Assistant Director of Programs and Operations

Why join our team? 

Join a workplace where public service meets opportunity. At Lake County Government, employees are empowered to grow, collaborate, and make a meaningful impact every day. We offer a supportive environment that values innovation and connection, with reliable compensation, comprehensive benefits, and a commitment to helping you succeed both professionally and personally. 

Cultural Expectations 

• Assume Good Intent: Approach each interaction with positive mindset and openness to understand others. 

• Model Professional: Maintain high standards in behavior and communication that reflect our values. 

• Apply County-Wide Lens: Consider the broader impact of decisions on our community and organization as a whole. 

• Be Solutions-Oriented: Focus on finding constructive solutions rather than dwelling on problems or challenges. 

• Practice Servant Leadership: Prioritize the needs of others, fostering a supportive and collaborative work environment. 

• Support Meaningful Work-Life Balance: Encourage boundaries that support personal well-being while achieving professional responsibilities.  

Position Summary
Lake County Department of Human Services (DHS) is seeking an Assistant Director of Programs and Operations. The Director of Programs and Operations provides highly complex professional assistance to, and works in tandem with, the Human Services Director.

The Director promotes the vision, mission, practices, and policies of the Department and will lead projects and procedures that use successful information sharing, skill building, and collaboration within the Department and Lake County Government. The Assistant Director will work with the Human Services Director on implementing policy decisions from the Lake County Board of County Commissioners and State of Colorado with a priority on improving the sustainability of individuals and families in Lake County. The Assistant Director of Programs and Operations will likely oversee and implement complex policy objectives, administrative tasks, organizational improvement and performance, compliance reporting, and department communications.

This position pays a competitive salary, depending upon experience. This is a full-time position that is eligible for benefits.

This position is not eligible for remote work and has on-call responsibilities. 

General Duties and Responsibilities
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Essential Functions

• Provides professional-level support to the Director in a variety of areas; provides special management functions as the Assistant Director, including management of external-facing programs and services, including: Adult Services, Economic Services, Children and Family Services, and Emergency Support Functions.
• Sources and Manages Grant Opportunities for the department.
• Manages contracts with vendors and professional external services in coordination with the finance team.
• Ensures there is cross-departmental program coordination and seeks opportunities for enhancing community member experience with the department. 
• Monitors the performance of program areas and works with departmental leadership to ensure state and federal compliance measures are met.
• Works with departments to develop, monitor, and adapt program policies to ensure the department is following all state and federal requirements. 
• Plans, organizes, and supervises program leads in the day-to-day operations of the DHS division: supervises overall work performance and daily activities of the employees; provides training and review of work; interviews and makes hiring decisions; takes disciplinary actions; conducts performance appraisals and related management actions to assure the effectiveness of the DHS programs and compliance with state and federal regulations.
• Plans long-range goals and objectives for the DHS in coordination with the Director and program leads; coordinates efforts to unify the DHS division through internal and external communication and promotion; assists with the assessment, planning, development, implementation and evaluation of programs and services; assesses and monitors DHS needs and priorities, monitors and evaluates pending legislation and the impact of public policies, laws and regulations on DHS programs.
• Leads the advancement of integrated DHS by coordinating local and regional multi-agency program development, communication, and initiatives; develops and implements programs and/or revisions to existing programs based on Federal and/or State policy changes.
•  Develops and implements office systems, policies, and procedures to ensure efficiency and optimal communication across program areas. 
• Maintains a thorough understanding of complex programs, processes, or specialized systems through participation in ongoing training and self-teaching.
• Monitors spending of departments and coordinates with the Human Services Director and Finance Department to develop yearly budgets for programs.
• Participates and represents the county in state-led meetings in coordination with the Director.
• Direct reports/staff and program area split with the Director will be determined after the initial orientation period
• Participates in Emergency Preparedness and Response activities related to DHS.
• Performs other duties as required.

Supervisory Responsibilities
Supervises program area leads, in conjunction with the DHS Director. Serves as the Director in their absence.

Requirements

Minimum Education

• Bachelor's Degree required with an emphasis in Human Services, Public Administration, Social Work, and/or related field will be considered.
• Any combination of education, training, and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job will be considered.

