Area Director

Description The Department of Developmental Services (DDS) is seeking an experienced, highly motivated, and dynamic leader to serve as the Area Director for the Plymouth Area Office. The Area Director is the highest-level DDS management position at the local level and provides strategic leadership and day-to-day oversight of the Area Office and the comprehensive network of services and support available to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including Autism Spectrum Disorder.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

(The duties and responsibilities stated are a general summary and not all inclusive.)
· The Area Director has overall accountability for the administrative, clinical, programmatic, personnel, contractual, and fiscal operations of the Area Office. Responsibilities include oversight of residential, day and employment, clinical, family support, and other community-based services; management of a multi-million-dollar budget; provider contracting and performance; resource allocation; quality and risk management; and leadership and development of Area Office staff.
· The position is responsible for ensuring the availability and coordination of 24-hour emergency on-call response capacity for complex, urgent, and high-risk situations involving individuals served by DDS and the service delivery system.
· As the senior DDS representative at the local level, the Area Director serves as a key liaison with individuals and families, provider organizations, municipal officials, other Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) agencies, healthcare and educational partners, public safety agencies, advocacy organizations, and other community stakeholders. The Area Director develops and maintains effective partnerships to address individual and systemic needs and promote coordinated, responsive, and high-quality community-based services.
· The Area Director assesses local service needs and leads the planning, development, procurement, monitoring, and evaluation of services and supports. The position oversees the appropriate allocation of available resources, including Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waiver resources, and provides leadership and oversight of the Individual Support Plan (ISP) process.
· As a member of the Southeast Regional Management Team, the Area Director works collaboratively with Regional and statewide leadership to implement DDS priorities, address complex operational and service-delivery issues, strengthen provider capacity, and advance the mission of the Department.
· The successful candidate will be a skilled and collaborative leader with significant experience in human services management, intellectual and developmental disability services, fiscal and contract administration, organizational leadership, and community-based service systems. The position requires excellent judgment, communication, and organizational skills and the ability to effectively balance individual and family needs, service quality, regulatory requirements, fiscal stewardship, workforce management, and competing operational priorities.

Preferred Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will possess significant leadership and management experience within a complex human services environment, along with a strong understanding of services and supports for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Preferred qualifications include:

Excellent organizational and administrative skills, with demonstrated ability to establish priorities, manage multiple complex responsibilities, meet deadlines, and effectively oversee a multifaceted service delivery system.

Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to communicate…