporting software expertise in Grants Solutions and Grants.gov is ideal. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Child Welfare Expert. Senior-Level management and supervisory background providing services to children and families in the areas of adoption, permanency, foster care, guardianship care, and kinship care. Possesses significant knowledge, skills, and abilities gained from public child welfare agency experience.
• Programmatic Leadership. Exceptional leadership and management ability to motivate and build high functioning teams. Comprehensive working knowledge of program planning, organizational structure, budgeting, administrative operations, and development. Passion about the children, families and jurisdictions served by NAA. Ability to recognize and prioritize program workflow needs.
• Vision. Understands and communicates the shared vision of the project; influences others to translate vision into action. Demonstrates commitment to DEI and youth voice.
• Tailored Technical Assistance. Established ability to train other professionals in child welfare theories and practices.
• Politically Informed. Expertise in the macro and micro issues associated with children, families, and the systems they interact with. Ability to keep current with trends in child welfare, mental health, resiliency, treatment, public and private resources (policies, regulations, and issues).
• Public Relations. Clear written/verbal communication with the media and public on behalf of the project that demonstrates knowledge of child welfare and conveys a passion for the cause/children & families we serve. Ability to maintain positive relationships with community partners, funders, and agency colleagues.
• Strategic Thinking. Formulates objectives and priorities and implements plans consistent with long-term objectives while managing risks. Ability to share strategic thinking and planning between the partners and the federal program officer. Experience with fundraising and development as well as working with a board of directors.
• Data Informed. Demonstrated ability to analyze complex data for strategizing and programmatic development and produce comprehensive reports. Values data, critically thinks about complex data, supports the programs in how they use data, and uses data for informed decision making.
• Relationship Management. Treats others with courtesy, sensitivity, and respect; possesses a good sense of humor. Facilitates decision making among people with different priorities, perspectives, and points of view in all situations.
• Inclusive Mindset. Demonstrated commitment to the values of diversity, inclusiveness, and empowerment.
• Effective Communication. Diplomatic communication style (verbal and written) with the ability to communicate the needs and concerns of the partners accurately and effectively to the federal program officer. Practices active listening; keeps others well informed; encourages others to express contrary views; adheres to the communication model as outlined in our collaboration agreement.
• Integrity/Honesty. Possesses high ethical standards; consistently demonstrates ethical standards in words and actions.
• Mediation. Ability to arbitrate and resolve conflict specifically as it pertains to facilitating the shared vision of the project, meeting the goals and expectation of the Children’s Bureau, and ensuring that the partners are equally contributing and participating in the project equitably.
• Political Savvy. Identifies the internal and external politics that impact the work of the organization; perceives and interprets the political reality and acts accordingly. Stays thoughtfully and critically engaged in the work during high-pressure situations and interactions.
• Federal Grant/Grantee Experience. Possesses a strong understanding of federal grants process and a past experience operating a federal grant with the understanding of its uniqueness.
• Financial Management. Ability to oversee the preparation, justification, and administration of program budgets; oversees and monitors expenditures in collaboration with each program director regularly and develops resource spending plans when necessary. Has experience navigating a multiple-program partnership. Works directly with the NAA CEO and CFO regarding finances.
• Project Management. Possesses exceptional project management skills. Determines the necessary sequence needed to achieve goals, handles multiple demands and competing priorities, sets high performance expectations for team members, and sets clear performance expectations and objectives. Flexibility with the ability to adapt as needed.
• Accountability. Holds self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results. Delivers constructive feedback directly and supportively.
• Collaborative Leadership. Creates opportunities for collaboration; encourages the exchange of information and sharing; focuses on the common purpose; has an action orientation.
• Team Building. Motivates team members to accomplish group goals and goals of our funder.

Additional Notes

NAA conducts background checks on all employees. Occasional overtime (evenings and weekends) may be required, in addition to travel up to 4 to 6 times per year for events. This position is remote.

Requirements

Role and Responsibilities

1. Leadership & Staff Management. In coordination with the CEO and senior leadership team (direct reports), play a key role in the overall development, strategic planning, service delivery, and management of our national programs, including federally funded initiatives.