Special professional and/or job-related requirements

• 5+ years’ experience as a manager, supervisor, or lead
• Experience in Human Services in Child Welfare and Eligibility programs preferred
• State training for Benefits Eligibility and Child Welfare will be provided within the first year of employment

Qualifications

• Must possess a valid Colorado Driver’s License and acceptable Motor Vehicle Record.
• Experience managing staff, delegating tasks and responsibilities, and providing coaching and feedback to staff to improve performance.
• Customer service experience in a service-related field with the ability to remain flexible and sensitive to a public clientele diverse in age, ethnicity, and maturity.
• Ability to work as part of a team and effectively communicate and work with co-workers, clients, other agencies, and the public.
• Ability to assess situations and make prudent and appropriate decisions; ability to apply conflict resolution and problem-solving skills to minimize negative personal impact.
• Ability to efficiently plan and schedule with strong organizational skills, keen attention to detail, and ability to complete quality work amidst multiple, competing priorities.
• Superior verbal and written communication skills and effective listening skills.

Knowledge of the following:

• Principles and practices of social work, social welfare, social research, and community, social, and health resources.
• Administrative principles and practices, including goal setting and implementation of state and federal laws and regulations governing non-profits.
• Record keeping, records management, and grant program rules and standards.
• Techniques and practices for efficient and cost-effective management of resources.

Travel: May require some in-state travel for training.

Hazard Notice 

Work is performed in a standard indoor office environment. Duties require long periods of sitting and computer use. Employee may occasionally lift objects up to 25 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to help people with disabilities do this job. 

Physical Activity & Work Environment 

Examples: 

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. 

• Prolonged periods of standing or walking. 

• Frequent bending, kneeling, reaching, or climbing. 

• Ability to lift and carry up to 25 pounds.

• Occasionally pushing, pulling, or moving objects. 

• Use of hands for repetitive motions such as typing, writing, or operating equipment. 

• Operation of standard office equipment (computers, phones, copiers, etc.). 

• Visual acuity to read and produce accurate documents and materials. 

• Hearing ability sufficient to respond to spoken communication. 

• Ability to climb stairs.

• Ability to operate motor vehicles and/or machinery. 

• Standard office environment with controlled temperature and lighting. 

• Exposure to varying outdoor weather conditions. 

• Work performed in a loud, noisy, or distracting environment.

• Interaction with the public, sometimes in high-pressure or emotionally charged situations. 

• Occasional travel to offsite locations or satellite facilities. 

• Work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven, or high-volume environment. 

• May be required to work evenings, weekends, holidays, or be on-call.

Notice of Emergency/Disaster Responsibilities

All Lake County Employees may be required to work as a Disaster Service Worker when a local declaration of emergency or disaster is declared by the Board of County Commissioners. To be prepared for this role, all employees and emergency service function (ESF) leads will attend emergency management trainings and exercises as requested by the Director of Emergency Management. With advanced notification from OEM, employees will make reasonable efforts to attend training events in coordination with other employees and supervisors.

EOE Statement 

Lake County is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status. Assistance or accommodation during the application process due to a disability is available upon request. 

Applicant Notice 
Lake County Government posts all official employment opportunities on its careers page linked here. Positions may also appear on external job boards such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter through our applicant tracking system. 

Please be aware that unauthorized third parties may repost or imitate job listings. The most accurate and up-to-date information will always be available on our official website. Applicants are recommended to apply directly through our career page and should not provide personal information outside of the official application process. 

EOE Statement

Lake County is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status. Assistance or accommodation during the application process due to a disability is available upon request.

Notice of Work Authorization Requirement

Applicants must be authorized to lawfully work for any employer in the United States. Lake County is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa.

Notice of Emergency/Disaster Responsibilities

All Lake County Employees may be required to work as a Disaster Service Worker when a local declaration of emergency or disaster is declared by the Board of County Commissioners. To be prepared for this role, all employees and emergency service function (ESF) leads will attend emergency management trainings and exercises as requested by the Director of Emergency Management. With advanced notification from OEM, employees will make reasonable efforts to attend training events in coordination with other employees and supervisors.

Other Duties

Please note that this job description does not intend to cover or contain a full comprehensive list of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Expected Duration of the Application Process

Due to the nature of the application and selection process for Lake County full-time positions, applicants can reasonably expect the application process to take a significant amount of time to complete before a decision is made to hire or not to hire. Typically, it takes approximately two (2) to four (4) weeks from the date of application to complete the entire selection process. The length of time it takes to complete the process can vary depending on a variety of factors. Please note that this is an estimated duration of the selection process.