DPS - IOD - Director, VESS

Job Description PLEASE NOTE: All applications must contain complete job histories, which includes job title, dates of employment, name of employer, supervisor's name and phone number and a description of duties performed. If this information is not submitted, your application may be rejected because it is incomplete. Resumes do not take the place of this required information. SUBMITTED THROUGH WORK IN TEXAS: Work In Texas (WIT) applicants must complete the supplemental questions to be considered for the posting. In order to complete the supplemental questions please go to CAPPS Recruit to register or login and access your profile. Go to CAPPS Recruit to Sign In GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Perform highly advanced (senior-level) managerial work providing direction and guidance in strategic operations and planning for the agency's Victim and Employee Support Services (VESS). Work involves establishing the strategic plan and goals and objectives for a comprehensive program of specialized resources for the prevention of, preparation for, response to and resolution of crime-related, work-related, and personal crisis situations for victims of crime, department employees and other law enforcement agencies; developing policies; reviewing guidelines, procedures, rules, and regulations; coordinating and evaluating program activities; and reviewing and approving budgets. Perform highly advanced psychological work. Work is performed under minimal supervision, with extensive latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. The following Military Occupational Specialty codes are generally applicable to this position. Applicants must fully complete the summary of experience to determine if minimum qualifications are met. ESSENTIAL DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. Direct clinical, programmatic and administrative activities of Victim and Employee Support Services personnel. 2. Plan, assign, and supervise the work of others. 3. Oversee and participate in the psychological assessment of recruit applicants and specialized jobs including, but not limited to, hostage negotiation, the S.W.A.T. team, and undercover work as requested. 4. Serve as the agency's Clinical Director of critical incident response activities. 5. Develop training materials; provide input for best practice guidelines for police and public safety psychology programs and services for law enforcement officers; and conduct training for VESS personnel and other team members upon request. 6. Direct VESS professional activity to provide referrals, coordinate, and oversee mandated substance abuse treatment for department employees per federal standards. 7. Develop and implement priorities, standards, measurement tools, and techniques for determining progress and effectiveness of program activities in meeting goals and objectives that align with the agency and VESS' strategic plans. 8. Plan, develop, and implement training based upon current psychological research and best practices on a variety of topics including, but not limited to, stress management, work performance enhancement, basic psychology in law enforcement, healthy interpersonal relationships, and crisis intervention. 9. Oversee development of action plans to update and modernize processes and procedures to improve productivity. 10. May represent the agency at business meetings, hearings, legislative sessions, conferences and seminars, or on boards, panels, and committees. 11. Act as a consultant on special projects requiring psychological expertise. 12. Consult with various levels of agency management and/or individual work groups regarding employee problem behavior in the workplace and solutions to on-going or anticipated problems. 13. Consult with various levels of agency management on questions regarding employee behavior that may require psychological fitness for duty evaluation and coordinate fitness for duty evaluations when such evaluations are ordered by the Director or his or her designee. 14. Travel within and outside the state as needed to accomplish position objectives. 15. Review and oversee management, productivity, and financial reports and studies. 16. Attend work regularly and observe approved work hours in accordance with agency leave and attendance policies. 17. Perform other duties as assigned. Qualifications: GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS and REQUIREMENTS: Education - Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), or Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree in Clinical or Counseling Psychology from an accredited college or university. Experience - Minimum of ten (10) years' full time work experience in providing direct psychological services to include three (3) years of managerial or program management work experience in a psychological services provision, including clinical crisis intervention and/or trauma counseling; experience working within a law enforcement culture is preferred. Licensure and/or Certification - Valid driver license from state of residence. Must possess and maintain licensure by the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (TSBEP) as a psychologist. If applicant possesses an equivalent license as a psychologist in current state of residence, applicant must have the ability to obtain full licensure with the TSPEB within twelve (12) months of employment. Regulatory Knowledge - Working knowledge of, or the ability to rapidly assimilate information related to TXDPS, State, and Federal regulations, legislation, guidelines, policies and