Description
Position Summary
The Commissioner of the West Virginia Bureau for Family Assistance (BFA) serves as a high-level executive leader in state government, providing strategic direction, oversight, and operational management for the state's comprehensive economic stability and self-sufficiency programs. The Commissioner directly leads and mentors a team of executive staff and deputy commissioners who oversee vital initiatives—including SNAP, WV WORKS (TANF), child care resources, and energy assistance—supporting vulnerable citizens across West Virginia.
This position operates in a highly visible public and political environment. It requires a unique blend of programmatic understanding of public assistance frameworks, robust financial management, and exceptional communication skills. The Commissioner is heavily engaged with lawmakers and community stakeholders, acting as the primary public voice and advocate for the state's economic support and family stability systems.
Key Responsibilities
Legislative & Policy Engagement
Legislative Testimony: Serve as the principal representative of the Bureau before legislative committees, presenting data, reporting on program outcomes, and answering inquiries from lawmakers regarding public assistance programs.
Statutory Compliance & Advocacy: Analyze proposed state and federal legislation impacting economic assistance; collaborate on legislative rules, policy revisions, and statutory recommendations to improve service delivery and benefits administration.
Intergovernmental Collaboration: Build and maintain trusted working relationships with legislators, legislative staff, and committee chairs to advance the strategic goals of the Department of Human Services.
Public Speaking & Community Relations
Community Advocacy: Deliver keynote addresses, presentations, and updates to community providers, advocacy groups, non-profit organizations, and county-level staff across West Virginia to promote family self-sufficiency.
Executive Leadership & Operations
Strategic Oversight: Direct deputy commissioners and executive staff in managing core safety-net programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), WV WORKS/Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), child care resources, the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP), and specialized aid (e.g., Medicaid, Summer EBT, school clothing vouchers).
Workforce Advocacy: Model empathetic leadership by understanding the unique psychological and operational pressures faced by frontline eligibility and casework staff, actively championing initiatives to reduce burnout and improve retention.
Stakeholder Coalition Building: Convene diverse statewide task forces, community roundtables, and public-private partnerships to build consensus on systemic poverty reduction and workforce development reforms.
Fiscal & Budget Management
Public Finance Administration: Oversee a complex state budget consisting of state general revenue funds and multi-layered federal matching grants and block grants (e.g., TANF block grants, USDA SNAP funding).
Resource Optimization: Allocate financial resources strategically across programs to ensure fiscal responsibility, regulatory compliance, and maximum measurable impact for populations overcoming barriers to stability.
Requirements
Minimum & Preferred Qualifications
Preferred Education: A master’s degree in public administration (MPA), social work (MSW), business administration (MBA), or a closely related field.
Experience Requirement: A minimum of 7–10 years of progressive executive-level management experience within a complex human services delivery system.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)
Family Assistance Insight: Deep conceptual understanding of public assistance frameworks, systemic poverty, workforce development barriers, and the day-to-day realities of frontline benefits eligibility staff.
Executive Communication: Superior public speaking, presentation, and rhetorical skills; a proven ability to distill dense policy, statistical data, and complex human dynamics into clear, compelling narratives for lawmakers and the general public.
Financial Acumen: Advanced working knowledge of state budgeting processes, public finance mechanics, federal grant allocation rules, block grant administration, and long-term fiscal planning.
Political Savvy: A constructive, diplomatic approach to working with state leaders and the legislature, ensuring the focus always stays on what is best for West Virginia’s families.
Why Work for Us?
At the West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS), leadership isn't just about managing programs—it is about breaking generational cycles of poverty and building a resilient future for our state. Leading the Bureau for Family Assistance (BFA) gives you a rare, high-impact platform to directly shape the economic safety net for thousands of your fellow West Virginians. As a key executive within state government, you will enjoy comprehensive health insurance, a competitive state retirement pension plan, generous paid leave, and the deep professional stability that comes with an impactful career in public administration.
Our Comprehensive Benefits Package Includes:
Robust Healthcare Coverage: Premium medical, dental, and vision insurance options, alongside life insurance plans to protect you and your loved ones.
Generous Paid Time Off: Maintain a healthy work-life balance with 15 days of paid vacation, 18 days of paid sick leave, and 13 paid state holidays annually.
Long-Term Financial Security: A highly coveted defined benefit retirement plan, ensuring a reliable and stable pension income for your future.
Resumes may be submitted to the Office of Shared Administration Talent Acquisition and Retention Team at OSAJobs@wv.gov or call 304-558-6700 for more information.
