Social Work Program Administrator I Child Welfare

Overview:

Performs complex professional and technical work managing, directing, coordinating and supervising the timely and appropriate delivery of all Child Welfare Services.

Distinguishing Features of the Class

An employee in this class is responsible for providing management and supervision to a Division of staff which includes Social Workers and SW Supervisor s in the delivery of Child Welfare Services.  Work is performed under the general supervision of the Social Service Deputy Director. 

Illustrative Examples of Work

• Evaluates the Child Welfare Division through various data collection and tracking methods to determine program performance., provides findings to Deputy Director and Agency Director regularly.
• Reviews quality and quantity of work by analyzing information gathered in conferences with supervisor, monthly, quarterly and annual reports, and conferences with community agency representatives, Local and State Officials.
• Ensure Performance Based Budgeting (PBB) goals are updated for continued improvement and ensure appropriate and timely tracking of data to determine goal status.
• Staffs with Program Supervisors to resolve workload, system and organizational problems; make changes in organizational structure, assignments, methods and work flow
• Provides direction and supervision to the division’s supervisory staff
• Staffs with supervisors monthly and as needed and determined by caseloads and case situations. Provides feedback and follow-up as needed, assisting supervisors in developing efficient and effective work plans and follow through.
• Ensures that State policy is followed in the delivery of Child Welfare Services, acts when it is not, keeping the Director and Deputy Director apprised
• Works with local community and State agencies to design service delivery systems that will be effective in addressing the needs of families.
• Reviews case records to ensure compliance with requirements and policies
• Provides ongoing consultation on new reports, removals, special investigations, fatalities and complex cases.
• Investigates complaints to determine if there was compliance with social work practice, as-well-as adherence to policy and law.
• Offers solutions for ineffective operations to the Deputy Director, and Agency Director.
• Review staff training needs submitted by supervisors to assure consistency with long-range agency goals and community trends; participate in orientation of new agency employees; consult with supervisors to improve managerial skills and relationships; provide input to training staff on staff development need
• Monitors staff performance; conducts performance appraisals on supervisors and reviews/approves all appraisals of line staff.
• Determines training needs and compliance with State training requirements; develops in-house training in conjunction with the QA supervisor, Deputy Director and Director; and provides orientation and training for supervisors.
• Oversees disciplinary process for line staff and supervisors through investigation; documentation of written warnings, and coaching.
• Makes recommendations for disciplinary action to the Deputy Director and the Agency Director.
• Conducts interviews and reference checks and recommends job candidates to the Director.
• Provides input into the development of the budget for Child Welfare and works with the Business Officer, Deputy Director and Agency Director to ensure proper coding and use of funds; ensures budget line items are not overspent.
• Ensures that all funding sources are being maximized for staff and program costs
• Monitors and oversees expenditures, ensuring appropriate funding streams are being utilized monitors monthly expenditures to ensure adequate funds remain; identifies and project over-expenditures and identify possible remedies in conjunction with the Business Officer/Director/Deputy Director.
• Monitors day sheet coding to ensure appropriate coding and maximization of funding streams
• Provides assistance to staff when necessary
• Develops job descriptions and instructs in areas of personnel policy
• Adheres to state, federal, county and department’s policies, rules and regulations
• Mandatory emergency shelter duty
• Provides coverage during operation of emergency shelter, participates in coordinating and ensuring staff coverage at any shelter along with other members of the DSS management team
• Performs other duties as assigned

This position performs supervision to staff during On-Call for after-hours, weekends and holiday coverage for CPS and disaster related duties and shelter openings

Recruitment and Selection Guidelines

• Thorough knowledge of social work principles, techniques, and practices and applications to casework and community problems
• Thorough knowledge of principles, methods and techniques of efficient program administration.
• Thorough knowledge of methods and principles of casework supervision and training
• Considerable knowledge of the NC laws, regulations, and policies which govern social services programs
• Considerable knowledge of the principles and techniques of public administration, including personnel administration, budgeting, and office management
• Must have good communication skills.
• Must have skill in directing a staff of social workers and supervisors
• Must have good supervisory and office administration skills
• Ability to work with budgets; accounting skills.
• Thorough knowledge of NC State and Davidson County Personnel Policies
• Ability to plan and evaluate programs.
• Considerable knowledge of social and economic factors in the community, and local agencies and resources
• Ability to plan, coordinate and direct staff within a variety of disciplines (technical, clerical, professional and medical).
• Ability to understand, interpret and apply laws and policies to specific problems relating to agency activities.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with agency personnel, County officials, clients and the general public.

• Must be able to physically perform the basic life operational support functions of climbing, reaching, standing, walking, fingering, grasping, talking, hearing and repetitive motions.
• Worker performs light work exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
• Worker is required to have close visual acuity to prepare and analyze data and figures, work on a computer terminal and perform extensive reading.
• The worker is subject to inside environmental conditions: Protection from weather conditions but not necessarily from temperature changes.
• Worker is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions (such as in typical office or administrative work).

• Masters Degree in Social Work from an accredited school with considerable experience with social work or counseling and at least two years supervisory experience; or a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited school of social work and five years of social work experience, two of which were supervisory; or a Bachelor’s degree in a human services field or related curriculum including at least fifteen semester hours in courses related to social work or counseling and six years of social work or counseling experience, two of which were supervisory.

Licenses and Certifications

• Valid North Carolina Driver License.