Chief Strategist (Management Analyst IV)

The Department of Neighborhood and Community Services (NCS) is part of the Fairfax County Health and Human Services System and provides a wide variety of critical programs and supportive services to county residents of all ages. NCS uses a range of strategic planning initiatives to meet the needs of residents and communities and is looking for an experienced chief strategist with a passion for public service to lead the agency's strategic planning processes and initiatives. This position is a great opportunity to make an impact in the local community and help provide important resources and opportunities to county families and children.

Under general supervision of the agency director, this position directs and manages the NCS strategic planning and coordinate the integration of supporting agencywide and system plans including the agency's Strategic Plan, the county-wide Strategic Plan, Equity Impact Plan, the county Arts Plan, the county's Economic Initiative Plan, and the county's Engage Fairfax Plan.

To excel in this role, the chief strategist should possess a wide range of knowledge and a comprehensive understanding of strategic management for a large organization. Should be able to think strategically and creatively to address issues and help agency managers navigate organizational change management, strategic alignment, accreditation and policy development, and innovation development processes to achieve the agency's goals.

Specific duties and responsibilities include the following:

• Identifies and executes NCS goals that originate or tie back into strategic plans and initiatives.
• Serves as NCS representative and coordinator for the county's strategic and comprehensive plan.
• Ensures efficient tracking and reporting of priorities and strategic agendas and makes recommendations for linking program metrics to county and agency strategic plans to achieve its goals.
• Bridges the gap between strategic planning and day-to-day operations, ensuring that the agency's vision is translated into concrete actions and measurable outcomes.
• Works with the director, deputy directors, division directors, and other key staff to facilitate cross-functional projects.
• Liaise between staff, senior leadership team, executive leadership team, the director's office, Board of Supervisors, other agencies, and community members.
• Leads change management initiatives, guiding the agency through the implementation of new strategies and ensuring that all stakeholders are on board.
• Analyzes trends of competitive landscapes, customer needs, emerging technologies, and market to identify opportunities for growth and potential disruptions that informs the ongoing development and refinement of the agency.
• Assesses operational capacity, quality of services, adherence to best practices, and develops workplans to ensure agency compliance with all standards.
• Manages agency policy development, accreditation processes to ensure long-term success.
• Drives execution of the agency's accreditation, annual reports, and the reaccreditation process.
  
  

(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position description.)
Directs and manages long-term, large-scale, high-priority, sensitive programs/projects that are multi-disciplinary and involve multiple agencies;
Manages a group of professionals engaged in diverse administrative and management support activities;
Establishes and implements program policies, develop and manages the budget for designated programs;
Ensures County programs reach the intended populations and targeted benefactors;
Directs research and evaluation of trends in applicable areas of responsibility;
Develops long- and short-term goals, objectives and solutions for division;
Interfaces with central County staff departments (such as DMB, DHR, Finance, Purchasing and Supply Management) for seamless collaboration;
Provides consultation on strategic planning, organizational development and redesign projects;
Prepares for and presents to County Board of Supervisors (or Committee) regarding areas of expertise and responsibility.

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list).
Extensive knowledge of the mission, goals, objectives, funding sources, organizational structure, workload, and staffing of the organizational unit or program to which incumbent is assigned;
Extensive knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques relating to the functional area of business operation;
Extensive knowledge of statutory and regulatory requirements governing application of program funding, execution of program activities, and achievement of program outcomes;
Knowledge of the legislative and executive decision making processes;
Knowledge of the project management life cycle and its supporting phases;
Ability to identify organizational problems, evaluate possible solutions, and select and implement the most advantageous course of action;
Ability to identify and determine appropriate methods for gathering data;
Ability to make oral presentations to department management, other departments, or the public;
Ability to write detailed, accurate reports, grants, or solicitations for pertinent areas of administration;
Ability to manage professional and paraprofessional employees including coaching, counseling, training, and evaluation.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following: (Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree in fields related to the assigned functional areas; PLUS Five years of professional work experience within more than one of the assigned functional areas.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check and a Child Protective Services Registry check to the satisfaction of the employer.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Six or more years of progressively responsible experience with strategic planning in public administration, human services, or a related field, within a large and complex public-sector or nonprofit organization.
• Expertise in strategic planning frameworks and methodologies, including goal setting, performance metrics, and outcomes-based planning.
• Five or more years of experience in linking program metrics to agency-wide and county-wide strategic plans.
• Five or more years of experience leading organizational change management initiatives, including alignment with strategic plans and cultural transformation.
• Five or more years of experience managing cross-functional projects and facilitating strategic initiatives across multiple business areas/teams.
• Familiarity with public sector accreditation processes and policy development.
• Strong skills in data analysis and performance measurement, including the ability to interpret trends, evaluate services, and identify opportunities for innovation.
• Superior written and oral communication skills, including experience preparing strategic reports, presentations, and updates for executive leadership and public officials, with the ability to communicate complex strategic concepts effectively with various audiences.

Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others.) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.