Assistant Director, Aging and Adult Services

This posting covers the County of Santa Clara. The location shown is the agency's own address; the work may be assigned anywhere in that area.

Description

Protect Vulnerable Adults. Strengthen Community Safety Nets. Lead With Purpose.

The County of Santa Clara is not just any government agency—it’s a premiere public agency known for its high standard of excellence, strategic leadership, and innovative thinking. With a population of more than 1.9 million residents, Santa Clara County is the largest of the nine Bay Area counties in Northern California, and larger than 12 states. With a workforce of more than 24,000 employees across 30+ departments, we deliver critical safety-net services in health, public safety, social services, housing, and more. Our organization is made up of public servants who are dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for everyone in our community, and especially for those most in need. 

The Department of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) is a core department within the Social Services Agency, dedicated to protecting vulnerable adults, supporting independence, and promoting dignity and safety across the community. DAAS plays a central role in safeguarding wellbeing, advancing equity, and delivering essential protective and supportive services to older adults and dependent adults throughout Santa Clara County.

We’re seeking a visionary, forward-thinking executive to serve as our Assistant Director, Aging and Adult Services, overseeing the County’s Protective Services Bureau, including the Public Administrator/Guardian/Conservator Division and Adult Protective Services (APS). This is a rare opportunity to modernize a complex, high-impact system and safeguard the dignity, rights, and safety of our community’s most vulnerable adults.

Your Mission

Lead and elevate a countywide protective-services system that is grounded in equity, accountability, compassion, and innovation. As the Assistant Director, and the County Public Guardian, you will guide strategic direction, strengthen operations, and drive performance excellence across a continuum of legally mandated, compliance-heavy services. You will partner closely with the Director of Aging and Adult Services, serve as a trusted operational strategist, and oversee managers and teams who execute estate administration, APS investigations, Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) conservatorships, and emergency protective interventions.

What Makes This Role Unique

• A Critical Community Impact: You will directly influence systems that protect thousands of adults experiencing abuse, neglect, exploitation, or diminished capacity, ensuring safety, dignity, and due process.
• Legal and Regulatory Complexity: From probate to LPS conservatorships to APS regulations, this role oversees programs governed by multilayered state and federal requirements, requiring both technical expertise and strategic oversight.
• Growth and Modernization: With an aging population and increasing program demand, you’ll lead modernization efforts, redesign workflows, and use data to improve outcomes and service equity.
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration: You will coordinate across courts, County Counsel, District Attorney’s Office, law enforcement, hospitals, behavioral-health partners, and community-based organizations, strengthening a broad protective-services ecosystem.
• Executive Partnership: You’ll serve as a key advisor to the Director on policy, systems design, and long-range planning that shapes the County’s entire aging and adult-services landscape.

What You’ll Do

Strategic Systems Leadership

• Align Protective Services Bureau goals with department and countywide priorities
• Lead strategic planning, operational alignment, and continuous improvement initiatives
• Represent the department on high-visibility countywide elder-justice and adult-protection initiatives

Public Guardian Leadership

• Execute statutory authority in conservatorship and estate administration
• Oversee complex matters including property sales, asset management, and court reporting
• Ensure legally compliant, ethically grounded, client-centered services

Operational Excellence

• Direct APS, Public Administrator, and Public Guardian/Conservator operations
• Strengthen processes, close service gaps, and optimize resource utilization
• Oversee budget development, fiscal management, and performance monitoring

Data-Driven Decision-Making

• Use analytics to assess program effectiveness, timeliness, and equity
• Develop and monitor key performance indicators
• Implement data-informed operational improvements

Team and Talent Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and evaluate subordinate managers and staff
• Build a culture that values accountability, trauma-informed practice, and resilience
• Champion collaboration and high-quality public service

More About Our Competitive Executive Benefits

Strategic Financial and Retirement Benefits

• CalPERS pension with reciprocity across most California public agencies (2.5% @ 55 for Classic Members, 2% @ 62 for Non-Classic Members) 
• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan with both pre-tax and Roth options, up to IRS limits 
• $325,000 in term life insurance plus $300,000 in accidental death and disability coverage 
• Eligible employer under the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program 

Executive-Level Health, Wellness, and Family Support

• Premium health insurance options (Kaiser, HealthNet, Valley Health Plan) with up to 96% County-paid coverage 
• Fully covered dental (Delta or Liberty) and vision (VSP) plans for individuals and families 
• Employee Assistance Program Dependent Care Assistance, and Flexible Spending Accounts 
• Access to wellness and leadership development programs designed to support executive performance and resilience 

Leadership Mobility, Time Off, and Professional Growth

• 39 days of annual leave with a cash-out option, plus 13 paid holidays 
• Relocation assistance to support seamless transitions 
• Tuition reimbursement and internal executive development programs 
• Valley Transportation Agency Smart Pass/Clipper Card for sustainable commuting 
• To learn more about benefits, check out our dedicated page.

Ready to join the leadership team? Apply now.

Learn more about the County and the impact you can have as a leader.

Application Process and Key Dates

This recruitment will be open on a continuous basis until the position is filled. This recruitment may close or be extended as early as 10 days after posting. Early application is strongly encouraged. Please check the website regularly for updates. 

Apply at:

What to include in your application:

1. Résumé

Next steps in the process:

Following mutual interest, a comprehensive background investigation and reference check will be conducted. Finalists will be asked to provide at least five professional references, with prior authorization obtained by Executive Services. 

Questions regarding this executive recruitment may be directed to Kendra Conrad, Executive Services at

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Qualifications

What You Bring:

• Executive-level leadership experience in a highly regulated environment, ideally in probate, conservatorship, guardianship, or adult-protective systems
• Deep understanding of aging and adult-services systems and community-based support networks
• Proven ability to lead large-scale, compliance-heavy programs with both compassion and technical precision
• Skill in data analytics, system redesign, and operational improvement
• Experience building high-trust relationships with courts, legal partners, law-enforcement agencies, healthcare providers, and community organizations
• Strong political acumen, judgment, and communication skills
• Commitment to equity, trauma-informed practice, and client-centered service delivery

What Success Looks Like:

In the first 6-12 months, you will:

• Strengthen operational alignment across APS and Public Guardian/Conservator programs
• Improve communication and coordination with courts, legal partners, and community stakeholders
• Establish performance metrics and modernize key administrative and operational processes

In the long term, you will:

• Enhance system responsiveness to vulnerable adults experiencing abuse, neglect, or exploitation
• Improve consistency, equity, and timeliness across protective-services programs
• Build a modernized, data-informed protective-services system that serves as a regional and statewide model

Why Join Us?:

• Make a profound difference for adults who rely on the County for safety, protection, dignity, and stability
• Serve as a key executive in one of California's most impactful human-services departments
• Lead essential programs in a county committed to innovation, inclusion, and community well-being
• Work in a collaborative, mission-driven, and supportive environment

Work for Warriors is a no-cost employment program of the California Military Department for Service Members, Veterans, and military family members. The Veteran Staffing Consultant for County of Santa Clara is Philip Downs.