SUPERVISOR, SOCIAL SERVICES

The Supervisor, Social Services supports the mission of the agency through the supervision of child protection caseworkers, social work assistants and case aides. The incumbent directs child protection caseworker practice towards the safety, permanency, and well-being of the children and families served. The Supervisor, Social Services provides daily support and direction to staff and serves as a liaison between direct service staff and agency administration.

The Supervisor, Social Services is committed to practicing cultural competence by working respectfully and effectively with people of all cultures, classes, races, genders, ethnic backgrounds, religions, sexual orientations, mental and physical abilities, ages and appearances in a manner that respects and preserves the dignity of all. The Supervisor, Social Services commits to adhere to SCCS’ mission, vision and values at all times.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Supervises, trains, and evaluates assigned caseworkers; conducts weekly supervision with each staff member of assigned unit.

• Reviews and assigns cases and/or tasks to staff to ensure compliance and effective case management; Supervises decisions and progress of all assigned cases and/or tasks.
• Ensures case compliance with agency policies and procedures, as well as all federal, state, and local requirements/regulations.

• Evaluates and assesses casework, correspondence, and all documentation (SACWIS and hard copy); ensures documentation is approved timely and addresses deficiencies in staff documentation and/or case management.

• Participates in client support services, court hearings, activities and meetings within the agency and other community agencies as directed/required; Attends and/or conducts meetings as needed/directed by chain of command; Recommends appropriate action and/or policies to maximize caseworker and client success, focusing on the safety of children in the agency's care.

• Insures continuous service in caseworker's absence through phone contacts, home visits, medical appointments, court appointments, etc.

• Serves as a liaison between the agency and the Juvenile Court to address concerns and issues related to case compliance.

• Responsible to offer regular support and educational meetings/brown bag lunches for unit, department, or division as needed, mentors staff regarding professional behavior and best practice management of child protection cases.

• Participates in workgroups to complete special projects or goals assigned to the Social Services division; participates in agency wide and community initiatives which support the overall mission of the agency; Supports other units/departments as required by chain of command.

• Consults with Department Director on critical decisions and unit activity; as well as personnel issues which may arise.

• Assists in the orientation/shadowing of agency staff as required by the employee’s chain of command.

• Attends and participates in supervision meetings as established by the employee’s chain of command and based on the needs of the worker/caseload; Attends and participates in all agency meetings including unit, department, division, and all staff meetings.
• Attends trainings as identified by the chain of command regarding child welfare and meets the annual requirements for working as a CW Caseworker in the State of Ohio, as well as biannual requirements for license in the State of Ohio, where required.

• Adheres to all agency policies and procedures, including but not limited to Professional Ethics and Conflict of Interest and adherence to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics, regardless of licensure.

Qualifications
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience
Master's degree in Social Work, Social Service Administration, or Counseling with two (2) years of child welfare experience; OR Bachelor's degree in Social Work or related field with five (5) years of child welfare experience required. Prior supervisory experience preferred.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations
Licensed as a social worker (LSW, LISW or LISW-S) or counselor (PC, PCC) in the State of Ohio, preferred.

Adoption Assessor Tier I certification required within 12 months of hire/transfer/promotion to this position; and Tier II within 3 years for individuals supervising the following staff: Adoption staff, Foster Home Coordinators, Kinship Assessors, ICPC, and Kinnect to Family/Family Search staff. This certification must be maintained throughout employment in this/these supervisory role(s).

Incumbent must possess a valid State of Ohio drivers' license with no more than eight (8) points on his/her driving record at any time to drive his/her/their own vehicle and no more than six (6) points to drive an agency vehicle. Incumbent must also possess auto insurance as defined by Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) at all times.

Incumbent must also adhere to agency policies that address these topics.

Social Work Knowledge Base
Must have knowledge and skill in the following areas: Child Development, Family Systems Theory, Crisis Intervention, Domestic Violence Issues and Substance Abuse Issues. Must have working knowledge of DSM V or most current version of the diagnostic manual, risk assessment and child abuse/neglect indicators.

Supervisory Responsibilities
Incumbent may directly supervise up to ten (10) subordinate employees in the Social Services department.

Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies, procedures, and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

Management Competencies
To perform this job successfully, an individual must demonstrate the following competencies:

1. Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; Manages competing demands; Changes approach or method to best fit the situation; Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events; Reacts well under pressure.

2. Analytical - Collects data; Uses intuition and experience to complement data; Designs workflows and procedures.

3. Business Acumen - Understands business implications of decisions; Aligns work with strategic goals; Works within approved budget; Develops and implements cost saving measures; Conserves organizational resources.

4. Communication - Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; listens and gets clarification; Responds well to questions; Demonstrates group presentation skills; Participates in meetings. Writes clearly and informatively; Edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs; Presents numerical data effectively; Able to read and interpret written information.

