COMMUNITY WELLNESS AND SAFETY DIRECTOR

*This position is exempt from civil service; the incumbent serves at the pleasure of the Director of Administration. *

The City of Milwaukee is proud to employ a diverse workforce dedicated to delivering exemplary service to its residents. If you are passionate about being a part of an inclusive team of public servants, please consider the following opportunity.

By supporting efforts to strengthen youth, families, and neighborhoods and by promoting healing in affected individuals and communities, the Community Wellness and Safety Director serves a pivotal role in the promotion of sustainable and effective approaches to the reduction of violence in Milwaukee.

Community-wide prevention is the most effective, long-term solution to violence, and the Office of Community Wellness and Safety (OCWS) engages a wide range of partners to facilitate a multidisciplinary, population-level approach to influence the social, behavioral, and environmental factors that contribute to violence. The OCWS brings together community agencies, experts, and resources to reduce domestic and intimate partner violence, sexual assault, child abuse, human trafficking, childhood witness to violence, community violence, gun violence, interpersonal violence, intentional injury, and homicide.

Programmatic Leadership

• Lead the development, implementation, and management of the City’s comprehensive community safety policies, programs, and strategies.
• Recruit, manage, and support high-performing staff in the OCWS.
• Oversee and support the successful functioning of the Milwaukee Commission on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (MCDVSA), including recommending commission appointments, and providing staff support, programming, education, policy development, data collection, and analysis.
• Develop Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of programs and evaluate their impact through defined metrics.
• Plan and establish standards for measuring and evaluating OCWS programmatic outcomes, utilizing existing and new resources and methodologies.
• Oversee OCWS staff and contractors performing research initiatives, including analyzing the impact of services on target populations, data collection, comparative analysis of interventions, and monitoring community health indicators such as domestic violence and youth violence.
• Pursue opportunities for partnership with academic institutions to supplement OCWS’s research capacity.
• Strengthen systems by working with national, state, city, and community groups to apply violence reduction strategies to OCWS initiatives.
• Manage the drafting and submission of grant applications to support city and community plans, and lead efforts to raise public, private, and foundation funds for OCWS programs.
• Manage contract execution and payment processing for OCWS vendors and community partners.
• Provide professional oversight for OCWS programs, ensuring alignment with strategic goals and city-wide community safety priorities.
• Oversee OCWS operations during de-escalation situations at schools, community events, and throughout the city.

Community Leadership

• Represent the City of Milwaukee in internal and external community meetings, councils, and other collaborations. 
• Ensure the provisions of safety education workshops and professional development training for community organizations and leaders.
• Develop and maintain collaborative and consistent relationships with internal and external stakeholders, emphasizing the role of community residents and organizations in the reduction of sexual assault, domestic violence, youth crime, and firearm-related violence.
• Represent the City and provide leadership in efforts to advance community safety.
• Serve as an informed thought leader on issues related to community violence reduction and the promotion of community safety and healing, including supporting survivors of violence and sexual assault and offering guidance on policies and initiatives that impact affected communities.
• Prepare accurate talking points, presentations, and ad-hoc reports for the Department of Administration, the mayor, and the common council. Serve as an effective spokes person for all OCWS programs to the media. 
• Participate in community planning efforts for mental health, wellness, and social welfare.
• Represent the Department of Administration and OCWS at common council meetings, speaking on behalf of OCWS programs.
• Support the mayor and common council in community meetings and events by providing information and follow-up on community concerns.
• Provide timely and responsive resources and support to victims of crime, sexual assault, and domestic violence.

Special Projects and Administration

• Provide an annual report to the mayor and other public officials.
• Participate in local and national collaboratives working to improve the safety and well-being of Milwaukee residents, including the Violence Reduction Public Health and Safety Team (VR-PHAST) and the National Office of Violence Prevention Network.
• Analyze data for special projects of interest and develop policies and programs related to the data outcomes.
• Develop and participate in related training for appropriate City of Milwaukee staff.
• Ensure accurate and timely grant reporting and compliance.

We welcome qualified individuals with disabilities who are interested in employment and will make reasonable accommodations during the hiring process in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008.

1. Bachelor's degree in public health, social science, criminal justice, sociology, psychology or a related field from an accredited college or university.
2. Five years of progressively responsible experience working with multi-disciplinary partners on youth engagement, injury and/or violence prevention issues, including one year performing duties  in a leadership and/or supervisory capacity.
3. Valid driver’s license at time of appointment and throughout employment.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience may also be considered however, the one year of experience performing duties in a leadership and/or supervisory capacity listed in #2 above is required and may not be substituted with education.

NOTICE: Please do not attach your academic transcripts to your employment application. The hiring department will verify candidates’ education as part of the background screening process prior to extending any job offers.

