State Director Youth Services

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State Director Youth Services

Lead the Future of Child & Family Services in Tennessee

Some roles fill a seat. This one shapes a state.

For nearly 140 years, Thompson Child & Family Focus has helped children and families find stability, healing, and hope. Now we're growing across Tennessee — and we're looking for the leader who will build it.

As State Director
, you'll own Thompson's Tennessee operations end to end: the strategy, the growth, the leaders you develop, and the outcomes for every child and family we serve. This is a builder's role for someone who sees a map of Tennessee and thinks what could we make possible here?

Founded in 1886 as an orphanage, Thompson is now one of the Southeast's leading providers of child and family services, working across North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, and Kentucky.

Our continuum of care spans Prevention Services, Mental Health Services, and Foster Care — every program trauma-informed, evidence-based or evidence-informed, and delivered both in person and virtually to children ages 0–18 and their families.

• Statewide strategy and growth — set the direction and deliver on it
• Financial and operational performance — build a sustainable, scalable operation
• Foster Care expansion and new service lines — grow what's working, launch what's next
• Leadership development and succession — build the bench behind you
• Compliance and program quality — protect the standard that earns us trust
• Community and government partnerships — become Thompson's face across Tennessee

You’ll partner directly with executive leadership and have real authority to build a culture defined by accountability, innovation, and exceptional service.

• Bachelor's degree in Human Services, Mental Health, Business Administration, Healthcare Administration, or a related field (Master's preferred)
• 10+ years in human services, behavioral health, healthcare, child welfare, or nonprofit work
• 7+ years of progressive leadership experience
• Experience leading multiple programs or geographic regions (preferred)
• Proven strength in financial and operational management
• A track record of building partnerships with government agencies and community stakeholders
• Valid driver's license and willingness to travel throughout Tennessee

• Three weeks PTO in your first year, plus ten paid holidays
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Life and disability insurance
• 401(k) with employer match
• Tuition reimbursement
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility
• Tennessee State Loan Repayment eligibility
• Company-issued technology

The leader who takes this role will influence child and family services across Tennessee for a generation — developing leaders, strengthening communities, and changing outcomes for children who need it most.

Questions? Text us at

Thompson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Thompson participates in E-Verify.

#TCFFTN

$90k-$100k annually

As part of our commitment in creating a fair, efficient, and consistent hiring process we may use artificial intelligence (AI) to help our recruiting teams organize, summarize, and analyze information provided by candidates, including resumes, application responses, and other materials submitted during the application process.

AI may be used to identify patterns, highlight relevant skills, and experience, and assist in comparing a candidate’s qualifications with the requirement of a specific role. These tools are to improve efficiency and consistency while supporting more informed hiring decisions, which will ultimately be made by the hiring team.