5. Customer Service - Manages difficult or emotional client and employee situations; Responds promptly to client/employee needs; Solicits client feedback to improve service; Responds to requests for service and assistance; Meets commitments.

6. Decision Making - Displays willingness to make decisions; Exhibits sound and accurate judgment; Supports and explains reasoning for decisions; Includes appropriate people in decision-making process; Makes timely decisions.

7. Delegation - Delegates work assignments; Matches the responsibility to the person; Gives authority to work independently; Sets expectations and monitors delegated activities; Provides recognition for results.
8. Dependability - Is consistently at work and on time; Ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; Arrives at meetings and appointments on time. Follows instructions, responds to management direction; Takes responsibility for own actions; Keeps commitments; Commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals. Completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan.

9. Diversity - Demonstrates knowledge of EEO policy; Shows respect and sensitivity for cultural differences; educates others on the value of diversity; promotes a harassment-free environment; Builds a diverse workforce.

10. Ethics - Inspires the trust of others; Works with integrity and ethically; Upholds organizational values; Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; Accepts responsibility for own actions.

11. Initiative - Volunteers readily; Undertakes self-development activities; Seeks increased responsibilities; Takes independent actions and calculated risks; Looks for and takes advantage of opportunities; Asks for and offers help when needed.

12. Innovation - Displays original thinking and creativity; Meets challenges with resourcefulness; Generates suggestions for improving work; Develops innovative approaches and ideas; Presents ideas and information in a manner that gets others' attention.

13. Interpersonal Skills - Focuses on solving conflict, not blaming; Maintains confidentiality; Listens to others without interrupting; Keeps emotions under control; Remains open to others' ideas and tries new things; Approaches others in a tactful manner.

14. Leadership - Exhibits confidence in self and others; Inspires and motivates others to perform well; effectively influences actions and opinions of others; Accepts feedback from others; Gives appropriate recognition to others.

15. Managing People - Includes staff in planning, decision-making, facilitating and process improvement; Takes responsibility for subordinates' activities; Makes self available to staff; Provides regular performance feedback; Develops subordinates' skills and encourages growth; Solicits and applies customer feedback (internal and external); Fosters quality focus in others; Improves processes, products and services.; Continually works to improve supervisory skills.

16. Motivation - Sets and achieves challenging goals; Demonstrates persistence and overcomes obstacles; Measures self against standard of excellence; Takes calculated risks to accomplish goals.

17. Planning/Organizing - Prioritizes and plans work activities; Uses time efficiently; Plans for additional resources; Sets goals and objectives; Organizes or schedules staff and their tasks; Develops realistic action plans.

18. Problem Solving - Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; Develops alternative solutions; Works well in group problem solving situations; Uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.

19. Organizational Support - Follows policies and procedures; Completes administrative tasks correctly and on time; supports organization's goals and values; Benefits organization through outside activities; Supports affirmative action and respects diversity.

20. Safety and Security - Observes safety and security procedures; Determines appropriate action beyond guidelines; Reports potentially unsafe conditions; Uses equipment and materials properly.

21. Strategic Thinking - Develops strategies to achieve organizational goals; Understands organization's strengths & weaknesses; Identifies external threats and opportunities; Adapts strategy to changing conditions.

22. Technical Skills - Assesses own strengths and weaknesses. Pursues training and development opportunities. Strives to continuously build knowledge and skills. Shares expertise with others.

23. Teamwork - Balances team and individual responsibilities; Exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; Gives and welcomes feedback; Contributes to building a positive team spirit; Puts success of team above own interests; Able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; Supports everyone's efforts to succeed.

24. Quality - Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Monitors own work to ensure quality.

25. Quantity - Meets productivity standards; Completes work in timely manner; Strives to increase productivity.

Language Skills
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports and business correspondence. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, and the general public.

Mathematical Skills
Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
Reasoning Ability
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Computer Skills
To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of Spreadsheet software and Word Processing software, as well as knowledge of state computer systems such as SACWIS.

Other Qualifications
Regular attendance is required. Incumbent must adhere to Agency policies regarding use of time off at all times.

Incumbent is required to adhere to Agency rules & regulations and support the mission, vision & guiding principles at all times.

Incumbent is required to travel to/from Agency meetings within the County and State as directed by the Executive Director and/or Division Director, and as required for job duties. Travel requires the use of a vehicle insured in the incumbent's name unless a County-owned vehicle is secured. Personal vehicles must be in good working order and appropriately accommodate passengers as needed.

Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to manipulate objects; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand and walk.

The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to twenty-five (25) pounds, occasionally lift and/or move up to fifty (50) pounds and rarely lift and/or move up to one hundred (100) pounds.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.