Family Services Specialist Supervisor

Virginia Department of Social Services • Alexandria, VA

7d • $78,147 - $104,679 • Onsite

About The Position

The City of Alexandria is seeking a Family Services Specialist Supervisor to join the Department of Community and Human Services. This role supervises staff providing essential safety net services to help city residents achieve well-being, safety, and self-sufficiency. The department's behavioral health programs offer compassionate services supporting self-determination and recovery. The City of Alexandria is a diverse and resilient community with a historic district, charming waterfront, vibrant arts scene, and unique culinary and shopping experiences, making it a wonderful place to live, work, and play. This position represents the supervisory level within the Family Services occupational group, overseeing staff who provide direct services to foster and sustain the social, health, economic, behavioral, and emotional functioning of individuals and families. The supervisor is responsible for supervising, training, leading, and developing staff, as well as monitoring case management services. This role is distinguished from the Family Services Manager by the latter's responsibilities for supervising Family Services Supervisors and managing direct services program performance.

Requirements

• Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a Human Services field or a Bachelor's degree in any field with a minimum of two years of appropriate and related experience in a Human Services area.
• Supervisory experience or work experience in a leadership role.
• Equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.
• Considerable knowledge of policies, procedures and regulations relating to the various direct service programs.
• Considerable knowledge of casework supervision principles and practices.
• Skill in operating a personal computer and the associated software.
• Skill in the operation of a motor vehicle.
• Demonstrated ability to plan and manage work activities and assist others in their planning and management.
• Demonstrated ability to make decisions in difficult situations.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret laws, policies and regulations regarding human services, ensure compliance and recommend needed changes.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree in a human services field.
• Extensive experience in child welfare, including some experience in a supervisory or lead role.
• Considerable experience in assigned program area/human services programs and completion of required training programs.
• Fluency in Spanish and/or other language.

Responsibilities

• Directs the activities of a Child Protective Services (CPS) unit of Family Services Specialists (FSS), planning, assigning, reviewing, and managing their day-to-day work.
• Ensures services are provided in a timely, accurate, courteous, and effective manner in accordance with federal, state, and local policies and procedures.
• Provides direction, guidance, and training on policy, and implements best practices for all CPS areas of work.
• Takes responsibility for the professional development and training of unit members.
• Works with the child welfare leadership team to develop local policies and practices to improve agency operations.
• Provides clinical and administrative supervision to a team of professional social workers, including daily interaction and regular individual supervision meetings.
• Implements child protective services and prevention services according to federal, state, and local policies and guidance.
• Assists social workers in working through challenging client situations, mediating conflicts, and making complex clinical and case management decisions, including foster care placement of children.
• Maintains ongoing relationships with other public agencies, community-based groups, and community members to coordinate services, improve client access, and identify community needs and barriers.
• Evaluates employee work performance, encourages staff input for goal setting, and completes annual performance evaluations.
• Counsels, creates performance improvement plans, and initiates progressive disciplinary action when necessary.
• Monitors staff work schedules and approves electronic timesheets.
• Meets regularly with Program Manager and supervisory team to discuss unit status, community and case trends, and service needs to adapt local practices and plan staff activities.
• Ensures staff complete mandated training and collaborates with the Child Welfare Leadership Team to assess needs and develop learning opportunities.
• Initiates the hiring process for vacant positions, reviews applications, interviews applicants, and makes recommendations for hire.
• Represents the CPS Program and Child Welfare Division in meetings with Department, City, and state partners.
• Participates as a member of the Alexandria Multidisciplinary Team and attends weekly and monthly case review meetings.
• Participates as a team member in the continuous improvement of child welfare and human services delivery.
• Assists in the development and revision of program policies.
• Maintains necessary records, reviews case and court documentation, redacts records for public distribution, and prepares reports.
• Compiles monthly caseload report statistics and utilizes data to manage staff productivity.
• Provides after-hours and weekend on-call supervisory coverage for Child Welfare Services and Adult Protective Services.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager