FAMILY & CHILDREN - HUMAN SERVICES SUPV.

La Crosse County • La Crosse, WI

30d

About The Position

La Crosse County Human Services is seeking a dedicated and dynamic Child Protective Services Supervisor who demonstrates strong leadership, professional excellence, and an unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of children and families. In this role, you will provide guidance, mentorship, and oversight to social workers and specialists who serve children and families involved in the child welfare system.
As a CPS Supervisor, you will play a pivotal role in shaping high-quality service delivery that reflects the department’s core values of trust, respect, and service. You will lead with compassion and accountability—supporting staff growth, fostering collaboration, and ensuring that services align with best practices, state standards, and agency expectations. Working in partnership with the Family and Children’s Section leadership team, you will help strengthen outcomes for children and families while promoting innovation, continuous learning, and trauma-informed care across the section.
FLSA: Exempt This is a salaried, professional, and supervisory position in the Family and Children’s Services Section of the Human Services Department. This position is designed for a highly motivated, creative, collaborative, and compassionate individual who has good communication skills and can effectively lead a team. The primary responsibility of this position is the direct supervision of social workers and paraprofessional staff who provide services and supports to children and families who are in the child welfare system. Supervisory positions within the section are in the following units: Access, Initial Assessment, Ongoing, Permanency Resource, and Social Service Specialists/Family Interaction. Oversees that service provision meets program, agency and state expectations and is consistent with the overarching child welfare goals of ensuring child safety, permanence, and well-being. This also includes administrative direction and professional development of assigned staff.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in public administration, Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, or a related field, required.
• At least two years of leadership experience, including a preference for staff supervision and program management within a human service or a related area.
• May consider other relevant combinations of education and experience that provide equivalent knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation for countywide travel, where applicable.
• Background check in accordance with Wisconsin Caregiver Law.
• Sets clear goals and objectives.
• Demonstrates effective problem-solving skills and is solution focused.
• Comprehensive knowledge of social work principles and methods in the field of child protective services, family dynamics, individual and group behavior.
• Considerable knowledge of laws, standards and mandates relating to child protective services, and the legislative intent of Chapters 48, 56 and 58.
• Thorough knowledge of current social and economic problems and the way in which these problems affect families and individuals.
• Knowledge and proven experience in effective interventions including trauma informed practice, motivational interviewing and other evidence- based practices.
• Comprehensive knowledge of community agencies and health resources and ways in which these resources may be available to people in need.
• Ability to plan, organize and coordinate a variety of service delivery systems, to achieve program objectives most effectively.
• Ability to direct and supervise the work of others.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Ability to stimulate staff growth and development and to give effective casework consultation.
• Ability to compute and analyze statistical information.
• Ability to present concise oral and written reports.
• Ability to monitor and manage program budgets.
• Ability to facilitate effective meetings and engage others in the process of collaboration and effective teamwork.

Responsibilities

• Provides supervision and administrative direction for assigned social workers who provide intake, assessment, case planning and case management, and on- going direct services to children and families referred to the Child Welfare System. Ensures staff effectively employ a strength-based approach utilizing evidence-based and best practices.
• Provides supervision and administrative direction to a team of specialists responsible for a variety of tasks related to supporting families and staff within the section.
• Responsible for hiring, supervision, training, motivation, evaluation, providing performance feedback, scheduling and layout of work of departmental personnel.
• Provides ongoing consultation to staff on cases and the need for agency and community services appropriate for that population and to ensure continuity and the effectiveness of services in conformity with state laws and mandates and with agency policy and procedures.
• Reviews and approves assessments, case plans, and other required reports and documentation in compliance with the current agency policy, state standards, evidence-based and best practices.
• Coordinates, monitors and evaluates contracted program outcomes. This includes monitoring the budget, yearly report, statistics, and consultation.
• Prepares required statistics and reports for the Health and Human Services Board, committees and other agency units as requested.
• Prepares grant proposals and other funding requests to be submitted to local, state and federal funding resources.
• Participates in review and development of agency program, policy, and procedures. Serves as agency representative on community committees and service-related activities.
• Works collaboratively with the entire FCS management/supervisory team to develop and enhance CPS case practice and teaming within the Access, Initial Assessment, Ongoing, and Permanency Resource Units.

Benefits

• Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS): A top-rated pension program.
• Affordable Insurance Premiums: Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage.
• Generous Paid Time Off: Vacation, sick, and 10+ paid holidays annually.
• Work-Life Balance: Flexible schedules and wellness programs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees