TLS Program Support Lead

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) works to build on strengths of families and communities to keep children and vulnerable adults safe, so they thrive. We do this through investigations, services, and referrals.  

What You Get Beyond Your Paycheck

When you join the State of Texas, your monthly paycheck is just one part of your real income. Our benefits provide extra value that many private employers simply don’t match—often adding hundreds of dollars each month to what you take home or save.

Here’s what you get as a full-time employee:

• 100% paid health insurance for you, and 50% paid for eligible family members—saving you hundreds every month in out-of-pocket medical costs
• Retirement plans with lifetime monthly payments after five years of state service, plus options to save even more with 401(k) and 457 plans
• Paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave so you can recharge and take care of life outside work (that’s time off you’re actually paid for)
• Optional dental, vision, and life insurance—at rates much lower than most private plans
• Flexible spending accounts for added tax savings on health and dependent care
• Employee discounts on things like gym memberships, electronics, and entertainment

You also might qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, which could help you pay off federal student loans faster.

You can see all the details here: ERS recruitment brochure

Functional Title: TLS Program Support Lead 
Job Title: CPS Transiti Svcs Lead PS VI 
Agency: Dept of Family & Protectve Svc 
Department: CPS Permanency PAL 
Posting Number: 18517 
Closing Date: 08/05/2026 
Posting Audience: Internal and External 
Occupational Category: Protective Services 
Salary Range: $5,098.66 - $8,304.83 
Pay Frequency: Monthly
Salary Group: TEXAS-B-23 
Shift: Day 
Additional Shift: Days (First) 
Telework: Eligible for Telework 
Travel: Up to 25% 
Regular/Temporary: Regular 
Full Time/Part Time: Full time 
FLSA Exempt/Non-Exempt: Exempt 
Facility Location:  
Job Location City: AUSTIN 
Job Location Address: 4900 N LAMAR BLVD 
Other Locations: Austin; Abilene; Alamo; Alice; Alpine; Alvin; Amarillo; Anahuac; Andrews; Angleton; Anson; Aransas Pass; Archer City; Arlington; Athens; Atlanta; Bacliff; Ballinger; Bandera; Bastrop; Bay City; Baytown; Beaumont; Bedford; Beeville; Bellville; Big Spring; Boerne; Bonham; Borger; Bowie; Brady; Breckenridge; Brenham; Brownfield; Brownsville; Brownwood; Bryan; Burnet; Caldwell; Cameron; Canton; Canutillo; Carlsbad; Carrizo Springs; Carrollton; Carthage; Center; Centerville; Childress; Clarksville; Cleburne; Cleveland; Coldspring; Columbus; Conroe; Copperas Cove; Corpus Christi; Corsicana; Crockett; Crosby; Crystal City; Cuero; Cypress; Daingerfield; Dallas; Decatur; Del Rio; Denton; Dickinson; Dumas; Duncanville; Eagle Pass; Eastland; Edinburg; El Paso; Elgin; Elsa; Ennis; Fabens; Falfurrias; Floresville; Fort Stockton; Fort Worth; Fredericksburg; Gainesville; Galveston; Garland; Gatesville; Georgetown; Giddings; Gilmer; Goliad; Gonzales; Graham; Granbury; Grand Prairie; Grapevine; Greenville; Hallettsville; Hamilton; Harlingen; Haskell; Hearne; Hemphill; Hempstead; Henderson; Hereford; Hillsboro; Hondo; Houston; Humble; Huntsville; Hurst; Irving; Jacksonville; Jasper; Johnson City; Jourdanton; Karnes City; Katy; Kaufman; Kerrville; Killeen; Kingsville; Kingwood; Kirbyville; La Grange; Lake Jackson; Lake Worth; Lamesa; Lampasas; Lancaster; Laredo; Levelland; Lewisville; Liberty; Linden; Littlefield; Livingston; Llano; Lockhart; Longview; Lubbock; Lufkin; Lumberton; Madisonville; Marble Falls; Marfa; Marlin; Marshall; Mcallen; Mckinney; Mercedes; Meridian; Mesquite; Mexia; Midland; Mineola; Mineral Wells; Mission; Monahans; Mount Pleasant; Mount Vernon; Nacogdoches; Navasota; New Boston; New Braunfels; Odessa; Orange; Palestine; Pampa; Paris; Pasadena; Pearland; Pearsall; Pecos; Perryton; Pharr; Pittsburg; Plainview; Plano; Pollok; Port Arthur; Port Lavaca; Presidio; Quitman; Raymondville; Refugio; Richardson; Richmond; Rio Grande City; Robstown; Rockwall; Rosenberg; Round Rock; Rowlett; Rusk; San Angelo; San Antonio; San Benito; San Juan; San Marcos; San Saba; Schertz; Seguin; Seminole; Seymour; Sherman; Silsbee; Sinton; Snyder; Socorro; Sonora; South Houston; Stephenville; Sugar Land; Sulphur Springs; Sweetwater; Taylor; Temple; Terrell; Texarkana; Texas City; The Woodlands; Tomball; Trinity; Tyler; Uvalde; Van Horn; Vernon; Victoria; Waco; Washington; Watauga; Waxahachie; Weatherford; Webster; Weslaco; Wharton; Wichita Falls; Woodville; Zapata 
MOS Codes: 16GX,60C0,611X,612X,63G0,641X,712X,86M0,8U000,OS,OSS,PERS,YN,YNS 
 
