Development Services Division Assistant Director

At the Oregon Youth Authority (OYA), our mission is to protect the public and reduce crime by holding youth accountable and providing opportunities for reformation in safe environments. We envision a future where all youth leave OYA to lead productive, crime-free lives.

The Oregon Youth Authority is seeking a dedicated and forward-thinking Assistant Director of Development Services to help strengthen the systems, people, and practices that support our mission and the youth we serve. In this leadership role, you will partner with executive and operational teams to design durable structures, tools, and routines that promote accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement across the agency. We are looking for a leader who approaches their work with humility and integrity, demonstrates moral courage in upholding high standards, and applies equity as a guiding lens in decision-making and system design. The ideal candidate is people-smart and development-focused-able to build strong, trusting relationships while also creating clear expectations, supporting growth, and sustaining progress through thoughtful, long-term organizational work.

As part of OYA's Executive Leadership Team, the Assistant Director of the Development Services provides executive leadership across departments of Education and Vocation, Family Engagement, Office Inclusion and Intercultural Relations, Positive Human Development, Research & Evaluation, Training, Treatment Services and Youth Reformation System. This role requires both strategic vision and the ability to translate that vision into practical solutions that support OYA's Positive Human Development model and our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

The successful candidate will bring demonstrated leadership experience within the State of Oregon, a strong record of mentoring and developing leaders, and the ability to cultivate authentic partnerships with the Legislature, DAS, partner agencies, and OYA staff across the state.

For a complete list of duties and responsibilities, please click here.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Five years of management experience; OR

• Two years of management experience and a bachelor's degree in a related field.

Desired Attributes:

We are looking for candidates with:

• Senior leadership experience (Assistant Director, Deputy Director, Division Director, Executive Manager, or equivalent) in a complex public, quasi-public, or large nonprofit organization.

• Demonstrated experience serving as a Systems Architect for Accountability, including building and sustaining performance, CQI, QA, or fidelity monitoring systems.

• Experience managing managers and multidisciplinary teams across professional domains.

• Experience in youth-serving systems (juvenile justice, child welfare, behavioral health, education, or related fields).

• Experience working within or alongside the criminal justice system.

• Demonstrated use of data to inform decisions, including program redesign or discontinuation.

OYA is interested in finding the best candidate for the position. We strongly encourage candidates to apply, even those who might not believe they possess every one of the desired attributes. Applicants who most closely exhibit the desired attributes will be invited to continue in the application process.

How to apply:

• Complete the application fully, upload a cover letter and resume including dates of employment and duties/responsibilities of each position.

• Complete the questionnaire / supplemental questions.

• After you submit your application, please respond to the public records request authorization and gender identity questionnaire. This step will come after you submit your application and will complete the process. If you are an employee, the tasks can be found in your Workday inbox.

• Eligible veterans and Oregon National Guard servicemembers (current and former) who meet the qualifications of the position will be awarded candidate preference. For more information, please visit Veterans Resources.

A cover letter and resume are required for consideration.

Your cover letter should highlight your experience, knowledge, and abilities that best demonstrate how you meet the desired attributes for this position. Please use your cover letter to:

• Explain how you meet the Desired Attributes.

Provide specific examples from your resume/application that show how your leadership experience, decision-making, partnerships, mentoring, and equity practices align with the needs of this role.

When preparing your cover letter, consider addressing:

• Your experience designing and implementing accountability and performance management systems.

• Your experience in translating values, policy, and strategy into operational structures.

• Your experience with directing system-level change leadership in complex, constraint-heavy environments.

• Your mentorship and development of managers and multidisciplinary teams.

• Examples of data-informed decision-making, including course-correction and resource alignment.

• Examples of process improvement (e.g., CQI, Lean, systems redesign) to reduce friction, increase consistency, and improve outcomes.

• Examples of project management to plan, sequence, execute, and sustain complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.

Please limit your cover letter to no more than 3 pages and ensure it is in PDF format for accessibility. Applications with generic cover letters may be considered nonresponsive and could eliminate the application from further consideration.

