Senior Director of Mental Health Services

The Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services

Salary range - Based on Experience

FLSA Status - full time, exempt

Location – fully remote, must reside in Texas

Closing Date - 12/15/25

Background: The Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services (TACFS) is Texas’ leading network of mission-driven organizations that have embraced the call to serve vulnerable children, youth, and families in their communities. TACFS members across Texas work to prevent and address child trauma through services including prevention and early intervention, family preservation, residential/foster care services, adoption, postadoption, youth and young adult transition services, mental health, education, substance misuse, and other programs designed to promote safety and reduce risk for children, youth, and families.

Our vision is to build a vibrant, strong, and unified network of child, youth, and family-serving community providers who provide high-quality support and services across Texas. Our mission is to work collectively to support and strengthen children, youth, and families in communities across Texas. We achieve this mission through research and education, collaboration, and advocacy. TACFS is committed to growing an organization rooted in equity and inclusivity, where we readily acknowledge, accept, embrace, and celebrate the collective sum of the differences each of us brings to the environment. We strive to embody our values of being collaborative, forward-thinking, honest brokers, inclusive, solutions-focused, reliable, and thoughtful.

Reporting: The Senior Director of Mental Health Services will report to the Vice President of Legal & Regulatory Affairs, and will work collaboratively with other TACFS staff, TACFS CEO, TACFS Board and membership; and with other community and national partners.

Key Responsibilities: The Senior Director of Mental Health Services will oversee and manage a grant-funded initiative to develop, implement, and learn from preventive innovations that improve mental health outcomes for children and families and build healthy community foundations. Specifically, the Senior Director will be at the helm of an initiative to roll out and ultimately replicate programming designed to prevent removals into foster care for families’ inability to obtain the requisite mental health services, while minimizing the need for inpatient residential care. Implementing those services will require the Senior Director to work with a prime subcontractor, as well as community and state stakeholders, and state agencies to sustain a program that is built for maximum success. The Senior Director will work with TACFS staff to oversee any funding that has been distributed to sub-grantees through the program. Finally, the Senior Director will demonstrate flexibility, creativity, attention, and know-how in overall design and evaluation of the project. Because the goal of the project is innovation, the position requires a creative thinker who is undaunted by trying new things and refining an approach as needed.

The Senior Director of Mental Health Services will also develop, facilitate, and support strategic and collaborative efforts across the state to improve mental health outcomes for children and families and build healthy community foundations. This will include facilitating a group of community based mental health service providers so that they can serve a sustainable body for implementing in-home diversion as well as additional programming, specific quality improvement initiatives, and overall system improvement.

Job Duties include, but are not limited to:

Oversight and monitoring of a grant-funded program for in-home foster care diversion services for children and youth in need of mental health services.
Helping to facilitate a network of community based mental health service providers to serve as a source of expertise, as well as a quality improvement and innovation engine, both driven by and responsive to the needs of its members.
Convening and meeting with key stakeholders as appropriate to ensure maximum efficacy of granted funded program as well as mental health initiatives generally.
Operating independently to carry out duties while also working collaboratively with TACFS team and stakeholders.
Developing positive relationships and referral pathways with state agencies.
Participating in business development activities to grow the work conducted by TACFS including —writing grant proposals, marketing, member support, speaking engagements, and more.
Proactively organizing and carrying out priority initiatives of members of the Texas Partnership for Mental Health Services, as well as the management of TACFS.

Required Qualifications:

Expertise in mental health service delivery in the state of Texas. 10 or more years in the mental health arena strongly preferred. Experitse in Medicaid funding also strongly preferred.
Four-year degree in social work, public health, or related social services field.
Strong facilitation and presentation skills.
Project management experience.
Creativity, flexibility, and ability to structure a new program.
Demonstrated ability to work independently and within a team.
Demonstrated ability to foster strong relationships within the child welfare community (amongst member agencies, non-member agencies, DFPS, HHSC, judiciary, mental health partners, academic partners, and other stakeholders).
Commitment to the mission, vision, and values of TACFS, as well as to customer service.

Highly organized, self-motivated, creative, and committed to integrity.
Goal oriented and a “quick study” who readily adapts as needed.
Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications:

Commitment to advancing the field of direct child welfare services and mental health services.
Enjoys developing strong working relationships with various internal and external groups, and values group participation.
Experience in grant application, oversight, and implementation; experience with other development activities.
Masters-level or higher post-graduate degree.

This is a full-time remote position, with a flexible, accommodating work environment. TACFS offers a competitive benefits package and has an unlimited PTO policy. Travel will be required. This position is supported by grant funds. It is imperative that the applicant understand that while TACFS will do everything possible to maintain the position, grant funds, and any positions they fund, are subject to change.

TACFS values our employees and aims to provide compensation and benefits commensurate with experience. TACFS is an equal opportunity employer. TACFS does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need.