Assistant Director of Social Work Internships

Department

Social Work

About the University

Established in 1965, Metropolitan State University (MSU Denver) was founded to serve students who were underrepresented in higher education whose life paths and experiences did not fit the traditional mold. Sixty years later, the University continues to serve over 16,000 of Colorado’s extraordinary and diverse students, providing them with the foundation on which to build their unique aspirations. As the third largest public institution of higher education in Colorado, MSU Denver is a model university for today’s college students.

 

Proud of its federal designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution that also offers graduate programs (gHSI) and the only Seal of Excelencia certified institution in Colorado, the University serves the most diverse undergraduate student population in the state, as well as the most first-generation students. Through affordable, flexible, and holistic education, MSU Denver helps students build essential skills grounded in a multicultural and global perspective that lead to undergraduate and graduate degrees, and career and life success.

At MSU Denver, we are committed to our CADRE values: Community, Access, Diversity, Respect, and Excellence. We strive to create a supportive and inclusive environment where all community members are valued and belong. Our dedication to breaking down barriers to education, fostering open dialogue, and promoting world-class scholarship ensures that we provide exceptional services and innovative learning opportunities for our students, faculty, and staff. 

About the Department of Social Work

Our Mission Statement is: MSU Denver’s Department of Social Work prepares social workers to engage in skillful, ethical, justice-oriented, and effective practice in their communities. We accomplish this by:

• Educating and training students to work with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities, including those who are members of historically excluded populations
• Building community centered and strategic partnerships with organizations, co-creating relationship-centered learning, and working environments to foster growth and collaboration
• Utilizing the NASW Code of Ethics to inform teaching and practice, while adapting to changes in the field and world, drawing from a vast knowledge base informed by multiple perspectives.

Position Summary

The Assistant Director of Social Work Internships is a member of the leadership team of the Office of Social Work Internships (OSWI) within the Department of Social Work. The Assistant Director of Social Work Internships works under the Director of Social Work Internships and in collaboration with the Associate Director of Internships to maintain high-quality internship education for Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) students. This position holds a key role in quality assurance by ensuring that internship experiences align with accreditation standards and that students meet required skills through the internship portion of their social work degree program. As internships are designated as the signature pedagogy in social work education, supports provided by the Assistant Director enhance student retention, completion and post-graduation success.

This position is responsible for managing the Internship Support Process which is engaged at both the student and agency level when needs or conflicts arise related to internships and/or student performance in community-based settings. This position requires a strong background in conflict resolution skills and frameworks, as conflict resolution is a key focus of this role. Additionally, this position manages the coordination and documentation of internship support services, including data management which is used to inform training, coaching and mentoring of Faculty Internship Liaisons (FILs) and agency-based supervisors. This position also works collaboratively with the Director and Associate Director of Social Work Internships to advance the strategic direction of the development of internship sites and the student internship search process in line with Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accreditation standards and MSU Denver strategic goals.

Candidates must have a strong commitment to working as a member of a collaborative team and to excellence in developing and maintaining high-quality internship education. This position requires a high level of organization, detail-orientation, and multi-tasking abilities to organize and follow through on all administrative activities. This position also requires creativity in identifying new opportunities to support and enhance OSWI’s approach to internship education and/or the overall mission of the Department and University. In addition to strong administrative skills, the successful candidate must have the ability to work with and be sensitive to the educational needs of a diverse urban population. The University is particularly interested in applicants who have experience working with students from diverse backgrounds and a demonstrated commitment to improving access to higher education for under-represented groups.

Responsibilities

Internship Support Process - 40%

• Manage the Internship Support Process which is utilized when challenges or needs arise in internship settings, including but not limited to: mentoring faculty, ensuring the process is implemented consistently and equitably, facilitating conflict resolution meetings and internship termination proceedings, and escalating concerns to the Director of Social Work Internships as needed.
• Respond to time-sensitive situations with sound judgment and ability to coordinate across departmental and university resources.
• Coordinate support when unexpected challenges arise during an internship, using restorative justice, trauma-informed, intersectionality and anti-oppressive practice frameworks.
• Manage two parallel components: Student Review and Agency Review. Student Review is designed to address concerns related to a student’s internship performance; Agency Review is designed to address concerns related to quality assurance and policy compliance among agency partners.
• Navigate students into replacement internships aligned with student learning needs if/when approved. Develop and monitor “readiness to return” plans based on assessment of student learning needs.
• Provide leadership to Clinical Internship Faculty (CIFs), who serve as the course leads for all Internship Experience classes, and Faculty Internship Liaisons (FILs), who teach internship related courses and monitor student progress and agency relationships.
• Provide consultation and mediation to facilitate communication between students, Faculty Internship Liaisons (FILs), agencies, Office of Social Work Internships advisors, and other department faculty and staff.
• Balance case-by-case consideration of individual student circumstances with bigger picture implementation of policy equitably across the program.
• Ensure alignment of Internship Student Support Processes with departmental policies and procedures.
• Maintain documentation of student support needs including updates to the web-based internship database system.
• Track data on the problem resolution process, and with the Director of Social Work Internships, analyze trends and design supports and processes to address findings in alignment with accreditation standards and trends in social work education. Use data to inform curriculum, training and ongoing support needs for all stakeholders.
• Maintain positive working relationships with multiple stakeholders, including FILs, agency partners, and other members of the department.  
• Serve a key role in onboarding and ongoing training of all FILs to ensure they are adequately informed and prepared to carry out their role as a liaison and representative of the University within the community.