 
 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Performs highly complex (senior-level) program compliance, quality assurance, and systems improvement work involving examining, evaluating, and monitoring transitional living services, policies, contracts, program performance, and documentation to ensure compliance with federal and state laws, DFPS policies, and Transitional Living Services program requirements. Oversees program monitoring activities that support positive outcomes for youth preparing to transition from foster care to successful adulthood. Works under limited supervision with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS (EJFs)

Review contracts, grants, and other legal documents.

• Evaluates contract language, grant requirements, and service agreements related to Transitional Living Services, Preparation for Adult Living (PAL), Housing Support Services, Aftercare Room and Board Assistance, Youth Leadership Development, and other independent living services to ensure alignment with federal Chafee requirements, DFPS policies, and state regulations.

• Coordinates with DFPS legal staff, procurement teams, fiscal staff, and program specialists to review contracts, memoranda of understanding (MOUs), and provider agreements prior to execution or renewal, ensuring services support youth development, housing stability, permanency, education, and employment outcomes.

• Works collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders, including Single Source Continuum Contractors (SSCCs), community-based organizations, housing providers, educational partners, workforce agencies, and other state entities to strengthen contract development and service delivery.

Perform compliance reviews that are primarily highly complex in nature or large in scale.

• Reviews statewide Transitional Living Services projects, initiatives, and programs to ensure compliance with federal and state requirements and DFPS policies while promoting positive outcomes for youth transitioning from foster care to adulthood.

• Reviews and prepares reports and provides leadership on special projects assigned by Child Protective Services (CPS) management, including responses to legislative inquiries, executive leadership requests, media requests, audits, and public concerns.

• Develops quality assurance review protocols, monitoring tools, and performance measures to evaluate program effectiveness, identify systemic barriers, and ensure youth receive appropriate independent living services and supports.

• Collaborates with regional leadership, SSCCs, providers, and community partners to address identified compliance concerns and implement corrective action plans that improve service quality and youth outcomes.

Performs routine compliance reviews that are primarily small or medium in scale to determine compliance with laws, rules, and regulations.

• Conducts desk reviews and targeted compliance reviews of PAL services, housing support services, aftercare assistance, life skills training, and youth-specific program documentation to ensure adherence to federal and Texas requirements.

• Reviews data, provider submissions, and service delivery documentation to identify trends, compliance concerns, and opportunities for operational improvement.

• Coordinates with regional offices, SSCCs, contractors, and providers to conduct quality assurance reviews in response to escalated concerns, leadership requests, audit findings, or legislative inquiries.

Compiles, reviews, and analyzes data to verify documentation.

• Reviews and analyzes program performance data, service utilization metrics, and outcome measures related to housing, education, employment, permanency, and youth engagement to identify service gaps and improve program effectiveness.

• Compiles and verifies supporting documentation for management reports, audits, legislative requests, strategic planning initiatives, and federal reporting requirements.

• Develops recommendations based on data analysis to improve service delivery, youth engagement, and long-term outcomes for youth transitioning from foster care.

Conducts internal inspection of compliance issues.

• Examines program practices through review of youth records, provider documentation, and service delivery activities to identify compliance risks, service gaps, and barriers affecting successful transitions to adulthood.

• Conducts program assessments and quality assurance reviews to identify best practices and opportunities for continuous improvement within Transitional Living Services programs.

• Communicates findings and recommendations to leadership and stakeholders to support corrective action and program enhancement activities.

Identifies issues regarding compliance with regulations or standards that require follow-up.

• Leads workgroups, stakeholder meetings, and collaborative initiatives to identify compliance concerns, program challenges, and service delivery issues affecting youth and young adults.

• Develops and tracks corrective action activities to address identified deficiencies and improve provider performance and program outcomes.

• Partners with providers, community organizations, workforce agencies, educational institutions, housing organizations, and state agencies to develop solutions that improve service accessibility and effectiveness.

Verifies compliance with specific requirements by conducting desk and/or onsite reviews.

• Plans, develops, implements, and monitors Transitional Living Services initiatives and projects to ensure compliance with established requirements and performance standards.

