This position is responsible for providing leadership direction and coordination of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Migration and Refugee Services (MRS) programs targeted to Home Study and Post Release Services (HSPRS) for migrating and refugee children. Provides vision and leadership regarding MRS’ support of unaccompanied, undocumented children and ensures MRS’ interest in these children are effectively represented and advocated.

Assists in the management of grants within Children’s Services and supervises staff (up to four FTE) responsible for placing cases and increasing the capacity of MRS to provide home study and post release services to unaccompanied, undocumented youth through efforts in network expansion and increasing knowledge of network providers.

Contributes to the Bishops’ strategic plan for the Conference. Demonstrates willingness and ability to understand, respect and contribute to the USCCB mission and to fulfill job duties in accordance with its Catholic identity.

• Responsible for management of the Region 2home study and post release (HSPRS) program within Children’s Services.
• Ensures adequate and responsive capacity at the diocesan and national levels to meet the service needs of children referred to the USCCB.
• Oversees database design and effectiveness in achieving program objectives.
• In coordination with the Associate Director, develops and manages the HSPRS team’s strategic plan for outreach to ensure adequate national coverage of available service providers to promptly respond to case referrals of unaccompanied, undocumented children; continually evaluates plan and makes modifications, if needed, to ensure effectiveness and ability to place cases within required timeframe.
• Oversees the implementation and development of the outreach, education and consultation efforts aimed to build capacity of the HSPRS provider network to serve migrating children reuniting with family members and comply with Office of Refugee Resettlement/Division of Unaccompanied Children’s Operations (ORR/DUCO) and MRS program policies and procedures.
• Contributes to systems development activities to improve the safety and well-being of children.
• Supervises program services related to HSPRS.
• Prepares reports and ensures their timely submission to funders or other sources.
• Supervises a team of at least four staff, including three Children’s Services Specialists, and one Program Specialist.
• Liaises with other national voluntary agencies, other MRS Children’s Services staff members and federal government officials regarding the development of new procedures and guidelines and participates in stakeholder meetings.
• Responsible for the development or review of reports to include site visit reports, quarterly program progress reports, annual program progress reports, monthly statistical reports, and internal/external ad hoc reports to ensure compliance and accountability to funders at set intervals per cooperative agreement requirements.
• Contributes to the programmatic monitoring of services for children reuniting with family members/attached minors by coordinating with USCCB staff responsible for on-site reviews of HSPRS network.
• Remains knowledgeable of all federal government and USCCB/MRS guidelines and policies and procedures related to HSPRS and professional child welfare standards and processes for performance and quality improvement.
• Manages the progress of program and child outcomes and monitors service provision of the HSPRS national provider network through desk-monitoring and quality assurance review of Home Study and Post-Release reports. Oversees the development and implementation of sub-recipient guidance, training materials, and program monitoring tools.

• Oversees site monitoring visits and reports of key sub-recipient programs. Participates in both on-site and desk-monitoring of sub-recipients and addresses compliance concerns as necessary.

• Oversees the development and implementation and maintenance of program operational manuals (POM), confidentiality guidelines, and other internal program materials.

• Ensures responsiveness and quality in internal and external program data reporting.

• Liaises with the Grants and Program Administration segment regarding financial aspects of HSPRS within Safe Passages grants.
• Coordinates and presents at training and conferences related to migrating children, as appropriate.
• Assists with development of existing and new funding proposals related to unaccompanied minors.
• Provides back-up coverage for other Children’s Services managers.

• Assists with USCCB efforts to identify, place and serve child survivors of human trafficking, unaccompanied refugee minors, Cuban and Haitian minors, and other populations of concern.

• Develops and maintains the capacity to provide training, technical assistance, and professional guidance around existing and emerging problems associated with unaccompanied minors of concern to USCCB.

• Advises USCCB about populations of undocumented children requiring interventions (advocacy or service) that would enhance their protection and welfare.

• In coordination with Associate Director for Children’s Services, Children’s Services Director, Resettlement Services Director and USCCB/MRS’s Policy Office, engages in efforts designed to advocate responsive policies and programs on behalf of minors of concern to the agency.

• At the national level identifies unaccompanied undocumented children’s needs and develops program responses. At the diocesan level assists in developing program responses to identified needs.

• Periodically assesses USCCB’s efforts on behalf of unaccompanied undocumented minors to determine continued appropriateness and need for modifications.

• Represents USCCB in public fora on children’s issues of concern to the agency.

• Other duties as assigned.

Level: Graduate Degree- Social Services or related field (required)

Major Field/Specialty: Social Work, Psychology, Child Welfare, Social Service Administration, etc.

Number of Years Required: Minimum 3 years, including at least 1 year in a supervisory role.

Must live in the DMV but position can be remote