Children's Advocacy Center Program Director

Lead with Heart. Change a Child’s Life.

Become the next Director of Childhaven’s Children’s Advocacy Center.

Every child deserves safety. Every child deserves hope. At Childhaven, we believe in lifting children from crisis to hope—and as the Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) Program Director, you become the steady hand that guides children through their darkest hours toward healing.

This isn’t just a job. It’s a calling.

As the leader of our Children’s Advocacy Center serving San Juan and McKinley Counties, you’ll oversee a highly compassionate, trauma-informed team that supports children who have experienced abuse or neglect. Your work will bring together law enforcement, child protection, medical, and mental health professionals to ensure that no child walks their journey alone.

What You’ll Do:

• Provide visionary leadership for the CAC program.
• Oversee operations, staff, and strategic direction.
• Build bridges with our multidisciplinary partners.
• Manage data and grants to sustain and grow life-saving services.
• Advocate for the voiceless, ensuring every child is heard and protected.

What You’ll Bring:

• A heart for children. A passion for justice. A drive to make lasting change.
• Experience in leadership, program development, and trauma-informed care.
• A collaborative spirit and deep respect for community partnerships.

At Childhaven, you won't just manage a program—you’ll inspire a movement. You’ll be the light that guides families through trauma, helping them rediscover trust, dignity, and hope.

Be the reason a child feels safe again.

Apply today to become the Children’s Advocacy Center Director at Childhaven.
Together, we can lift children from crisis to hope.

JOB TITLE: Program Director - Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC)

FLSA STATUS: Exempt - Salaried

REPORTS TO: Chief Executive Officer

SUPERVSIES: Children’s Advocacy Center Staff including Therapists

HOURS: Monday – Friday, 8:00 – 5:00 pm, On-Call Coverage (for emergencies)

Additional hours may be necessary to fulfill job responsibilities.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES:

Childhaven’s Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) Program Director plays a critical role in managing and leading the center to ensure it effectively supports children who have been victims of abuse or neglect. The Children's Advocacy Center Director is responsible for the overall management and strategic direction of the center. This role involves overseeing program operations, staff management, community relations, and data/grants management to ensure that the center provides high-quality services to children and families and coordinating the Child Advocacy Centers and Multidisciplinary teams in San Juan and McKinley Counties in New Mexico.

CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY PROGRAM DIRECTOR PRIMARY DUTIES:

Facility and Program Management

· Manage program outcomes, data, and accreditation for the program.

· Maintenance of interagency agreements/MDT protocols with state and tribal entities.

· Compliance with state regulations and National Children’s Alliance accreditation standards.

Conducts program oversight to assure all programming & records meet state licensing requirements and national accreditation, including personnel records.

· Coordinate joint interviews with Law Enforcement and Child Protective Services investigators, and prosecution and conduct forensic interviews and family advocacy, as needed, and ensure sufficient staff are competently trained to operate in two counties.

· Assure staff are trained to testify in court proceedings as necessary.

· Manage entry of case information into NCATrak, a web-based application.

· Maintain and submit statistical information to necessary entities.

· Participate in New Mexico Children’s Alliance meetings, trainings and peer reviews.

· Report all safety and facility issues to the maintenance department to keep facility in top condition.

Staff Management/Supervision

· Models positive, effective, and healthy relationship skills and management approaches.

· CAC Program Director must be well-versed in the standards of accreditation to train/coach staff

· Responsible for the overall recruitment, management, and development of the staff, including training and evaluation of staff performance.

· Develop and implement quality assurance standards for forensic services to ensure interviews are legally sound, child-friendly forensic interviews that minimize the traumatic effect on the child.

· Provide direct supervision of designated staff and coordinate with Childhaven’s Clinical Supervisor on therapeutic services.

· Manage the Family Advocacy staff to assure appropriate “warm” referrals are made timely, and case management conducted for children and families for the life of the case.

· Oversee the MDT Coordinator as facilitator of the San Juan and McKinley County Multidisciplinary Teams

· Assure all staff and MDT members strive to reach outcomes and maintain strict confidentiality.

· Ensure MDT training for prosecution, law enforcement, child protection, medical, and mental health MDT member agencies as well as schools, and maintain records.

