Commissioner

Position Summary

The Commissioner of the West Virginia Bureau for Social Services (BSS) serves as a high-level executive leader in state government, providing strategic direction, oversight, and operational management for the state's comprehensive social welfare programs. The Commissioner directly leads and mentors a team of deputy commissioners who oversee Adult Protective Services (APS), Child Protective Services (CPS), youth services, adoption, foster care, and other vital initiatives supporting vulnerable citizens.

This position operates in a highly visible public and political environment. It requires a unique blend of programmatic understanding of social work, financial management, and exceptional communication skills. The Commissioner is heavily engaged with law makers and the judicial system and acts as the primary public voice and advocate for the state's social service system.

Key Responsibilities

Legislative & Policy Engagement

• Legislative Testimony: Serve as the principal representative of the Bureau before legislative committees, presenting data, reporting on program outcomes, and answering inquiries from lawmakers.
• Statutory Compliance & Advocacy: Analyze proposed state and federal legislation impacting social services; draft legislative rules, policy revisions, and statutory recommendations to improve service delivery.
• Intergovernmental Collaboration: Build and maintain trusted working relationships with legislators, legislative staff, and committee chairs to advance the strategic goals of the Department of Human Services.

Public Speaking & Community Relations

• Community Advocacy: Deliver keynote addresses, presentations, and updates to community providers, advocacy groups, non-profit organizations, and county-level staff across West Virginia.

Executive Leadership & Operations

• Strategic Oversight: Direct deputy commissioners and executive staff in managing child welfare, adult safety, foster care networks, and youth intervention programs.
• Workforce Advocacy: Model empathetic leadership by understanding the unique psychological and operational pressures faced by frontline child and adult protective service workers, actively championing initiatives to reduce burnout and improve retention.
• Stakeholder Coalition Building: Convene diverse statewide task forces, judicial committees, and community roundtables to build consensus on systemic welfare reforms.

Fiscal & Budget Management

• Public Finance Administration: Oversee a complex state budget comprised of state general revenue funds, dedicated line items, and multi-layered federal matching grants (e.g., Title IV-E).
• Resource Optimization: Allocate financial resources strategically across programs to ensure fiscal responsibility, regulatory compliance, and maximum measurable impact for vulnerable populations.

Minimum & Preferred Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Preferred Education: a master’s degree in social work (MSW), public administration (MPA), or a closely related field.
• Experience Requirement: A minimum of 7–10 years of progressive executive-level management experience within a complex human services delivery system, state agency, or large-scale non-profit organization.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

• Social Services Insight: Deep conceptual understanding of social work practices, trauma-informed care, systemic poverty, and the day-to-day realities of frontline protective service workers.
• Executive Communication: Superior public speaking, presentation, and rhetorical skills; a proven ability to distill dense policy, statistical data, and complex human dynamics into clear, compelling narratives for lawmakers and the general public.
• Financial Acumen: Advanced working knowledge of state budgeting processes, public finance mechanics, federal grant allocation rules, and long-term fiscal planning.
• Political Savvy: A constructive, diplomatic approach to working with state leaders and the legislature, ensuring the focus always stays on what is best for West Virginia’s families.