Note: Your resume and cover letter may be uploaded in the Resume/CV field on the online application. You can attach multiple files in this area at once

Tentative Interview Schedule:

• 1st round interviews via video: 3/3/2026

• 2nd round IN-PERSON interviews: 3/10/2026

• A third-round interview may be conducted; date to be determined.

NOTE: The first round of interviews will be conducted via VidCruiter, an online video interview platform that offers flexibility by allowing you to complete your interview within a given time window. We want to give all candidates ample time and support to participate comfortably. Access to a computer or smartphone with internet, a camera, and a microphone will be necessary.

Additional Details:

• This position will receive a 2.5% Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA), which is not reflected in the salary listed in this posting. The increase will be effective February 1, 2026.

• Hybrid Telework: This position may be approved for 1-2 days telework at home depending on business needs.

• This recruitment will be used to establish a list of qualified candidates to fill current and future vacancies.

• Your application materials are used to determine your starting salary range. Through an equal pay assessment, we will determine the salary offer using the information you provide in your submitted application materials. Please ensure your application materials are detailed, accurate and reflect your skills, experience (paid and unpaid) and education as they relate to the position when applying.For more information on pay equity, click here.

• The salary range listed is the non-PERS participating rate. If you are already a participating PERS member or once you become PERS eligible, the salary range will increase by 6%. Please review the Classification and Compensation page for more details.

• This position receives annual increases on the anniversary date until the maximum of the salary range is reached.

• Please save a copy of this job announcement for your reference, as it may not be available for you to view after the job closes.

About OYA

At OYA, diversity, equity, and inclusion are more than just words on a page.To meet our mission and live our values as an agency, DEI must be at the heart of all we do. We support cultural competence, develop teams and cultivate leaders in ways that are equitable to everyone, especially people of color, those who identify as LGBTQ+, or those from other marginalized communities. We are explicit and intentional as we identify resources that all our youth and staff need to grow and prosper. Our DEI work connects closely with our culture of positive human development, with safe and supportive environments where everyone is held accountable and connected to their community. The end goal is to protect the public and reduce crime by holding youth accountable and providing opportunities for reformation in safe environments.

If you are looking to join a team that values individual and cultural differences, with the opportunity to contribute to youth reformation by enriching our workforce with diversity, OYA wants to hear from you! People of color, women, and other members of historically marginalized communities are strongly encouraged to apply!

For more information please visitwww.oregon.gov/oya.

What's in it for You?
OYA values our employees. We believe that your time outside of the workplace is as valuable as it is inside the workplace. We offer a great work/life balance with flexible work schedules on most positions and a competitive benefits package, including low-cost, high-coverage health insurance, generous time-off, and a competitive retirement plan.

Discover moreabout working in Oregon state government byclicking here.

Additional Information:

Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we are here to serve. OYA is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be individualized based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law." The more diverse we are, the better our work will be.

Applicants with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation to participate in the hiring process. For assistance regarding reasonable accommodation or for alternative format please contact OYA Recruitment at 971-345-1236. Oregon Relay Service can be reached by calling 7-1-1.

Pre-employment Checks:

In keeping with our mission, OYA will conduct a criminal record check, per OAR 416 Division 800, a driving record background check and a vulnerable population abuse and neglect check. Information obtained about an individual is confidential. An individual who refuses to consent to a criminal records/background check shall be disqualified from consideration in the position for which you applied. All applicants are subject to additional pre-employment check(s) such as fingerprint based on criminal records check, pre-employment drug screening and/or education verification as required for the position.

In 2003 Congress passed the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA), the first federal civil statue focused specifically on addressing sexual violence in juvenile facilities, jails, prisons, and other facilities. In recognition of the rights, safety, and well-being of the youth we serve you will be asked specific questions about your background to ensure our hiring and promotion practices comply with the National PREA standards.

All positions in OYA will require the incumbent to serve as a "mandatory reporter" of child abuse.

Visa Sponsorship:

We do not offer Visa sponsorship. If you are hired, you will be required to fill out the US Department of Homeland Security's I-9 form confirming you are able to work in the US. OYAuses E-Verify to confirm that applicants are authorized to work in the United States.

Have Questions?:

For questions about the job announcement, contact our Recruitment Team OYAjobs@oya.oregon.gov