· Develop and implement a range of training presentations on child abuse and CAC multi-disciplinary team services for team members, community groups, and service providers.

· Support staff in focusing on self-care and assuring resiliency within the CAC.

· Performs other responsibilities as assigned by Chief Executive Officer to assure smooth operations in both counties.

Personal and Professional Development

· Training and Development: Stay updated on best practices, trends, and developments in the field of child advocacy. Pursue ongoing professional development opportunities, meeting the minimum standards for accreditation.

· Ethical Standards: Maintain high ethical standards and ensure that all practices and policies align with the center’s mission and values.

Job Knowledge:

1. Demonstrate competency in conducting forensic interviews, advocacy, and child abuse investigations.

2. Excellent oral and written communication skills, meeting facilitation and organizational skills

3. Ability to take initiative and work independently with excellent follow through

4. Working knowledge of Windows Office Programs

5. Working knowledge of statistics and data processes

6. Demonstrated knowledge of child protection, law enforcement, and court systems,

child abuse and neglect (through professional training and experience, or higher education).

7. Cultural awareness and sensitivity-skilled in working with a population diverse in ethnicity, race, religion, socioeconomic background, physical and/or mental ability, sexual preference, and gender identity/expression.

Qualifications:

A. Master’s Degree with two (2) years professional experience, including one (1) year as a supervisor, related to social work, education, criminal justice, psychology, sociology or counseling, as well as two (2) years of experience in child maltreatment investigations, or interviewing children who have been abused or have witnessed crimes of violence (forensic or investigative) or related fields; OR

Bachelor’s Degree with three (3) years professional experience, including one (1) as a supervisor, related to social work, education, criminal justice, psychology, as well as two (2) years of experience in child maltreatment investigations, or interviewing children who have been abused or have witnessed crimes of violence (forensic or investigative) or related fields; OR

Associates Degree with six (6) years of professional experience, including one (1) as a supervisor, related to social work, education, criminal justice, psychology, as well as two (2) years of experience in child maltreatment investigations, or interviewing children who have been abused or have witnessed crimes of violence (forensic or investigative) or related fields.

B. Continuing education through participation in national, regional, and local conferences and trainings, and peer reviews. Training and continuing education must be in accordance with NMCA guidelines.

Successful clearance of all local, state, and federal background checks, including CYFD child abuse and neglect check and all child protection website checks, prior to unsupervised contact with clients.

C. Must have reliable transportation and ability to become a driver for Childhaven (age 25 or older with a current and valid NM Driver’s License, and a clean driving record).

D. Must obtain and maintain CPR/First Aid and CPI certification.

E. Abide by state licensing regulations and standards, and Childhaven policies and procedures.

F. Meets all the requirements for Forensic Interviewers below.

Forensic Interviewers Qualifications:

A. Master’s Degree related to social work, education, criminal justice, psychology, or related fields; OR

Bachelor’s Degree with two (2) years’ experience related to social work, education, criminal justice, psychology, or related fields; OR

Associate’s degree with three (3) years’ experience related to social work, education, criminal justice, psychology, or related fields; OR

Six (6) years of relevant experience in a field related to social services.

B. Completion of a minimum of one 40-hour national training specific to one of the four models of forensic interviewing approved by NMCA. These models are: NCAC, APSAC, NICHD, and Child First. Training must be completed within the first year of employment. Training in one of the approved models is required.

C. Observation of a minimum of fifty (50) “live” and taped interviews, followed by discussion with a forensic interview supervisor of the techniques demonstrated in the interview and the reaction of the child, prior to first solo interview.

D. A new interviewer must conduct a minimum of five “practice” interviews in the interview setting with equipment that will be used during actual interviews, including sexual abuse role-plays using an earpiece, child-actors, and other methods. These interviews will be observed, reviewed, and discussed with a supervisor. There should be no fewer than five practice interviews and as many as required to achieve competence.

E. Demonstrated ability to conduct satisfactory interviews, or child-abuse investigations.

F. Continuing education through participation in national and regional conferences or training and peer reviews.

Training and continuing education must be in accordance with NMCA standards.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $55,000.00 - $66,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person

Salary : $55,000 - $66,000