Director of Secure Treatment Services

NH Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS); Concord (NH); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Dental Plan

Flexible Spending healthcare

State retirement plan

Wellness program

Generous leave plan

Job summary

NH Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is seeking a Director of Secure Treatment Services at the Sununu Youth Services Center in Concord, NH. The role provides strategic and operational leadership for the facility, guiding trauma‑informed residential care, safety, and therapeutic services for adjudicated and detained youth.

The Director will oversee program operations, budgeting, staffing, compliance, and collaboration with state agencies to advance clinical and therapeutic models of

Skills

Strategic leadership

Trauma‑informed care

Regulatory compliance

Budget management

Staff development

Job description

The State of New Hampshire, Division for Children, Youth & Families, Sununu Youth Services Center has a full-time vacancy for Director of Secure Treatment Services

The Director of the Sununu Youth Services Center (SYSC) provides overall strategic and operational leadership for the State’s sole secure treatment facility for adjudicated and detained youth. The Director oversees all programmatic, personnel, fiscal, regulatory, physical plant, and facilities management functions to ensure safe, secure, trauma‑informed, and therapeutic residential services. This role leads the development and implementation of a unified operating philosophy that blends trauma‑informed treatment with security requirements and ensures that SYSC’s mission, vision, and Practice Model principles are consistently upheld across multidisciplinary residential, educational, and clinical programs.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides leadership and direction in executing transformational initiatives, including developing and implementing a strategic plan and a core set of initiatives that advance clinical and therapeutic models of care, reducing recidivism, and strengthening post‑discharge transition planning within the broader behavioral health system of care. Ensures all operational practices reflect trauma‑informed, youth‑centered approaches, embedding evidence‑based and de‑escalation focused models of care across all program areas while sustaining a safe, secure and therapeutic environment with clear accountability structures for committed and detained youth.
• Accountable for all aspects of SYSC administrative, business, and program operations, including long‑range planning, safety and security; authorizing system‑wide policy and procedures; analyzing staffing requirements; approving staffing and personnel management actions; and performing contract oversight. Implements transparent data‑driven performance metrics for youth outcomes, staff safety, program utilization, and compliance with statutory requirements (including RSA 126‑U and Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). Ensures timely review and communication of incident trends, root‑cause analyses, and corrective actions. Implements new systems and processes that are compliant with all statutory mandates and yield increased cost efficiencies and/or enhanced service delivery. Analyzes, interprets, and integrates programmatic, regulatory, financial, and outcome data to inform planning efforts and decision‑making
• Ensures a safe and secure environment that promotes the attainment of educational, vocational, and treatment goals for youth in a secure residential facility setting. Ensures youth in residence are monitored appropriately within the established standards, protocols, and policies of DCYF, SYSC, DHHS, and other outside regulatory entities while ensuring excellence in programmatic service delivery. Provides continuous staff development and training
• Provides direct oversight of facility for daily operations, ensures staffing levels are sufficient for continuity of daily programming, and collaborates with DHHS Facilities regularly on physical plant issues, needs, and challenges to maintain safety and security while implementing a trauma informed treatment model.
• Oversee the performance of a range of contracts and contracted staff to complement a safe, trauma‑informed, therapeutic model. Includes contracted clinical staff, psychologist, psychiatrist, and education professionals. Ensures educational services meet state and federal requirements and are coordinated with Local Educational Agencies (LEAs). Provides collaborative opportunities to engage contracted staff in transformative design and implementation initiatives including daily programming, design, and location of a new physical facility that will complement a trauma‑informed, therapeutic approach.
• Fosters a workplace culture grounded in physical and psychological safety, transparency, professionalism, and mutual respect. Standardizes expectations for staff accountability and trauma‑informed principles. Ensures consistent supervisory coaching and trauma‑informed leadership practices that reinforce safe daily operations and support staff in effectively managing high‑risk situations.
• Develops, motivates, and leads a collaborative, high‑performing SYSC Administrative Team with overall accountability for hiring and supervising employees. Leads, models, and supports a culture of accountability, continuous learning, and quality improvement that is built on respect, teamwork, innovative problem‑solving, and an unwavering commitment to the safety and wellbeing of both staff and youth.
• Directs and oversees the facility’s operational budget development, ensuring that all expenditures are appropriate and within departmental financial guidelines set by the Controller and the Commissioner. Prioritize resource allocation to ensure adequate staffing, clinical support, education services, training systems, and therapeutic environment improvements essential for trauma-informed operations. Make budget presentations to the legislature in support of the facility’s budgetary needs.
• Serves on the DCYF Executive and Management Teams and YDC Advisory Group on SYSC operations, programs, and initiatives and provide input into issues with Department-wide impacts. Advises the Office of the Commissioner, and DHHS Executive Team members of SYSC priorities and operational challenges; gains support for resource needs; and works toward effective solutions. Provides technical expertise and guidance in areas of programs, policies, and regulatory matters.
• Develops and delivers reports, data, and recommendations to inform strategy, planning, and decision-making. Provides written updates on the status of recommendations from external oversight bodies and leads joint problem‑solving efforts with courts, external stakeholders, policymakers, and the Office of Child Advocate.
• Acts as the primary representative of SYSC, providing testimony, written and verbal communications, and coordination with the Governor’s Office, Legislature, Oversight Commission on Children’s Services, Office of the Child Advocate, elected officials, partner agencies, contract providers, the media, and other stakeholders. Communicates SYSC statutory mandates, programs, and goals; and responds to inquiries on statutes, rules, and policies. Promotes collaboration, innovative programming, and coordinated service delivery. Builds and maintains positive relationships across DCYF and with families, regulatory bodies, community partners, and organizations serving youth connected to SYSC.

For further information please contact Marie Noonan, DCYF Director, [e-mail], 603-271-4455.

TOTAL COMPENSATION INFORMATION

The State of NH total compensation package features an outstanding set of employee benefits, including:

HMO or POS Medical and Prescription Drug Benefits

The actual value of State-paid health benefits and the amount of employee health benefit contributions may vary depending on the type of plan selected and the bargaining unit with which a position is associated.

See this link for details on State-paid health benefits:

Value of State's share of Employee's Retirement: 12.87% of pay

Other Benefits

• Dental Plan at minimal cost for employees and their families ($500-$1800 value)
• Flexible Spending healthcare and childcare reimbursement accounts
• State defined benefit retirement plan and Deferred Compensation 457(b) plan
• Work/life balance flexible schedules, paid holidays and generous leave plan
• Incentive‑based Wellness Program (ability to earn up to $500)

Total Compensation Statement Worksheet:

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