Sr. Manager, Family Support

DePelchin Children’s Center•Houston, TX

8d•Onsite

About The Position

The Sr. Manager, Family Support provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for Family Group Decision Making (FGDM), Kinship, and Local Permanency Services (LPS). Using a hope-centered, strengths-based approach, the role promotes safety, belonging, stability, and permanency for children, youth, young adults, and families. The position supervises program leadership and ensures services are delivered safely, promptly, consistently, and in compliance with agency policies, contractual requirements, and applicable state and federal regulations. The role manages program operations, staff development, service quality, documentation, performance monitoring, resources, and stakeholder relationships. It provides consultation on complex cases and escalations and collaborates with internal and external partners to address barriers and strengthen outcomes. The position is office-based in Regions 6a and/or 6b, with specific work locations to be assigned. The schedule is Monday through Friday during standard business hours, with on-call availability as needed and frequent travel; reliable transportation is required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; relevant experience may be considered in lieu of the education requirement.
At least five years of experience in the child welfare field, including FGDM, Kinship, LPS, Foster Care, Conservatorship, or Family-Based Services.
At least three years of supervisory or management experience leading staff or overseeing case workers or supervisory units.
Strong leadership, coaching, and team-building skills, including the ability to foster hope-centered practices, recognize strengths, and guide staff toward improved outcomes.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Strong organizational, planning, prioritization, and attention-to-detail skills, with the ability to manage multiple programs, responsibilities, and deadlines.
Strong critical-thinking, assessment, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to work independently while fostering collaboration across departments.
Proficiency with Microsoft Windows, web-based applications, case management systems, and online research and search tools.
Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and safeguard client and agency information appropriately.
Frequent travel is required; reliable transportation is required.

Responsibilities

Provide leadership, direction, and oversight for FGDM, Kinship, and LPS, including supervising, coaching, and developing program supervisors and assigned staff.
Plan and manage program operations to meet organizational goals, contractual requirements, performance measures, and service-delivery expectations.
Establish and monitor procedures, workflows, documentation standards, and accountability measures to support quality, compliance, staff effectiveness, and consistent service delivery.
Oversee FGDM practices, including Family Team Meetings and other family-centered conferences, and ensure referrals are assigned and services facilitated within required timeframes.
Promote meaningful participation by children, youth, families, caregivers, and stakeholders in family meetings and practical action planning.
Ensure family meetings use effective facilitation and mediation practices that respect families’ dignity, culture, strengths, voice, and circumstances.
Oversee Kinship Services, ensuring relatives and fictive kin are identified, assessed, supported, and engaged as potential or existing placement resources.
Ensure kinship caregivers receive case-management support, training, referrals, financial-assistance information, community resources, and opportunities to participate in case planning and decisions.
Oversee LPS for children and youth placed outside their region of legal jurisdiction, coordinating with primary conservatorship caseworkers and other involved parties.
Ensure required face-to-face contacts, including visits to the child’s or youth’s current residence, are completed for out-of-region placements.
Monitor assessments of placement safety, appropriateness, stability, strengths, needs, and child and youth well-being; ensure concerns, barriers, and support opportunities are addressed and communicated promptly.
Provide leadership and consultation on complex cases, placement barriers, critical incidents, crises, service needs, and program escalations.
Evaluate program quality and performance through case readings, documentation reviews, data analysis, stakeholder feedback, and observation; identify trends and opportunities for continuous improvement.
Oversee case records and program documentation to ensure required forms, narratives, family plans, assessments, contacts, and service activities are accurate, complete, timely, and entered into required systems.
Collect, analyze, and report program data on referrals, service delivery, family participation, required contacts, placement stability, safety, permanency, well-being, and other performance measures.
Participate in budget development and manage assigned resources, expenditures, staffing needs, and service priorities in accordance with organizational and contractual requirements.
Develop and maintain partnerships with children, youth, families, caregivers, DFPS, courts, attorneys, providers, contractors, schools, medical professionals, community organizations, and other stakeholders.
Represent Client Support programs in leadership meetings, case staffings, multidisciplinary meetings, workgroups, community meetings, and stakeholder discussions.
Collaborate with internal and external partners to identify resources, address systemic and case-specific barriers, strengthen service coordination, and develop pathways to improve outcomes.
Respond to program concerns, complaints, and stakeholder escalations in a timely, professional, and solution-focused manner.
Promote and model hope-centered, family-centered, youth-focused, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, equitable, and strengths-based practices.