Regional Detention Administrator

Position Overview

The Office of the Independent Juvenile Ombudsperson is seeking a passionate, innovative leader ready to make a lasting impact on the lives of justice-involved youth. As a Regional Detention Administrator, you will lead with purpose, inspire positive change, and champion for brighter futures for the youth. This exciting leadership opportunity is ideal for a dedicated professional who believes every young person deserves to be heard, supported, and given the opportunity to succeed. Through trauma-informed care, positive youth development, and rehabilitative practices you will play a pivotal role in creating a safe, structured, and supportive environment to promote growth, accountability, and meaningful second chances. If you are a visionary leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment, builds strong partnerships, empowers teams, and serves as a steadfast advocate youth while promoting operational excellence and a culture of compassion, integrity, and continuous improvement, this role will provide professional fulfillment. We encourage all qualified and interested individuals to apply!

Essential Functions

• Serve as a dedicated advocate for youth in detention by building trust, addressing concerns, and promoting systemic improvements that support the rights, well-being, and dignity of justice-involved youth.
• Monitor and support compliance with established standards in county-operated juvenile detention centers through direct observation, collaboration, and technical assistance to ensure safe, lawful, and youth-centered detention practices.
• Develop and deliver clear, accurate, and timely reports that document detention center conditions, youth concerns, and policy recommendations, ensuring transparency and accountability across all levels of oversight.
• Advise on juvenile justice policy by developing recommendations, coordinating stakeholder communication, and leading research efforts to inform best practices and improve detention standards across regional facilities.
• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Requires four (4) years of progressively responsible administrative experience in areas such as juvenile/criminal justice, child welfare, investigations, or civil rights advocacy as evidenced by verifiable experience in the field or by academic background.

Preferred Qualifications (In Order of Significance)

• Prefers two (2) or more years of direct service experience working with adolescents and young adults in or around the juvenile/criminal justice system.
• Prefers two (2) or more years of experience working collaboratively in or around government stakeholders (ie. municipal, local/county, state).
• Prefers completion training in restorative justice philosophy and peace-keeping circle practice.

Conditions of Employment

• Required to pass an IDJJ/IDOC background screening.
• Required to pass an IDJJ/IDOC drug screening.
• Requires ability to travel in the performance of duties, with overnight stays as appropriate.
• Requires ability to attend seminars, conferences, and trainings to stay current on methods, tools, ideologies, or other industry related topics relevant to the job duties.
• This position has been found to meet the requirements in section 4A-101 of the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act requiring the occupant/employee to file a Statement of Economic Interest. The Illinois Governmental Ethics Act (5 ILCS420/4A et seq.) requires certain state officials and employees to file annual Statements of Economic Interest with the Office of the Secretary of State that will be made available for examination and copying by the public. All employees required to file a Statement of Economic Interest are also required to file the Supplemental Statement of Economic Interest with the Executive Ethics Commission. (See Executive Order 15-09) Fines and penalties apply to untimely filings.
• The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.

About the Agency

The Office of the Independent Juvenile Ombudsperson (OIJO) is an independent office co-aligned with the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ), created by statute in 2014. That statute, now Public Act 103-037, was amended in 2023 to include both youth committed to IDJJ and county operated juvenile temporary detention centers. The role of the OIJO is to ensure that the rights of youth committed to Illinois carceral spaces are fully observed, and to assist in pursuing services for committed youth and their families determined to need assistance. The Ombudsperson reports directly to the Governor, Office of the Lieutenant Governor, and members of the General Assembly. Beginning January 1, 2025, the OIJO submits reports to Chief Judges (of applicable counties) and the Director of the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC).

Benefits

The Department of Juvenile Justice offers an excellent benefits package including:

• Health, Life, Vision, and Dental Insurance
• Pension Plan
• Paid parental leave
• Pre-tax benefits programs including but not limited to: Deferred Compensation, Medical, Daycare, etc.
• Employees earn twelve (12) paid Sick Days annually
• New Employees earn ten (10) paid Vacation Days their first year of service and can earn up to twenty-five (25) paid Vacation Days annually (based on years of service)
• Employees earn three (3) paid Personal Days annually (pro-rated based on start date)
• Thirteen-Fourteen (13-14) paid holidays annually (based on start date)
• Flexible work schedules in many program areas (remote work may be an option for certain positions)