Child Welfare Practice Improvement Supervisor (social Services Supervisor)

Child Welfare Practice Improvement Supervisor

This position includes a signing bonus of $2,500 (full-time) for new county hires. Under the guidance and supervision of the program manager, this position plans, implements, monitors, and evaluates the Safe and Connected practice model or other child welfare practices as identified by the department and/or division. This scope includes implementation of quality assurance strategies related to use of the model, and addressing organizational and systemic barriers to staff performance. It also includes assisting child welfare staff in developing capacity and competence in using the Safe and Connected model in everyday practice to include Review, Evaluate, and Direct (R.E.D.) Team, Case Consultation and Information Sharing Framework, Rapid Response Case Planning Conference, and Case Staffing.

Realistic Job Preview (RJP): We will host a virtual Realistic Job Preview (RJP) on August 25, 2025 from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. EST via Microsoft Teams to provide applicants with an overview of the position. Although attendance is not required to be considered for this position, this RJP is a great opportunity to ask questions and learn about important aspects of the work required for this position. If you are interested in participating, please email by August 22, 2025, by 2:00 p.m.

Job responsibilities of the Child Welfare Practice Improvement Supervisor include the following:

• Serves as a subject matter expert in child welfare managing activities to include needs assessment, content development, training delivery, and program evaluation;
• Assures timely and continuous delivery and quality of training to child welfare staff as if relates to the Safe and Connected practice model;
• Provides day-to-day coaching and management of staff including supervision, evaluation and hiring;
• Monitors and manages project expenditures in accordance with established budget and contract;
• Ensures project compliance with all applicable requirements of the local, state, and federal regulations;
• Develops performance goals and objectives for the project and staff, and monitors the achievement of those goals;
• Prepares required reports, data, and organizational documents;
• Participates actively in the recruitment and hiring of child welfare staff;
• Works effectively and collaboratively with the program manager, child welfare staff development supervisor and child welfare practice improvement team to help develop curriculum to train staff with child welfare practices;
• Participates in workgroups and committees that improve best practices and service delivery to the families the department and division served;
• Provides project management related to child welfare practices; and
• Performs and supports other CYF program areas as needed.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Ability to apply and model practice of Safe and Connected model;
• Knowledge of regulations and guidelines relating to child protective services and other areas of child welfare;
• Knowledge of family engagement theory and strength base approach;
• Knowledge of multidisciplinary approach to service planning;
• Ability to lead and provide supervision within a team structure;
• Ability to apply conflict resolution and problem-solving skills;
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with a strong confidence level; speaking to large or small groups is essential to this position;
• Ability to demonstrate coaching, initiative, development skills, organizational awareness, and client satisfaction service approach;
• Ability to exercise discretion and ensure confidentiality; and
• Ability to be professional and comfortable, speaking with all levels of management, and prepare to provide candid feedback to managers regarding staffs progress.

All Fairfax County Government employees are expected to adhere to the Standards of Conduct. In maintaining a drug free workplace, employees are prohibited from manufacturing, distributing, possessing, using or being under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs while at work or on county premises. The Department of Family Services is greatly committed to the professional development of staff.

Illustrative duties include:

• Providing day-to-day guidance and direction to a group of social services specialists on case related issues, policies and procedures, and agency initiatives;
• Ensuring acceptable levels of quality and quantity in the delivery of services;
• Planning caseloads, assigning cases and reviewing case records and reviews and signs off on service plans, case assessments, and other reports which require supervisory review;
• Identifying crisis situations and providing intervention as needed to address difficult or dangerous client situations;
• Interviewing job applicants and making recommendations for hiring, preparing and conducting formal and informal performance evaluations, and handling performance and discipline issues in a timely manner and in accordance with County personnel policy;
• Reviewing the work of individual social services specialist and providing feedback and instruction;
• Communicating performance expectations; monitoring performance and outcomes of staff against the goals and objectives of the program;
• Approving and monitoring expenditures for client services consistent with the program budget and client outcomes;
• Soliciting concerns, issues and recommendations from staff regarding programmatic needs and systemic issues;
• Evaluating the effectiveness of policies and procedures and recommending changes;
• Holding group and individual conferences with staff to discuss general policies and to interpret related rules, regulations or laws and to assess cases objectively based upon the significant risk factors and to monitor casework progress;
• Facilitating open communication between staff and senior management to achieve agency and unit goals;
• Planning for and facilitating social services specialists' professional growth and development.
• Providing staff development including training, mentoring, and encouragement for staff to improve professional skills in order to support access to human services;
• Developing and implementing ongoing team training plan;
• Working with the community to identify families and children needing services and to coordinate these services;
• Communicating effectively with social services specialists and senior management regarding the needs of the agency, social services specialist, and clients;
• Participating in intra and interagency work groups, supervisors' meetings and special projects;
• Providing oversight for required data systems and using data systems for management of day-to-day work;
• Preparing or overseeing and presenting narrative and statistical reports documenting the work of the unit and/or in relation to case activity;
• Promoting the attainment