Social Work Supervisor III - CPS Investigations & Assessments

Are you passionate about making a positive impact in the lives of children and families? We’re looking for a dynamic and experienced Social Work Supervisor to join our Investigation and Assessment team! Come help us shape the future of children services and drive meaningful change in the community. Join a team that values your work-life balance, supports your professional growth, and provides outstanding health and wellness benefits.

Provides managerial support, leadership, and supervision to a social work team within the child welfare unit. This position supervises a team of social workers providing Child Protective Services Investigations and Assessments. The position assesses all social work functions to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal mandates. The position is responsible for HR functions within the unit including orientation and training of new social work staff, ongoing support and supervision, and annual performance evaluations. The position is also responsible for quality assurance activities for program areas and a variety of monthly reports. The position serves on the agency management team.  

**Note** Two professional references with at least one being a current or previous supervisor are required.

 
The following essential functions serve as a general guide for this position. Position functions are subject to change based on departmental needs and external factors including, but not limited to, regulatory requirements.

• Participate in the recruitment, interviewing, and hiring process with program managers;
• Provide orientation and training to new social workers;
• Develop annual training plans for assigned staff; 
• Provide regular case staffing, supervision, coaching, and support to all team members per agency and NC DHHS policy;
• Oversee the submission of day sheets and timesheets for staff supervised; 
• Participate in Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities within the Family Services Division and perform Quality Assurance for assigned program areas; 
• Participate in preparing for program monitoring and financial audits as needed; 
• Prepare agendas and facilitate unit meetings; 
• Create a culture within program area(s) and across the agency that supports employees to provide quality services and customer service;
• Facilitate Child and Family team meetings and other required meetings as needed;  
• Track needed data for team and program areas and submit reports within required timelines;
• Provide information needed for the budgeting process as needed; 
• Work collaboratively with a wide array of partners including parents and families, the Guardian ad Litem program, foster and relative placement providers, treatment providers, law enforcement, attorneys, and court partners; 
• Participate in court staffing with agency attorney, review court reports, participate in Child Planning Conferences and all associated court proceedings, and provide expert testimony in court as needed; 
• Serve as a member of the agency Management Team and other internal committees, and represent the agency at a variety of other local and state meetings and committees;  
• Ensure thorough and timely documentation of all case activities in the record per local and state policy and required timeframes for program areas; 
• Assist with planning and actively participate in agency functions, outreach and awareness events, training, and team-building activities;   
• Participate in the rotation for on-call with other social work supervisors;   
• Act as a shelter manager in shelter operations or other weather-related incidents as needed;
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Master’s degree in social work from an appropriately accredited institution and two years of directly related experience; or a Bachelor’s degree in social work from an appropriately accredited institution and three years of directly related experience; or a Master’s degree in a human services field from an appropriately accredited institution and three years of directly related experience; or a Bachelor’s degree in a human services field from an appropriately accredited institution and four years of directly related experience; or a Bachelor’s degree from an appropriately accredited institution and five years of directly related experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Ability to provide strong leadership to a team of social workers working in high-stress situations; 
• Ability to supervise, orient, and train social workers, interns, and other staff;
• Considerable knowledge and experience with child welfare practice and policy including best practices, abuse, neglect, and dependency, intake, and CPS Investigations and Assessments policy; 
• Considerable understanding of trauma and its impact on children and families involved with the child welfare system as well as Secondary Traumatic Stress and how it impacts social work staff; 
• Skilled in the ability to manage conflict, remain neutral and fair, engage people and build trust, and promote collaboration and consensus toward positive outcomes;
• Strong multi-tasking skills, the ability to prioritize work assignments, and to be flexible with schedule as needed;
• Ability to quickly and competently assess the risks and safety of the home environment, employ negotiation skills in complex situations, and de-escalate emotional and tense situations;  
• Ability to work independently and manage day-to-day tasks;
• Ability to plan and execute work effectively, including delegating fairly across team members;  
• Knowledge of methods and principles of casework supervision and training;
• Thorough knowledge of social work principles, techniques, and practices, and their application to complex casework, group work, and community and system issues; 
• Knowledge of a wide range of medical, behavioral, and/or psychosocial problems that children and families may be experiencing;  
• Considerable knowledge of family and group dynamics and a range of intervention techniques, governmental and private organizations, resources in the community, and laws, regulations, and policies that govern the program;
• Ability to prepare documentation such as comprehensive court reports;  
• Ability to competently testify in court as needed and assist social workers with preparing for and testifying in court;
• Ability to communicate effectively with individuals from varying cultures and backgrounds via phone and through personal contact and provide equitable treatment to all;   
• Ability to use best practices, strategies, professional judgment, and time management skills in complex situations;
• Ability to plan and coordinate with both internal and external parties;
• Ability to deal tactfully with others and to exercise good judgment in appraising situations and making decisions;
• Ability to be flexible and to work as a team player;
• Excellent verbal and written communication and listening skills;
• Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely; 
• Ability to demonstrate critical thinking skills;
• Ability to demonstrate good public relations skills
• Skill in operating standard office equipment such as computers, phones, fax machines, and scanners; 
• Ability to perform work using local and state technology systems including NCFAST, CWIS, Northwoods, iiReception, Microsoft Office, internet browsers, virtual meeting platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom, and other commonly used electronic programs;  
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with county officials, department heads, peers, associates, and the general public.  

Physical Requirements
This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 10 pounds of force and occasional exertion of up to 50 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, speaking, hearing and repetitive motions, frequently requires touching or feeling and occasionally requires standing, walking, climbing, balancing, reaching, pushing, pulling and lifting; work has standard vision requirements; work requires vocal communication to express or exchange ideas orally; work requires hearing to perceive information at normal spoken levels; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data; work is generally performed in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic.) Must be able to operate a vehicle and perform fieldwork. 
 
Work settings include the Department of Social Services, referral/resource agencies, and the homes of individuals. Home visits are made to often crowded, unsanitary dwellings, which lack proper lighting, handicap access, and other amenities. In addition, homes are often sub-standard and may be infested with pests. The worker is exposed to regular traffic hazards and adverse weather conditions.

Special Requirements
**Must be fingerprinted and successfully pass a Criminal History Record Check with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations (NCSBI)**

Must possess a valid North Carolina driver's license.
 
Must complete all applicable required training including: Confidentiality, Civil Rights, FEMA and Red Cross Shelter Training, Bloodborne Pathogens, applicable adult services program training, new employee orientation, and Chatham County Department of Social Services Policy and Procedures.
 
Previous supervisory experience is preferred, but not required.