The Human Services Director is an at-will executive management position reporting directly to the City Administrator. This role leads one of the City’s largest departments, overseeing a broad array of social services and programs that support Oaklanders across every stage of life; early childhood through aging.

The Director is responsible for the strategic direction, administration, and performance of the Human Services Department, including its six divisions. Providing executive-level guidance to a diverse and multidisciplinary team of professional, technical, and administrative staff.

The position requires exceptional policy and operational leadership to ensure that HSD’s programs respond effectively to community needs and align with the City’s equity goals. The Director develops and implements departmental goals, policies, and long- term strategies in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, including elected officials, community-based organizations, funders, and other public agencies.

In FY 2024–25, the Department’s total budget is over $145 million, with funding sources including $67.7 million in General Funds, $77.4 million in Special Revenue Funds, and $680,000 in Internal Service Funds. These resources support services such as early education for more than 1,000 low-income families, shelter and housing solutions for thousands of unhoused residents, senior centers and case management for older adults, food security programs, workforce development, and community-based youth services.

The Director is also responsible for oversight of the largest grantmaking program within the City of Oakland. The Oakland Fund for Children and Youth (OFCY), funds community-based programs and services that provide critical support to Oakland's most vulnerable children and youth ages 0 – 21 years. The OFCY is a cornerstone initiative of the City of Oakland, operating within the Children and Youth Services Division of the Human Services Department. Through strategic funding of community- based organizations, OFCY invests in programs that uplift, empower, and protect Oakland’s most vulnerable populations, ensuring access to critical resources, enriching opportunities, and brighter futures for the next generation.

The Director serves as the City’s chief strategist for human services policy and planning, ensuring that programs are both innovative and grounded in community needs. This includes overseeing critical initiatives that combat homelessness, reduce poverty, support aging in place, and increase equitable access to services for low-income and historically marginalized communities. The role demands a collaborative and visionary leader who can drive systems-level change, manage complex funding streams, and build strong partnerships across sectors.