NORTHERN AFTERCARE REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR

Position Overview:

The Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice is seeking a highly qualified candidate to serve as the Northern Aftercare Regional Administrator. This role is the primary policy-formulating authority for the region, responsible for the planning, development, organization, management, and oversight of regional Aftercare Services. The Administrator ensures a comprehensive and coordinated service delivery program, working closely with other departmental divisions and community partners to support youth and families. Key responsibilities include directing administrative staff in the implementation of programmatic and management services, overseeing service activities, and representing the department at community events and stakeholder meetings. Acting as a spokesperson, the Administrator has the authority to commit the agency to specific courses of action in alignment with its mission and goals. This position requires statewide travel to fulfill its duties effectively. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply.

Essential Functions:

• Policy Development & Compliance: Plans and coordinates service delivery with the Deputy Director of Aftercare Services and executive offices; formulates and implements policies and procedures; ensures compliance with all applicable laws, rules, policies, and performance standards; develops and coordinates community-based services relevant to aftercare.

• Staff Supervision & Management: Directly supervises Aftercare Supervisors, assigning and reviewing work, providing training and guidance, managing performance evaluations, approving time off, handling grievances, and recommending disciplinary actions and staffing needs.

• Agency Representation & Community Engagement: Serves as the spokesperson for aftercare services in the Cook County/Northern Region; represents the Department at community meetings, interprets agency goals, and makes binding commitments on behalf of the agency to enhance aftercare service quality. Statewide travel required.

• Leadership & Staff Development: Conducts staff meetings to communicate goals, objectives, and policy changes; provides mentorship, guidance, and direction to ensure effective service delivery and adherence to departmental procedures.

• Interagency & Community Collaboration: Establishes and maintains professional relationships with internal staff, state entities, community providers, and stakeholders; explains and enforces policies, procedures, and statutes related to aftercare services.

• Training & Continuing Education: Participates in and promotes staff training and professional development to enhance competencies and knowledge of aftercare programming, processes, and procedures; maintains up-to-date knowledge of departmental policies and directives.

• Budget & Resource Planning: Develops budget proposals for assigned regions, recommending staffing levels and identifying necessary resources to ensure efficient service delivery; provides recommendations to executive leadership.

• Other Duties: Performs additional responsibilities as assigned, ensuring alignment with the Department’s mission and objectives.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Requires knowledge skill and mental development equivalent to four (4) years of college with course work in behavioral science, counseling or related social science studies.
• Requires four (4) years of professional experience working with youth involved in Juvenile Justice Services.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prefers a master’s degree in counseling or related social sciences

• Prefers at least 3 years of progressively responsible administrative experience preferably in human services or justice field.

• Prefers 1 year experience in an agency setting implementing policy.

• Ability to manage multiple projects at once

• Prefers 3 years experience developing professional reports.

• Prefers 3 years experience identifying, developing, and maintaining partnerships with community programming vendors.

Conditions of Employment:

• Requires the ability to pass an IDOC/IDJJ background check.
• Requires ability to pass a drug screen. The use of unauthorized drugs by an employee, regardless of position held, is prohibited.
• Requires ability to travel in the performance of duties, with overnight stays as appropriate. Requires appropriate, valid driver’s license.

The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.

About the Agency:

The mission of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) is to build youth skills and strengthen families by promoting community safety and positive youth outcomes. Over 900 staff members from across various departments—security, programming, education, mental health, and more—collaborate with the understanding that youth are physically, emotionally, and cognitively different from adults. The department provides extensive services to young people through a developmental, treatment-focused model of care that builds youth resiliency, engages families, and promotes community safety at the five youth facilities it operates across the state. IDJJ serves and houses approximately 150 youth and is responsible for approximately 500 youth on Aftercare in various Illinois’ communities.