Children's Services Program Manager II - Limited Term

Full Job Description

The Human Services Agency (HSA) is seeking a qualified Children’s Services Program Manager II - Limited Term for Children and Family Services (CFS).

The Human Services Agency (HSA) is seeking a qualified Children’s Services Program Manager II - Limited Term for Children and Family Services (CFS).

The assignment will direct daily operations of the Emergency Response unit ensuring immediate, appropriate response to child abuse/neglect referrals, monitor caseload assignments, response times, and case flow to meet statutory deadlines, ensure 24/7 coverage, crisis response protocols, and standby/on-call rotations, ensure compliance with state and county regulations, policies, and reporting requirements.

The Children's Services Program Manager II will plan, direct, coordinate, implement and evaluate comprehensive public child welfare programs including child abuse prevention and intervention, child abuse and neglect investigations, foster youth permanency, residential care administration and other functions related to child safety and well-being; recommend, develop, implement and evaluate goals, objectives, policies and procedures; provide highly complex staff support to senior level management; and perform related duties as assigned.

Children’s Services Program Manager II has full line and functional management responsibility for comprehensive public child welfare programs.

Incumbents at this level have continuous and ongoing responsibility for development and implementation of program or divisional goals, objectives, policies and priorities and program monitoring and evaluation.

This position is distinguished from the Children’s Services Program Manager I in that the latter’s programmatic responsibility is within a defined area or specialty of child welfare.

This classification is further distinguished from the Human Services Manager series in that this classification is specific to child welfare services.

Supervision Received and ExercisedReceive general direction from the assigned senior level manager.

Exercise direct and indirect supervision over managerial, professional, technical and clerical staff, including consultants, and contract service providers.

The ideal candidate will possess excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to facilitate diverse groups of people; superb written and oral communication skills; strength in analyzing data to resolve problems and/or improve deficiencies; skills in community engagement; ability to provide effective leadership to a diverse workforce; demonstrated record of being able to work in a cooperative manner with other agencies, both public and non-profit, and establish strong community partnerships.

Note: This is a limited-term assignment. Limited term employees are assigned to assignments not to exceed three years.

They receive medical and dental benefits similar to regular employees, and a defined contribution retirement plan. This recruitment may be used to fill future limited term positions.

Requirements

• Plan, organize, direct, and coordinate through subordinate supervisors all child welfare service activities and programs, including needs assessment, program design and regulatory enforcement.
• Direct, coordinate, and participate in the development and implementation of program goals, objectives, policies, procedures and priorities that balance both mandated services and community needs.
• Evaluate policies and procedures, and casework practices for effectiveness and consistency with department goals and standards; evaluate and assess operations relative to effective utilization of resources and achievement of goals, standards, and program compliance; develop and recommend or implement changes to improve operations or modify programs to achieve organizational outcomes.
• Provide consultation and guidance to subordinates on unusual, sensitive, or complex case problems; confer with subordinate supervisory personnel and other staff on policy, program, and procedure modifications, and develop solutions.
• Act as liaison between the senior level management, advisory boards and commissions, regulatory bodies and program staff to ensure that all appropriate policies and guidelines are followed, and that programs are funded with adequate resources to maintain mandated and expected levels of service.
• Maintain an effective working relationship with a variety of public and private organizations, including other County departments and agencies.
• Consult with other program managers on relevant program issues; develop alternative strategies for dealing with community needs and assist in the implementation of solutions as necessary.
• Negotiate or participate in negotiating contracts with outside vendors, consultants or organizations; monitor and evaluate fiscal and legal liability of same.
• Act as advocate and spokesperson in the community in support of programs and services; interpret, explain, and direct the enforcement of all applicable standards, codes and regulations.
• Provide highly complex staff assistance to senior level management and related commissions and advisory boards on program issues.
• Prepare detailed written reports, policies, procedures and contracts.
• Select, supervise, train and evaluate managerial, professional, technical and clerical subordinates.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Knowledge of:

Laws, rules and regulations governing the operation of social work agencies, specifically those relating to children and family services.Principles and practices of public administration and program management, including planning, implementation, and evaluation.Principles of personnel training, supervision and evaluation.Principles, methods and techniques of child welfare social work.Theories of human behavior and their practical applications.Psycho-social, medical, and economic interrelationships that result in individual and social abnormalities.Philosophy and function of social work systems.Signs, stages, and dynamics of abuse, and the effects of abuse on child/adult development and behavior.Signs and symptoms of alcohol and drug use/abuse in adults and children and the effects on families.Skill/Ability to:Identify and analyze complex socioeconomic issues and problems.Plan, direct, coordinate, implement and evaluate programs and services on a comprehensive, county-wide level to meet needs.Integrate a variety of activities and services to achieve program goals, objectives, and priorities.Apply principles and techniques of community organization.Perform under a great deal of pressure and make accurate decisions under tight time frames.Provide leadership even when challenged with highly stressful or crisis situations.Maintain cooperative working relationships with other program managers and staff, other agencies and the community; enlist and mobilize community support for programs.Work cooperatively with other County departments and public and private organizations.Analyze problems accurately, develop recommendations and take appropriate action to resolve them.Prepare complex and detailed written reports, procedures, grant applications and contracts.Speak effectively to diverse audiences, including professional, clinical and citizen groups.Train staff and coordinate activities of contractors, volunteer groups and staff.Education and Experience: Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying.

A typical way to qualify is: Education: Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in Social Work, Sociology or a related discipline.Experience: Three years of increasingly responsible experience managing a child welfare service program including significant responsibility for program utilization and/or evaluation or coordination of community resources and policy.

Additional Information This is a limited term recruitment. Anyone may apply. A supplemental application form must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form.

The Human Services Agency screen materials after the recruitment closes.

The Human Services Agency will contact qualified candidates directly for a departmental interview.All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination.

All examinations will be conducted virtually or in person and applicants must participate at their own expense.IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online.

If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org to apply.

Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULEFinal Filing Date: Monday, January 5, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.

PSTDepartmental Interviews: TBDAbout the CountySan Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay.

With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment.

The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.

Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer.

We seek to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community.Analyst: Arlene Cahill (Children's Services Program Manager II