Director of Northwest Adoption Exchange

DIRECTOR OF NORTHWEST ADOPTION EXCHANGE

We’re looking for a leader to direct the Northwest Adoption Exchange, a successful 40-year-old child welfare program that helps youth in foster care find adoptive families and permanency through youth engagement, strength-based storytelling, and family recruitment and support.

This is an exciting opportunity to join an established organization and lead a dedicated an innovative and talented team of professionals who make a real difference for youth and families. Bring your vision, compassion, creativity, and can-do spirit, and join us!

ABOUT US

Northwest Adoption Exchange (nwae.org) is a program of Northwest Resource Associates (nwresource.org) and has been helping youth in foster care find permanency for over 40 years. The program connects families who are looking to adopt from foster care with youth in foster care who need adoptive families. The program has been recognized nationally for its focus on engaging youth in the permanency planning process, as well as its focus on leveraging digital storytelling to better serve children, families, and professionals.

Northwest Resource Associates is a nonprofit child welfare agency. We envision every young person having family that nurtures their growth and potential. We work toward this vision by designing and delivering programs and technology that empower youth, strengthen families, and improve child welfare systems. More than four decades old, we are headquartered in Seattle, WA, and have offices in Alaska and Oregon as well. You can find our program work at the following websites:

• AdoptUSKids (https://adoptuskids.org)
• Alaska Center for Resource Families (https://www.acrf.org/)
• Northwest Adoption Exchange (https://www.nwae.org/)
• Oregon Post-adoption Resource Center (https://www.orparc.org/)

Equity and inclusion are priorities across all programs at Northwest Resource Associates. We are passionate about inclusive and affirming policy and practice and are recognized by the Human Rights Campaign’s All Children, All Families program. We seek staff diversity in ability, age, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, and veteran status. In addition, we welcome applications from those with lived experience in foster care or with adoption. We are an equal opportunity employer.

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR

Our ideal candidate will be a nonprofit or public-sector leader with experience in the field of foster care or adoption and particular expertise in one or more of the following areas: family recruitment, family support, youth engagement, strength-based storytelling. We need someone who can:

• Lead collaboratively.
• Convene and partner with an array of stakeholders, from public agencies to community groups to individual families.
• Champion the NWAE program, its talented and dedicated staff, and the incredible families and youth we serve.
• Understand, monitor, and support NWAE staff to deliver on contractual obligations.
• Manage a budget.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The director of Northwest Adoption Exchange leads a team of 7 staff who are responsible for recruiting and supporting potential families, engaging youth in permanency planning through our In-Depth Profile model, providing technical assistance to professionals, and administering www.nwae.org. Director responsibilities include:

• Set program direction in the areas of family recruitment, youth engagement, and technical assistance for professionals.
• Supervise and lead Northwest Adoption Exchange team members while maintaining a team culture of kindness that supports staff, their work-life balance, and their ability to creatively collaborate to serve families and youth.
• Oversee contracts and ensure that compliance, data, and program activities align with equity principles and child welfare best practices.
• Maintain positive and collaborative relationships with external partners, including our close partners at the Division of Children, Youth, and Families.
• Manage program budget and spending strategically.
• Equitably recruit, hire, and train a talented team of dedicated professionals.
• Serve on the leadership team of Northwest Resource Associates and help guide policies and strategic direction, with particular attention given to racial equity.
• Collaborate with internal creative services and digital products teams to develop effective websites, emails, and other communications that help children, families, and professionals.
• Model agency values and consistently work to make sure that all voices are heard.

QUALIFICATIONS

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• At least three years of experience leading a team in the nonprofit or public sector.
• At least three years of supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated experience setting program strategy and priorities.
• Experience working with programs that serve youth and families.
• Experience managing and developing program budgets.
• Commitment to equity and agency values of collaboration, empathy, expertise, and continuous improvement.

BONUS SKILLS AND EXPERTISE

• Experience managing contracted and grant-based program work.
• Professional or lived experience with the child welfare system, preferably in the areas of foster care, adoption, or relative care.
• Experience in youth engagement and/or digital media.
• Experience working in partnership with the Department of Children, Youth, and Families or a similar public child welfare agency.

LOCATION, SALARY AND BENEFITS, AND HOW TO APPLY

LOCATION

The Northwest Adoption Exchange team primarily works on a hybrid schedule, spending at least one day a week at our main office in Seattle. We are open to candidates in the Puget Sound area who can maintain our hybrid environment. This position occasionally (less than once a month) travels outside of the Seattle area.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

This is a full-time, exempt position with a salary range of $87,000 to $98,000.

We offer flexible work schedules, 3.5 to 6 weeks of paid vacation per year, 15 to 16 paid, holidays per year, paid sick leave, a generous family leave policy, a retirement plan contribution, optional 403b plan, medical and dental insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, long-term care insurance, and commuter benefits.

HOW TO APPLY

Submit a brief cover letter describing why you might be a fit for the position and your resume via our AirTable form: https://airtable.com/appsc0Us7GWgiEeUc/pag0jWmgM2Ll3VH5k/form

We will accept applications until the position is filled, but we will prioritize review of applications that come in on or before May 12.