Manager of Child Welfare Field Operations

Maine, ME USA | Community & Social Services | Full-time

Apply by: July 8, 2024

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Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)Public Services Manager IIOpening Date: June 21, 2024 Closing Date: July 8, 2024 Job Class Code:MA32

Grade: 32 (Confidential)

Salary:$75,628.80 - $102,752/yr.Position Number: 02022-7783Location: Augusta, Bangor, or Portland

Core Responsibilities:

The Manager of Child Welfare Field Operations is responsible for oversight and active management of field operations for the child welfare division of the Office of Child and Family Services. This individual will oversee field operations for OCFS’s eight (8) district offices to ensure high-quality and consistent child welfare practice and casework statewide. This position reports directly to the Associate Director of Child Welfare Strategy and Services.

The Manager of Child Welfare Field Operations will directly supervise the eight Program Administrators who administer field operations at each of the eight statewide district offices. Child welfare field operations include child protection, foster care, and adoption. The Manager will be responsible for ensuring that Program Administrators and district office staff are consistently implementing OCFS policies and practices to ensure appropriate and timely delivery of child welfare services to children and families, consistent with state and federal legal mandates. This is a managerial position that is responsible for overseeing child welfare operations and service delivery for the eight (8) district offices.

The Manager of Child Welfare Field Operations will have a proven record of highly effective management of staff, with experience managing child welfare or social services staff preferred. This position will require a strong leader and decision-maker that is capable of leading in a way that promotes a positive culture within the OCFS district offices. This position will also be responsible for ensuring and overseeing that child welfare field operations are completed thoroughly and with a high level of quality.

The Manager of Child Welfare Field Operations will collaborate with and support the other two child welfare managers on matters pertaining to statewide programs, policy development, and strategy implementation.

Minimum Qualifications:

To qualify, your background must include a 10-year combination of education and professional experience in child welfare, which includes at least 3 years experience in a supervisory/managerial capacity. You must possess a current Maine Social Worker license at the LSW level. The background of well-qualified candidates should demonstrate the following competencies:

1. Knowledge of and the ability to envision and lead cross-system collaborative efforts to plan, develop and implement strategies to improve child welfare services, consistent with the OCFS Child Welfare Practice Model.

2. A demonstrated ability to successfully manage child welfare programs and field operations, including training, policy, and interacting with frontline staff, supervisors, Assistant Program Administrators, and Program Administrators.

3. A demonstrated ability to analyze program data to set performance milestones/objectives, evaluate program performance and implement system change.

4. A record consistently demonstrating strong personal attributes and leadership skills including professional integrity, self-organizational skills, effective decision-making, coaching/mentoring/ and team-building skills, and the ability to delegate effectively and hold self and others accountable for their work.

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Agency information:

TheDepartment of Health and Human Services (https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/) (DHHS) is dedicated to promoting health, safety, resilience, and opportunity for Maine people. The Department provides health and social services to approximately a third of the State's population, including children, families, older Mainers, and individuals with disabilities, mental illness, and substance use disorders. The Department also promotes public health, operates two state psychiatric hospitals, and provides oversight to health care providers.

The Office of Child & Family Services (OCFS), within DHHS is responsible for ensuring the safety, permanency and well-being of children and families through community networks, local resources, and life-long family connections throughout Maine. This position may be located in our Augusta, Bangor, or Portland offices and will require regular, statewide travel and occasional overnight stays.

Application Information:

Please submit all documents or files in PDF format.

For additional information about this position please contact Dawn Hogan, Human Resources Manager at (207) 287-4263 or by e-mail atDawn.Hogan@maine.gov. To apply, please upload a recent resume (if available) and cover letter addressing each of the five preferred skills/experience areas above.

To request a paper application, please contactAshley.Smith@Maine.gov (Ashley.Vigue@Maine.gov) .

Benefits of working for the State of Maine:

No matter where you work across Maine state government, you find employees who embody our state motto—"Dirigo" or "I lead"—as they provide essential services to Mainers every day. We believe in supporting our workforce's health and wellbeing with a valuable total compensation package, including:

• Work-Life Fit – Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays , 12 days of sick leave , and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.

• Health Insurance Coverage – The State of Maine pays 85%-100% of employee-only premiums ($10,523.28-$12,380.40 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find the premium costs for you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State.

• Dental Insurance – The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($350.40 annual value).

• Retirement Plan – The State contributes the equivalent of 18.21% of the employee's pay towards the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS).

• Parental leave is one of the most important benefits for any working parent. All employees who are welcoming a child—including fathers and adoptive parents—receivesix weeks of fully paid parental leave. Additional, unpaid leave may also be available, under the Family and Medical Leave Act .

  State employees are eligible for an extensive and highly competitive benefits package (https://www.maine.gov/bhr/state-jobs/compensation-benefits) , covering many aspects of wellness. Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness (https://www.maine.gov/bhr/oeh/) .

  Note: Benefits may vary somewhat according to specific collective bargaining agreements and are prorated for part-time employment.

There's a job and then there's purposeful, transformative work. Our aim is to create a workplace where you can learn, grow, and continuously refine your skills. Applicants demonstrate job requirements in differing ways, and we appreciate that many skills and backgrounds can make people successful in this role.

As an Equal Opportunity employer, Maine State Government embraces a culture of respect and awareness. We are committed to creating a strong sense of belonging for all team members, and our process ensures an inclusive environment to applicants of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics.

If you’re looking for a great next step, and want to feel good about what you do, we’d love to hear from you. Please note reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.