Office of Youth Safety Director

This is a non-civil service announcement in the Mayor's Office. The Office of Youth Safety Director will provide strategic leadership in establishing and managing an Office of Youth Safety, a central initiative within the Nashville Mayor’s Office to promote youth safety and opportunity. This role will oversee the development of data-informed strategies, align programming across Metro departments, engage stakeholders, and implement evidence-based, community-informed programs to reduce violence and enhance opportunities for Nashville’s youth.

Mayoral staff  (non-civil service) receive 15 days of Paid Time Off and 12 sick days annually. 

Leadership and Strategy

• Establish an Office of Youth Safety with the Mayor’s Office. Supervise support staff.
• Coordinate and align programming across the Metropolitan Nashville government to promote youth safety and well-being, using data to identify places and gaps in services for those communities’ needing engagement.
• Engage youth and community stakeholders and national experts to develop evidence-based, community-informed programming.

Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement

• Work with the Metropolitan Public Health Department (MPHD) violence prevention team, particularly team members focused on youth violence, to strengthen data and reporting systems and expand support from national experts on such initiatives as street outreach.
• Build strong relationships with community-based organizations, faith leaders, and advocacy groups to ensure the inclusion of diverse voices.
• Establish an advisory board of community leaders, youth representatives, and subject-matter experts to provide strategic guidance and accountability.
• Serve as a key liaison between the Mayor’s Office and external partners, including state and national officials, to promote collaboration and trust.

Program Development, Assessment, and Implementation

• Collaborate with national experts to conduct a comprehensive landscape analysis, identifying needs, service gaps, and opportunities to strengthen Nashville’s youth safety and opportunity efforts.
• Work with stakeholders to develop a clear theory of change. Specify logic models for key pathways.
• Oversee the development of evidence-based, community programs designed to promote safety and opportunity and support positive youth development.
• Work with MPHD and other departments to make grants to community-based groups that support this theory of change.

Data and Evaluation

• Monitor and evaluate program outcomes, using data to refine strategies and report on progress toward measurable goals.
• Break down data silos and explore opportunities to use data to better understand and serve youth and families most at risk of violence, particularly gun violence.
• Produce regular reports on program effectiveness and resource use, ensuring transparency and accountability.

Equity and Inclusion

• Ensure that initiatives reflect the diversity of Nashville’s communities and address the unique needs of Nashville most underserved and vulnerable youth populations.
   
   

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
 

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Education, Social Work, Criminology, or a related field.
• At least eight years of experience in public safety, youth services, education, public health, or program administration, including leadership roles.

Candidates with accreditations earned in a foreign institute are encouraged to apply.

Note: Per Metro Ordinance No. SO94-1078. All employees of the Metropolitan Government shall be residents of the State of Tennessee or become residents of the state within six (6) months of employment as a prerequisite to employment with the Metropolitan Government.

• Demonstrated experience in building and managing cross-sector partnerships.
• Strong skills in strategic planning, program design and management, and program evaluation.

• Knowledge of evidence-based practices in youth violence prevention, trauma informed care, restorative justice, and positive youth development.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills, with a commitment to equity and inclusion.

We are an equal opportunity employer that values diversity at all levels. All individuals, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply.

Metro Nashville Government respects the religious beliefs and practices of all employees and will make, on request, an accommodation for such observances when a reasonable accommodation is available that does not create an undue hardship on business operations.

Requests for ADA or other protected accommodations for the recruitment process should be directed to Human Resources at 615-862-6640.

Salary : $125,000 - $145,000