Superintendent

The State-Operated Specialty Care Division of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is seeking an energetic, forward-thinking, and experienced administrator to serve as the Institutional Superintendent, leading and managing the operations of the State Training School (STS) in Eldora, Iowa, a 24/7 secure juvenile facility that serves approximately 80 adjudicated male youth.

Just outside of Ames, home of the Iowa State University, STS offers a holistic social, behavioral, psychiatric, academic, and vocational program that utilizes evidence-based practices to provide a secure setting, rooted in treatment for males, ages 12 to 18 years old who have been adjudicated delinquent. STS provides individualized treatment plans and offers comprehensive education, with the goal of successfully transitioning young men back into the community.

This position will lead and manage a team of direct care, administrative, and clinical professionals, and will be responsible to represent the facility and HHS with key stakeholders including, but not limited to, the Iowa legislature, juvenile justice system, law enforcement, and policy makers. The Superintendent will provide strategic direction and day-to-day operational oversight of the entire, 200 employee facility, including managing the budget, licensing/accreditation compliance, and ensuring the safety and well-being of all students and staff.

Successful candidates for this critical role demonstrate the following core competencies:

• Leadership and skilled managerial experience of large teams,
• Tenacity and innovation in solving complex problems,
• An understanding of the health and human services system,
• Ability to nurture collaborative relationships,
• Effective and proactive communication,
• A commitment to building a strong team, and to ensuring stakeholders are part of decision making,
• An ability to manage competing priorities, intense pressures, emergency situations, and
• Fostering and facilitating cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity and team spirit.

As part of Iowa's largest executive Branch agency, STS is an integral part of the agency and the Superintendent reports to the Division Director and ultimately the Director of the Department. Iowa HHS serves almost a million Iowans through health coverage, mental health and disabilities services, long-term care and treatment, and adult, children, and family services. The Department provides high-quality programs and services that protect and improve the health and resiliency of individuals, families, and communities. The total compensation package for full-time employees includes:

• Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System (IPERS) (Employee contributes 6.29%/State of Iowa contributes 9.44%)
• Retirement Investors Club (RIC) (Employer Sponsored Retirement Plan) (State of Iowa matches up to $75/month)
• Health, Dental and Vision Insurance (See below for additional information)
• Vacation Leave (96 hours/year to begin, and increases with years of service)
• Sick Leave (144 hours/year)
• Paid Holidays (9 days/year)
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Life Insurance ($20,000 paid for by the State of Iowa)
• Long-Term Disability Insurance

Our Benefits at a Glance outlines the amazing benefits for this position.

Click here to see how we compare with other employers or offers by using our Total Compensation Calculator.

Working at STS comes with a special perk! This location offers access for staff to the impressive on-campus gym during off student hours. This includes 3 full size basketball courts, two fully stocked weight rooms with machine and free weights, showers, and lockers. We also provide a cardio room for staff only featuring exercise mats and advanced treadmills and stationary bikes. Usage of these resources is completely free for all STS staff.

Eldora Highlights

STS is located in Eldora, a quaint community with a population of approximately 2,800 residents, located in north central Iowa. Eldora is an Iowa River Greenbelt Community and the Iowa River Greenbelt Scenic Drive winds through a picturesque landscape of valleys, woods, and streams. With easy access to the Iowa River and Pine Lake, outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy hiking, kayaking, canoeing, hunting, and fishing, as well as the many educational opportunities, cultural activities, and entertainment events nearby, including a picturesque 9-hole golf course surrounded by Pine Lake State Park.

Eldora is 45 minutes away from Ames and Cedar Falls, 30 minutes from Marshalltown, and only 20 minutes from Iowa Falls. Des Moines, Iowa's capital, is just 1 hour and 15 minutes away.

• Ames, Iowa is the home of Iowa State University, featuring one of the nation's premier Engineering schools and leading Veterinary and Agricultural programs. https://www.iastate.edu/
• Cedar Falls is the home of the University of Northern Iowa, https://uni.edu/
• Iowa Falls is the home of Ellsworth Community College. https://ecc.iavalley.edu
• Des Moines has one of the nation's finest State Fairs and is home to the Iowa Cubs, Wells Fargo Arena host site of NCAA Basketball, premier concerts, and Lauridsen Skatepark, the nation's largest skatepark.

The State of Iowa is an EEO/AA Employer

HHS values those with "lived experience" and encourages individuals in recovery, adults who were fostered as youth, foster parents, and/or parents who were in the DHS system to apply. Minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply (Hearing and Speech Impaired - Relay Iowa 1-800-735-2942 TDD).

Our agency uses E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.

Compensation is commensurate with experience. We look forward to meeting you!

This is a non-merit position with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. Positions in this class are exempt from the screening and referral requirements of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services - Human Resources Enterprise. Graduation from an accredited four year college or university and the equivalent of five years of full-time management experience in a correctional, mental health, intellectual disability or juvenile correctional or training facility;an equivalent combination of education and experience substituting the equivalent of one year of the above type full-time work experience for each year of the required education to a maximum substitution of four years;an equivalent combination of education and experience substituting the equivalent of one year (twenty-four semester or equivalent hours) of graduate level course work in penology, the social/behavioral sciences, business administration or public administration, for each year of the required full-time experience to a maximum substitution of two years.
For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description.Employment Type: Full-time