• Collaborates with the Transitional Living Services (TLS) team to monitor service delivery outcomes, evaluate program effectiveness, and identify strategies that improve housing stability, educational attainment, employment readiness, financial literacy, and overall self-sufficiency for youth transitioning from foster care.

Maintains, updates, and assesses data in an internal tracking system.

• Maintains, reviews, and evaluates program data maintained in DFPS systems and other tracking tools used to monitor Transitional Living Services activities and outcomes.

• Assesses system-generated data to respond to executive leadership requests, legislative inquiries, audit activities, and urgent program needs.

• Regularly reviews data for accuracy, completeness, and timeliness while identifying reporting discrepancies and implementing corrective actions.

• Uses reports and dashboards to identify trends, evaluate program performance, and provide recommendations to leadership.

Maintains and assesses documentation of compliance activities, such as complaints received or investigation outcomes.

• Maintains documentation related to monitoring activities, provider reviews, corrective action plans, complaints, technical assistance, and program improvement efforts.

• Assesses documentation to identify recurring issues, compliance trends, training needs, and opportunities for policy or procedural improvements.

• Ensures records are maintained in accordance with federal and state retention requirements and are readily available for audits, monitoring reviews, and leadership requests.

Performs statistical sampling of data.

• Conducts statistical sampling and review of youth case records, provider documentation, and program files to evaluate compliance with DFPS policy, federal requirements, and Transitional Living Services standards.

• Analyzes sampled records to identify trends, strengths, service gaps, and compliance concerns affecting youth outcomes.

• Prepares comprehensive reports summarizing findings and recommendations for leadership to support decision-making, training priorities, policy enhancement, and continuous quality improvement efforts.

• Utilizes review findings to strengthen service delivery systems and support DFPS's mission of promoting safety, permanency, well-being, and successful transitions to adulthood for youth in foster care and formerly in foster care.

Performs related work as assigned.

INITIAL SCREENING CRITERIA 

Experience in social work or related field. Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in social work, counseling, psychology, criminal justice gerontology, early childhood education, elementary or secondary education, or a related field is generally preferred.

A master's degree in social work, counseling, psychology, human services, public administration, education, or a related field is preferred.

Experience and education may be substituted for one another.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Ability to maintain the security and integrity of agency infrastructure and information in accordance with Governor Abbott Executive Order GA-48.

• Knowledge of federal and state laws, regulations, policies, and program requirements related to child welfare, transitional living services, contract monitoring, and compliance review activities.
• Skill in conducting data analysis, evaluating program performance, monitoring compliance, and preparing clear and accurate reports and recommendations.

• Skill in using computer systems, databases, and applicable software to collect, maintain, assess, and report program and compliance data.

• Ability to identify problems, evaluate alternatives, implement effective solutions, maintain productive working relationships, and communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.

REGISTRATION, CERTIFICATION, OR LICENSURE

May require registration, certification, or licensure in a specialty area related to child welfare, social services, program management, or contract monitoring.

Review our Tips for Success when applying for jobs at DFPS, DSHS and HHSC.

Military occupation(s) that relate to the initial selection criteria and registration or licensure requirements for this position may include, but not limited to those listed in this posting. All active-duty military, reservists, guardsmen, and veterans are encouraged to apply if qualified to fill this position. For more information please see the Texas State Auditor’s Job Descriptions, Military Crosswalk and Military Crosswalk Guide at Texas State Auditor's Office - Job Descriptions. You may also contact the DFPS Military Liaison at dfpsmilvets@dfps.texas.gov with additional questions.

Applicants selected for hire must pass a background check and if applicable a driver’s record check.

State of Texas employees are required to maintain the security and integrity of critical infrastructure as defined in Section 117.001(2), State of Texas Business and Commerce Code. Applicants selected for hire comply with this code by completing related training and abiding by agency cybersecurity and communications system usage policies.

As a state agency, DFPS is required by Texas Administrative Code (TAC 206 and 213) to ensure all Electronic Information Resources (EIR) follow accessibility standards. The staff must be familiar with the WCAG 2.1 AA and Section 508 to create accessible content including but not limited to; Microsoft Office documents, Adobe PDFs, webpages, software, training guides, video, and audio files. 

DFPS uses E-Verify. You must bring your I-9 documentation with you on your first day of work. Employees must provide documentation to DFPS to show their identity and authorization to work in the US. Please review the following link for authorized documents: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents .

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), HHS/DFPS agencies will provide reasonable accommodation during the hiring and selection process for qualified individuals with a disability. If you need assistance completing the on-line application, contact the HHS/DFPS Employee Service Center at 1-888-894-4747. If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodation to participate in the interview process, please notify the person scheduling the interview.