Executive Director Office of Child Protection
- Senior-level leadership experience (minimum 7 years) driving cross-system initiatives in child and family well-being/child welfare, public health/behavioral health, justice, education, or related human services in a large, complex organization.
- Demonstrated success convening multi-agency coalitions and delivering measurable outcomes across prevention/child and family well-being, and health and behavioral health.
- Expertise using data-driven planning and performance management (e.g. dashboards, public reporting, evaluations).
The County of Los Angeles serves a demographically and geographically diverse population of more than 10 million residents. Employing over 100,000 employees in 39 departments who work in roles as broad as law, civil engineering, public safety, healthcare, and human services, the County operates with an annual budget of over $52.5 billion for the fiscal year 2025-2026. The County is a Fair Chance employer, committed to diversity and inclusiveness in our workforce. It is a culturally diverse economic and cultural hub, driving major elements of the national and world economies. It is the center for the arts, media, and entertainment – unlike anywhere else.
In 2015, the County of Los Angeles’ Office of Child Protection (“OCP”) was established as an independent entity reporting directly to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors (“Board”), following the Blue Ribbon Commission’s 2014 call for systemic reform across child- and family-serving agencies. OCP reports to the Executive Officer of the the Board of Supervisors and leads the Board-directed priority around child protection and child/family well-being. OCP leads Countywide efforts to strengthen communication, coordination, and accountability among key partners – including the Departments of Children and Family Services, Probation, Mental Health, Public Health, Health Services, Public Social Services, Youth Development, and Education – to improve outcomes for children and families. Its work centers on policy and systems change across three core child and family well-being areas: building community pathways to upstream support for families, strengthening the child and youth System of Care, and improving health and behavioral health outcomes for children and youth.
The Executive Director of the Office of Child Protection serves as the County’s chief advisor to the Board of Supervisors and lead strategist for child safety, well-being, and prevention initiatives. This at-will, unclassified position provides strategic leadership and policy direction across complex systems – guiding interagency coordination, program alignment, and performance accountability. While the role does not exercise direct line authority, it leads a small, expert interdisciplinary team responsible for data analysis, policy innovation, and cross-department collaboration, driving outcomes through influence and evidencebased decision-making. This role also identifies system gaps, dismantles bureaucratic barriers, and ensures County and partner agencies work collectively to strengthen outcomes for children and families. The ideal candidate brings high-level diplomacy, expertise across child and family well-being and child welfare systems, and the ability to navigate politically sensitive environments while maintaining independence. Exceptional communication skills – with the Board, County department leadership, stakeholders, public, and media – are essential, as is a record of innovative, results-driven leadership that unites diverse partners around a cohesive, datainformed strategy for child and family well-being across Los Angeles County.