• Supervise senior leaders at NAA working closely with them to build their skills and confidence so they can mentor, encourage, and motivate their staff. Provide leadership on how to troubleshoot challenges. Mentor leaders on how to proactively engage in planning to improve program management.
• Deploy resources efficiently and effectively toward program goals, working with staff to balance workload and effort, provide regular feedback so that leaders can continuously improve their supervision and mentoring skills.
• In support of the Chief Financial Officer, participate in the budget development process and maintain a high level of fiscal responsibility over each national program. Provide guidance to direct supervisees in the completion of program budgeting.

2. Program Oversight. In coordination with the CEO and senior leadership team, maintain cross-collaborative communication and partnerships between each national program to support the collaborative.

• Oversee the coordination, integration, and delivery of all programs, contracts, and related services, promoting collaborative relationships between program areas and ensuring that the expectations of funders, partners, constituents, clients, and other stakeholders are consistently met.
• Respond to requests for proposals and applications in partnership with the CEO, coordinate planning and activities necessary for development of model program designs in response to NOFOs, RFPs and RFAs.
• Work closely with the finance department to budget and monitor programmatic operations to ensure sound fiscal and system management.
• Ensure the delivery of qualitative and quantitative goals and outcomes of programs and services. Modify and/or create new performance and outcome measures. Analyze and assess programs based on data collected and implement corrective measures if required.
• Coordinate and analyze the appropriate data to inform the programmatic decision-making process. Develop an assessment protocol to determine the feasibility and sustainability of programs as well as lead to more effective and efficient service delivery.
• Determine staffing plans to achieve national program goals and objectives and participate in hiring decisions for new national program staff.

3. Strategic Planning & Continuous Improvement. Develop and track strategic vision and priorities across NAA’s national programs. Continuously evaluate program outcomes to identify areas for improvement, partner and present to CEO ways to increase the effectiveness of NAA as a whole.

• Liaise with NAA’s national grantors regarding the objectives and the activities proposed in conjunction with the leaders.
• Liaise with leaders to ensure grant reporting efforts using Grant Solutions and Grants.gov are submitted accurately and timely.
• Assure continuous quality improvement in reviewing all grant activities with the senior leadership of each national program.

4. Public Relations. Build external relationships, collaborations, and partnerships with other organizations in order to broaden services of programs.

• Support the CEO with fund development efforts through site visits, program presentations, events, participation in grant writing.
• Ensure clients receive services as defined by scope to be delivered as stated in contracts and grants.
• As requested by CEO, represent NAA at national conferences and meetings.

Benefits

Benefits and Compensation:

The CPO salary starts at $150,000. As a member of our team, you will not only receive a competitive salary and a generous benefits package including a gold health plan, dental & vision insurance (100% employer paid for employees!); employer retirement plan contribution; and professional development opportunities, among others. You will also enjoy your work - knowing you are a part of a dedicated group of professionals making an impact.

NAA is an Equal Opportunity employer committed to a diverse workforce. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability.

How to Apply:

No phone calls please. Apply online at Chief Program Officer with a cover letter and resume by June 3, 2024. Expected start date is Monday, September 29, 2024.

Please note - applications without cover letters will not be considered.

About NAA:

Founded in 1982 under the name Adoption Exchange Association, the National Adoption Association is the country's premier national association of adoption professionals and organizations. NAA is the only national association focused exclusively on supporting the educational needs of those in the adoption profession. The organization serves adoption exchanges, private child-placing agencies, and public child welfare systems by engaging members in national discussions to eliminate barriers to foster care adoption and share best practices. Our mission is leaders advancing best and inclusive practices in adoption from foster care. Our vision is to build the premier network of professionals and agencies to create innovative strategies and solutions so that every child has a permanent loving family. www.adoptnaa.org

NAA Racial Equity Statement:

As leaders in child welfare, we recognize systemic racism creates disparities that negatively impact our staff as well as the children and families we serve. NAA is committed to listening, learning, and taking actions to advance racial equity by:

·       Continually and intentionally recruiting, hiring, and supporting diverse staff, including consultants and vendors;

·       Using a racial equity lens in all of our programmatic work;

·       Evaluating our organizational policies and procedures to ensure that they are antiracist[1];

·       Allowing staff to be their authentic selves.

[1] Anti-Racism is defined as the work of actively opposing racism by advocating for changes in political, economic, and social life. Anti-racism tends to be an individualized approach and set up in opposition to individual racist behaviors and impacts. Source: ProInspire sourcedRace Reporting Guide by Race Forward_V1.1.pdf