procedures. Thorough knowledge of the applicable laws and requirements for the practice of psychology in the state of Texas including confidentiality, record retention, and the practical applications of such rules and regulations to conducting clinical/counseling psychology. Familiarity with American with Disability Act requirements and the application of such requirements to pre-employment evaluations; familiarity with pre-employment screening of law enforcement applicants and the rules and regulations governing the selection of law enforcement officers in the State of Texas is preferred. Clinical Knowledge - Knowledge of the principles of assessment and treatment of acute and traumatic stress reactions and disorders; brief therapy; crisis intervention; grief; victimology; and the psychological response to routine and critical incident stress; current psychological research on organizational, supervisory, and management principles, and team dynamics. Knowledge of choosing and administering psychological screening instruments, interpreting test data and identifying potential behavioral deficits in an applicant's ability to perform essential job functions in conducting a pre-employment screening process. Familiarity with the essential job functions of police officers and with psychological assessment research relevant to screening law enforcement officers is preferred. Supervisory/Managerial skills - Knowledge of management and supervisory methods and principles, and of developing performance and productivity standards. Ability to develop plans, policies, and procedures for efficient workflow and overall effectiveness. Knowledge of the development, preparation, fiscal management, and control required to administer a program budget. Ability to interview, supervise, schedule, and evaluate work of others; and to provide effective coaching and leadership. Demonstrated skill in using logic and reasoning to identify strengths and weaknesses of solutions, conclusions, and/or approaches to problems. Leadership skills - Strong leadership skills with the ability to direct and motivate others and maintain a persuasive and credible presentation style at all levels of the organization. Must exemplify the Department's core mission - to Protect and Serve Texas, and the values of integrity, teamwork, accountability, and excellence. Analytical skills - Must be analytical, detail-oriented, and able to multi-task without sacrificing accuracy or timeliness. Ability to analyze problems, identify causative factors, and apply actions to effectively resolve current issues and prevent recurrences of problem conditions. Interpersonal skills - Must exercise excellent interpersonal skills - position continually requires demonstrated poise, tact, diplomacy, and an ability to establish and maintain effective working/professional relationships with internal and external customers. Presentation/Communication skills - Must be able to effectively communicate and present information and/or training to individuals and a wide variety of audiences. Must be able to produce clear, concise, and professional documents, reports, and presentations. Must be organized, flexible, and able to prioritize in a multi-demand and constantly changing environment. Demonstrated ability to meet multiple and sometimes conflicting deadlines without sacrificing accuracy or timeliness; ability to work independently; and to understand and effectively apply complex oral and written instructions and procedures. Technology - Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook), and able to learn new software/systems as applicable to the position. Confidentiality - Must be able to responsibly handle sensitive and confidential information and situations. Safety - Must be able to work in safe manner at all times, avoiding shortcuts that have potentially adverse results/risks, and must be able to comply with safety standards and best practices. Travel and/or Schedule - Availability for after-hour and weekend work is required. Ability to travel 30% locally and/or statewide. Travel may include overnight and possibly weekends to carry out assigned duties. Must be available for on call duties. PHYSICAL and/or ENVIRONMENTAL DEMANDS: The physical and environmental demands described here are representative of those encountered and/or necessary for the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job; reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. • Office environment, and on-scene/field work; • Ambulatory skills, e.g. stand, walk, sit; • Hand-eye coordination and arm/hand/finger dexterity; • Ability to speak, hear, and exercise visual acuity; • Driving requirements: Moderate-frequency (30%). State of Texas Benefits and Retirement Information: DPS employees who submit applications for posted DPS positions shall notify their immediate supervisor in writing.A DPS employee who is selected for a position in the same salary group and state title as their current position will be transferred with no salary change.A DPS employee who is selected for a position in their current salary group with a new state title may receive an increase of no more than 3.4% over their current salary regardless of posted salary.Salary is contingent upon qualifications and is subject to salary administration and budgetary restrictions. DUE TO THE HIGH VOLUME OF APPLICATIONS WE DO NOT ACCEPT TELEPHONE CALLS. ONLY CANDIDATES SELECTED FOR INTERVIEW WILL BE CONTACTED. State of Texas retirees may be rehired for full-time, non-commissioned positions only under very specific circumstances.

Created: 2026-03-04