JR Community Regional Administrator - Region 3 and 4

Our vision is to ensure that “All Washington's children and youth grow up safe and healthy, thriving physically, emotionally, and educationally, nurtured by family and community".

Job Title:JR Community Regional Administrator - Region 3 and 4
Location: Seattle, WA
Closes: Wednesday, May 6th, 2026
Salary:$82,344.00 - $146,784.00 Annually.

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is accepting applications for a Regional Administrator to lead Juvenile Rehabilitation Community Programs across Regions 3 and 4. This is an exempt, appointing authority position that reports to the Director of Community Programs and carries significant responsibility for the safety, rehabilitation, and successful reentry of young people served across a broad geographic region.

This position oversees community-based residential facilities, Community Transition Services (CTS) on electronic home monitoring, parole aftercare programs, and voluntary community services for youth discharged from residential facilities. With an annual budget of $8,827,763 and oversight of two offices, one satellite office (Whatcom), two community facilities, 10 tribal nations across both regions, and juvenile courts spanning Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, Island, San Juan, and King counties, this is a high-impact leadership role for someone committed to juvenile justice reform, positive youth development, and community partnership.

Click here to learn more about DCYF.

The Opportunity:

As the Regional Administrator, you will serve as the Appointing Authority for your region, providing direct oversight of personnel, fiscal accountability, program operations, and community engagement across 20 regional FTEs, 40 community facility FTEs, and 7 on-call staff. You will lead a team focused on healing-centered, trauma-informed, and strength-based approaches that help young people build pathways to education, employment, and long-term self-sufficiency.

You will build and sustain relationships with a wide range of stakeholders including tribal nations, law enforcement, juvenile courts, schools, behavioral health providers, housing organizations, and community-based organizations. Your leadership will shape policy and practice across the region and contribute to statewide juvenile justice reform efforts.

Some of what you will do:

• Serve as Appointing Authority with full responsibility for personnel management including hiring, promotions, disciplinary decisions, and union-management activities across regional offices and programs.
• Oversee the administration and compliance of all state-operated and contracted regional parole service activities, community-based residential facilities, and Community Transition Services (CTS) on electronic home monitoring.
• Manage the regional budget allotment of $8,827,763, ensuring fiscal accountability and efficient allocation of resources across all fund sources.
• Lead planning, monitoring, evaluation, and administration of juvenile justice services in alignment with RCW 13.40, RCW 13.06, RCW 72.01, and RCW 72.05.
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with tribal nations, juvenile courts, law enforcement, schools, employers, healthcare providers, and community organizations to support successful youth reentry.
• Apply strategic thinking and evidence-based juvenile justice principles including positive youth development, healing-centered approaches, racial equity, and trauma-informed care.
• Lead safety and emergency planning, facility management, and respond to community incidents with potential public safety implications.
• Engage in gaps and needs analysis; determine priority needs for new contracts, expansions, modifications, or discontinuation of existing contracts.
• Represent DCYF in local community meetings, public hearings, and municipal settings related to facility siting, conditional use permits, and emergency management.
• Drive continuous quality improvement, risk mitigation, service consistency, and implementation of the Department's core values in alignment with the Governor's initiatives.

Required Qualifications:

A Bachelor’s degree and five years of professional experience in a management position, AND five (5) years of progressively responsible and multidimensional experience managing people and programs.

OR

Nine years of progressively responsible and multidimensional experience managing people and programs.

AND

1. The ability to take action to learn and grow.
2. The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

This position also requires demonstrated leadership competencies including the ability to cultivate shared strategic vision, develop and empower people, drive results, foster learning, build relationships, communicate effectively, and embrace and embed inclusion in decision-making.

In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following:

• Master's degree in social and behavioral sciences, juvenile justice, child welfare, or a related field; or a Juris Doctorate or other graduate degree with relevant experience.
• Four or more years of progressively responsible experience managing people and programs in a juvenile justice or related setting.
• Knowledge of juvenile justice statutes, equal opportunity law, ADA, FMLA, EEOC, Civil Service Merit System Rules, and Collective Bargaining Agreements.
• Demonstrated experience building partnerships with tribal nations and Recognized American Indian Organizations.
• Ability to articulate and model DCYF core values: Inclusion, Respect, Integrity, Compassion, and Transparency.

How to apply:
Complete your applicant profile and attach the following documents:

• Letter of interest describing how you meet the specific qualifications.
• Current resume detailing experience and education.

Supplemental Information:

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) was created to be a comprehensive agency exclusively dedicated to the social, emotional, and physical well-being of children, youth, and families regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other socioeconomic factors. We believe our workforce should reflect the communities we serve and are actively searching for candidates that reflect that diversity.

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability.

Applicants selected for an interview are required to pass a national fingerprint background check and complete a questionnaire mandated by the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) inquiring about any sexual misconduct. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but is considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the job.

If you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment or if you would like to request an accommodation throughout the application/interview process, contact DCYF Recruiter. If you're experiencing technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application, call NEOGOV toll-free at (855)524-5627 or emailsupport@neogov.com.

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may call (360) 902-2276 or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at (800) 833-6388.

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications and wish to claim Veteran's Preference MUSTattach a copy of their DD214, NGB Form 22 or Predischarge Certification (issued not more than 120 days prior to End of Term of Service (ETS) by date of submission). If claiming preference based on Predischarge Certification, individual will be required to provide their official discharge documentation, such as a DD form 214, NGB form 22, or equivalent, within 30 days after the date of discharge. Please blackout (redact)the social security number before attaching any documents. For additional information on Veteran's Preference and guidance on how to determine if you are eligible, click here.

DCYF participates in the federal E-Verify program. The selected candidate must provide proof of identity and authorization to work in the United States, consistent with E-Verify requirements, on their first day of employment.

03145