Internship Administration and Leadership - 30%

• Work as a member of the OSWI leadership team in conjunction with the Director and Associate Director of Social Work Internships. Under the direction of the Director of Social Work Internships, provide leadership in the development of internship program policies and procedures designed to maintain high-quality internship experiences. Ensure the internship program adheres to both the university accreditation requirements and those mandated by the Council on Social Work Education.
• Assist in the interviewing, hiring, training and supervision of select OSWI personnel as determined by Director of Social Work Internships.
• Interpret and make recommendations on policy and procedures as they relate to internship education and communicate internship program information effectively to students, faculty, community and University partners.
• Contribute to the development and facilitation of all OSWI events including but not limited to student and agency orientation sessions and ongoing training.
• Represent OSWI in department, university, and community level committees, meetings, functions, and events.
• Collaborate with the Department of Social Work Advisory Board comprised of key stakeholders to enhance program success.

Agency Development and Internship Search Process - 25%

• Guide OSWI policies and procedures related to exceptions in internship education (e.g. employment-based internship placements, same agency placements, out of sequence internships, off-site Social Work Supervision, etc.). The Assistant Director provides students, agencies, and FILs, as well the Department, with information about and interpretation of policy regarding exceptions in internship education.
• Serve as Internship Navigator to guide a caseload of 75-100 undergraduate and graduate social work students in securing approved community-based internships. This includes assessment of individual student needs, guidance on appropriate internship settings, and screening of new community partners as needed.
• Fluently use the web-based internship database to support all manners of the internship search process and learning while in internship.
• Screen and onboard new agency partners in alignment with program standards.
• Collaborate with OSWI leadership to identify needed additional resources in the office.

Special Projects/Other Duties as assigned - 5%

Position Competencies

• Leads with values by modeling CADRE values through coaching, clear expectations, accountability, and conflict resolution that strengthens trust and team effectiveness.
• Leads operational excellence by aligning team workflows to departmental goals, managing capacity, supporting performance management, and ensuring compliance through clear communication.
• Leads with purpose by translating strategic goals into clear team priorities, guiding decision-making, and supporting employees through change.
• Fosters collaboration by creating an inclusive team culture, encouraging participation, and connecting people and resources to strengthen collective work.
• Promotes equity and belonging by mitigating bias, elevating diverse voices, and responding to the needs of individuals and teams with care and fairness.
• Leads innovation by encouraging professional growth, leveraging diverse perspectives, and supporting creative solutions that improve team effectiveness.

Required Qualifications

• Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)-accredited institution
• Experience with and sensitivity to the needs of a diverse urban population
• Relevant post-MSW, and administrative experience
• Experience building collaborative partnerships with community agencies relevant to social work
• Supervisory experience (with student interns or other professionals)

Preferred Qualifications

• Two (2) or more years working in higher education setting
• Five (5) or more years of supervisory experience or student internship supervision (Faculty Internship Liaison, Social Work Supervisor, etc.)
• Two (2) or more years of experience or training in mediation, restorative practice and/or conflict resolution
• Two (2) or more years of experience in program development or administration
• Demonstrated experience developing and delivering presentations and trainings
• Experience conducting program evaluation
• High attention to detail and previous experience using Microsoft Office Suite to include Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Demonstrated use of web-based databases to meet program need

Schedule Information

• Full time, 40 hrs/wk
• Exempt
• Days of the Week: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
• Evenings and Weekend Work: Occasionally for meetings or events
• Schedule: Hybrid schedule with in person work and potential for some remote schedules depending upon program needs and supervisor approval
• Travel: Primarily local with option for attendance at out of state conferences

Salary for Announcement

Under Colorado law, MSU Denver is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account a variety of factors including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The salary range that the university reasonably expects to pay for this position is $67,000–$78,225.

This position is paid monthly and is eligible for MSU Denver benefits.

Instructions to Apply

Please apply by visiting our career site and searching for JR105920: https://www.msudenver.edu/careers/.

The following documents are required to be included with your application:

• Resume
• Cover letter describing relevant job experiences as they relate to listed job qualifications and interest in the position

Due to volume of applications received, incomplete applications will not be reviewed; please ensure you have uploaded all required documents.

Professional references and their contact information will be requested from the finalist/s. At least one reference provided must be a supervisor (either current or former).

Official transcripts will be required of the candidate selected for hire.

Deadline

Applications accepted until position is filled; priority given to applications received by Thursday, October 29, 2026 at 11:59 PM MST.

Closing Date

Open Until Filled

Posting Representative

Tanya Rogowsky

Posting Representative Email

[email protected]

Benefits

The University’s benefits package is comprehensive and offers medical, vision and dental, free RTD pass, tuition reimbursement, as well as a life and supplemental insurance plans, retirement plans and other programs, such as access to a long-term disability (LTD) plan. Visit MSU Denver’s benefits website to learn more.   

For a brief overview, please see: https://www.msudenver.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/MSU-Benefit-Summary.pdf. 

The University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the employment application process. To request an accommodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the Human Resources ADA Coordinator at [email protected].

Background Checks

Metropolitan State University of Denver is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our faculty, staff, students, and visitors.  To Assist in achieving that goal, we conduct background checks on all finalists for positions at the University prior to employment.

Diversity Statement

Metropolitan State University of Denver is a unique, access-oriented campus community that values diversity, equity, and inclusion in all its forms. Our student population consists of nearly 58% first generation students and over 50% students of color. We are a designated Hispanic Serving Institution located in downtown Denver.

We create an equitable learning and working environment in concert with individuals who consistently demonstrate commitment to equity and inclusion. We greatly value the diverse identities and perspectives of our students, faculty, and staff and recognize that in order to achieve a just and equitable society, diversity must go beyond simple representation. It requires critical inquiry and dialogue and a commitment to action. We strive to provide a culture of belonging for all community members to achieve personal and professional success.