What are the responsibilities and job description for the North Iowa CWES Shift Leader (55260) position at YSS?
YSS is looking for an energetic, compassionate, and steady leader to join our North Iowa team as a Child Welfare Emergency Services (CWES) Shift Leader.
If you’re someone who can lead with both heart and structure—keeping things calm when they’re not, and creating a space where youth feel safe, supported, and respected—this role might be your sweet spot.
As a Shift Leader, you’ll guide your team through each shift, support youth in crisis, and keep the environment running smoothly. You’ll balance leadership and direct care—coaching staff, making real-time decisions, and ensuring every client’s basic needs, safety, and dignity are front and center. You’ll also serve as a key point of connection for families and on-call staff, helping navigate everything from intakes to emergencies with confidence and care.
What You'll Do...
- Lead and support staff through day-to-day operations and high-pressure situations
- Make sound decisions during client escalations, emergencies, and complex scenarios
- Plan and coordinate each shift, including staffing, client supervision, and activities
- Provide direct supervision and crisis intervention to ensure client safety and stability
- Mentor and train team members to build confidence and consistency
- Serve as a liaison between staff, leadership, and external supports (including families and community partners)
- Complete and oversee accurate, timely documentation (intakes, logs, incident reports, etc.)
- Respond to referral calls and connect individuals to appropriate services and resources
This is not a complete list of the responsibilities of this position. Duties may change at any time.
What We Provide...
We believe in your potential, we meet you where you are, and we invest in your future. Beyond the meaningful work, YSS provides the following benefits:
- Supportive leadership team and mission-driven culture.
- Flexibility and autonomy in a collaborative environment.
- Competitive salary
- Comprehensive benefits.
- Health insurance
- Voluntary dental insurance
- Voluntary vision insurance
- Life insurance and long-term disability coverage
- Supplemental accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance
- Professional liability insurance coverage
- Flexible spending account/health savings account
- Supplemental compensation award
- Generous Paid Time off and Leave
- Four weeks of paid time off (PTO)
- Volunteer time off
- Paid holiday leave
- Birthday holiday
- Wellness Program Opportunities
- Paid membership to the Athletic Club of Ames
- Employee Assistance Program for all employees
- Flu shots
- Mental health support
- YSS is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness qualified employer.
- 403(b) retirement offerings
If this sounds like work you’d be proud to do—and a team you’d want to grow with—we’d love to hear from you. Let’s do meaningful work, together.
Qualifications:
We want to create a world where youth are valued and empowered to stand strong. To do this, we ask our staff to embrace YSS core values - Commitment, Collaboration, Compassion, Innovation, Integrity, and a “Can Do” Spirit.
MUST HAVES - Required Qualifications
- A bachelor’s degree in human services or similar field
- One year of related experience
- Travel is required for this position. For YSS insurance purposes, you must:
- be 21 years of age,
- have a current, valid, state-issued, driver’s license, and
- have a clean driving record.
SHOULD HAVES - Preferred Qualifications
- Experience directing/monitoring the work of others.
- A basic understanding of the needs of young people experiencing housing instability or crisis
- Experience with shelter facilities
The IDEAL candidate:
- Be rooted in purpose and driven by equity, inclusion, and positive social impact.
- Bring humility, respect, and cultural awareness to every interaction.
- Speaks a language in addition to English (especially one spoken in our communities).
Who You Are...
You’re a steady, confident leader who brings structure and compassion to high-pressure situations. You stay calm under stress, make sound decisions, and support both clients and staff with clarity and care.
We Celebrate Your Story...
Have you navigated recovery from addiction, mental health challenges, trauma, or housing instability? Your lived experience offers a unique, compassionate perspective that can inspire real change. By sharing your story and serving as a role model or mentor, you can make a meaningful impact in the lives of youth and families. Your journey matters. If you’re ready to use it to uplift and empower others, we warmly encourage you to apply.
Who We Are...
We’re YSS - one of Iowa’s oldest & largest nonprofits dedicated to putting kids first. Our mission? To spark hope, create opportunities, and help young people thrive. With life-changing programs, an enthusiastic leadership team, and our brand-new 50-acre recovery campus, we’re growing fast and thinking big. Check us out at yss.org!
At YSS, we celebrate the unique backgrounds, identities, and experiences that each team member brings. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we’re dedicated to creating a respectful, inclusive, and empowering environment where everyone can grow and succeed. And we’re always working to do better together.
YSS is a nicotine-free workplace.
Heads Up! Don’t Miss Our Messages! - We communicate with applicants via email - straight from our Paycom system. So be sure to keep an eye on your inbox (and your spam/junk folder too). Got questions? Email yss@yss.org - we’re happy to help!
The YSS Hiring Process
- Apply - Fill out the online app at yss.org/ysscareers.
- Assessment - We’ll check out your skills and experience.
- Interview - Phone, video, or in-person - we’ll chat and get to know you.
- References - Send us three people who can sing your praises.
- Screening - Background and driving checks (plus license verification if needed).
- Offer - If it’s a match, you’ll get a formal offer through Paycom.
Salary : $17 - $19