Youth Services Unit Administrator (Unit Manager)

Futures Start Here!

Connection | Collaboration | Commitment | Correction

About Us…

We are a dedicated team of juvenile justice professionals committed to transforming and saving young lives. We believe in a future where every young person thrives and contributes to a safer, stronger Ohio!  

DYS is the juvenile corrections system for the state of Ohio. DYS is statutorily mandated to confine felony offenders, ages 10-21, who have been adjudicated and committed by one of Ohio's 88 county juvenile courts. During their stay with DYS, youth are engaged in programming that is designed to address their criminological and behavioral needs. DYS reaches thousands of youth in facilities and those on parole.

Our Values…

·         Connection: We respect everyone. We don’t tear them down.

·         Collaboration: We work together. We don’t go alone.

·         Commitment: We step up. We don’t give up.

·         Correction: We create change. We don’t stay the same.

To learn more about DYS, please visit our website here.

What You'll Do…

DYS is seeking a Unit Manager to join our diverse team! This person will oversee facility functions while providing valuable mentorship, experience, and knowledge to the youth in our care. The ideal candidate will be a strong leader with a solid background and a passion to habilitate youth.

Specifically, the Unit Manager will:           

•          Work under administrative direction of Unit Management Administrator in order to serve as unit administrator for assigned residential living unit(s); ensures and accepts responsibility to protect youth from harm; implements, administers and ensures compliance with DYS policies and procedures, American Correctional Association (ACA) Standards, Ohio Revised Code, Senate Bill 5, and Ohio Administrative Code to provide uniform direction and administration of proper custodial care, health, safety and treatment phases for youth.

•          Plan and coordinate direct and/or indirect services of residential living unit(s) (e.g., health, safety, security, structured programming, hygiene, treatment, risk management, security classification plan); supervises staff assigned to residential living unit(s) (e.g., Juvenile Correctional Officers, Correctional Program Specialists); ensures compliance with Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) standards and guidelines; oversees and coordinates unit schedules and ensures schedule maximizes out of room time through structured, meaningful activities; ensures schedules are followed and the appropriate staff are present to lead the activities; completes residential living unit plan with high priority on safety and security of youth and staff (e.g., directs unit activities, provides guidance and direction to youth and staff, recognizes and reports unethical staff behavior and/or group dynamics).

•          Maintain awareness of Security Threat Group (STG) activities/incidents, non-compliant youth, de-escalates hostile situations among youth and/or staff when needed; executes the delivery of unit plan and communicates unit plan to youth and staff; assists in youth residential program direction by formulating and implementing youth program policies and procedures (e.g., crisis intervention, Core B, Anger Management, Thinking for a Change, Victim Awareness, Motivational Interviewing).

•       Implement new and/or existing policy, methods and/or procedures related to residential living unit; participates and/or leads groups and meaningful activities when appropriate; coordinates behavioral health services, recreation, housekeeping, hygiene, maintenance, investigations, and training; ensures Correctional Program Specialists assigned to unit conduct groups according to the schedule and also ensures Youth Specialists engage the youth in structured activities which must be led by staff in an effort to reduce youth idleness; responds to Critical Incident Management (CIM) situations and serves as Incident Commander; monitors Juvenile Justice Case Management System (JJCMS) incidents as it relates to youth assigned to residential living unit(s); monitors use of force and Separation including Response to Acts of Violence (AOV) Separation Incidents; provides Safe to Release Assessment; provides Quality Assurance for residential living unit plan and programming; ensures compliance with QA indicators at both the local and Central Office levels; monitors and provides information related to QA results and ensures corrective action following QA report conducted by supervisor or Central Office; plans, executes and documents treatment plans; responds to programmatic issues; ensures youth compliance with youth behavior management system (i.e., Positive Response Incentive Driven Environment); makes recommendations to supervisor regarding residential living unit policy and procedures to develop methods and/or new programs to improve efficiency within the unit to achieve facility Performance based Standards, Ohio Standards and ACA goals and compliance.

PRE-SERVICE TRAINING: All new candidates hired to the Department of Youth Services must complete a paid, mandatory 6 weeks of training. Week 1 is held at the facility, weeks 2 through 4 are held at DYS Training Academy in Orient, Ohio, Monday through Thursday, 7:00 am - 5:00 pm (meals are provided). Weeks 5 - 6 are on the job training held at the facility.

BACKGROUND CHECK NOTICE: The final candidate selected for this position will be required to undergo a criminal background check and pre-employment drug screening. Criminal convictions do not necessarily preclude an applicant from consideration for a position. An individual assessment of an applicant's prior criminal convictions will be made before excluding an applicant from consideration.

DYS is a “qualifying employer” for purposes of the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness [PSLF] program.