Technical – Knowledge of Strategies and Resources

• In-depth knowledge of evidence-informed strategies to prevent and reduce violence in major cities.
• Knowledge of collective-impact principles and practices for cross-sector community engagement and impact.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed care principles and crisis intervention techniques.
• Knowledge of local, state, and federal regulations related to family violence prevention and victim support services.
• Knowledge of community resources, social service systems, and referral networks related to family and gender-based violence prevention.
• Knowledge of best practices and strategies to prevent child abuse.
• Knowledge of best practices and strategies to prevent human trafficking.
• Knowledge of best practices and strategies to prevent domestic violence.
• Knowledge of best practices and strategies to prevent sexual assault.
• Knowledge of strategies for improving outcomes for children, youth, and families.
• Skill in reading and interpreting technical documents such as policies, procedures, ordinances, statutes, administrative rules, and professional publications.       

Technical – Grant Funding, Budgeting and Data Management

• Knowledge of grant funding through public and private sources.
• Ability to write grant applications, prepare reports and manage budgets.
• Knowledge of the use of research products.
• Analytical skills to review information and draw accurate conclusions. 
• Ability to use spreadsheet, database, project management, and word processing software to develop reports and summarize data.
• Ability to analyze data and use insights to drive programmatic improvements and measure outcomes.

Communication and Interpersonal         

• Ability to understand and work within complex systems, including healthcare, law enforcement, education, social services, public health, community agencies, and faith organizations.
• Excellent written communication skills to create effective briefing materials, reports, policies, procedures, and correspondence.                               
• Ability to build and maintain positive stakeholder relationships and effectively respond to concerns.
• Ability to work effectively and positively with people whose backgrounds may differ from one’s own.
• Communication and presentation skills to share information effectively individually and before groups, such as community events and common council meetings.
• Ability to work in a collaborative environment.
• Ability to provide services in a culturally sensitive manner.
• Facilitation and conflict resolution skills.
• Ability to effectively guide communities through de-escalation methods.

Leadership

• Ability to lead and manage a diverse team in a fast-paced and high-demand environment.
• Lead with integrity in words and actions.
• Ability to develop short and long-term plans related to violence prevention.
• Ability to effectively manage and motivate staff and volunteers.
• Ability to assign duties, set performance standards, provide guidance and training, monitor work progress, evaluate performance, and make hiring recommendations.
• Ability to develop processes and strategies for working efficiently.
• Ability to foster an environment of inclusion and respect.
• Ability to develop goals and strategies that meet measurable objectives.
• Ability to apply time management techniques and prioritize responsibilities to ensure work is accomplished within project deadlines.
• Skill in developing and implementing performance measurement tools to track programmatic outcomes.

Judgment and Analysis

• Ability to adapt and respond to evolving community needs, regulatory changes and emerging best practices in violence prevention.
• Demonstrated capacity to show empathy and resilience to support clients in distressing situations while maintaining professional boundaries.
• Strong organization and project management skills, including managing multiple programs and prioritizing tasks effectively.
• Ability to think critically and analytically and make informed decisions.
• Ability to demonstrate discretion in the handling of sensitive information.
• Ability to be creative and flexible.
• Skill in problem-solving and decision-making.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment.
• Ability to function well under pressure, including during critical incident events.
• Ability to perform work duties with professionalism, honesty, and integrity.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to serve as an effective steward of City resources.

The current starting salary (Pay Range 1NX) is $110,197-$154,280 annually and the current incentive starting salary for City of Milwaukee residents is $113,503-$158,909 annually. Appointment above the minimum is possible based upon level of experience and other qualifications and is subject to approval.

The City of Milwaukee provides a comprehensive benefit program that includes the following:

• Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) Defined Benefit Pension Plan
• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan
• Health and Dental Insurance
• Paid Parental Leave
• Comprehensive Wellness Program
• Onsite Clinic Services
• Onsite Employee Assistance Program
• Alternative Work Schedules
• Long Term Disability Insurance
• Group Life Insurance
• Tuition Benefits
• Paid Vacation
• 12 Paid Holidays
• Paid Sick Leave and other paid leave
• Flexible Spending Arrangement
• Commuter Value Pass

For full details of the benefits offered by the City of Milwaukee, please visit https://city.milwaukee.gov/der/benefits.

SELECTION PROCESS:

Screening for this position will be based on an evaluation of each applicant’s education, experience, and professional accomplishments, which must be detailed in a cover letter and resume.

• Cover letter and resume via email to jheber@milwaukee.gov by on Friday, May 30, 2025.
• Please indicate “Community Wellness and Safety Director Interest” in the subject line of the email message.
• Questions relative to the selection process may be directed to Jamie Heberer, Human Resources Representative or via email jheber@milwaukee.gov 
• The City of Milwaukee reserves the right to invite only the most qualified applicants to participate in the selection process.

INITIAL FILING DATE:

• The selection process will be conducted as soon as practical after the deadline listed above. 
•  Receipt of application materials may be discontinued at any time after this date without prior notice. However, recruitment may continue until the needs of the City have been met. The applicant is responsible for attending all phases of the job selection process at the time and place designated by the City of Milwaukee.

• Further information can be accessed by visiting www.jobapscloud.com/MIL.
• If you would like assistance completing an application, please contact the Department of Employee Relations at (414) 286-3751 or staffinginfo@milwaukee.gov.
• The Department of Employee Relations is in City Hall, 200 E Wells St, Room 706, Milwaukee, WI 53202.

The City of Milwaukee values and encourages diversity and is an equal opportunity employer.