Job Announcement

Plans, manages, and facilitates the work of a team of social services specialists in the child protective services (CPS) hotline/intake unit in the Department of Family Services. CPS Hotline unit receives report of child abuse and neglect by ways of telephone, email, fax, and police report. This unit conducts initial assessment of child abuse and neglect reports and determine the validity, response time, and track assignment for reports of child abuse and neglect. If the report is validated, the unit assigns the referral to CPS field specialists to conduct family assessment and/or family investigation.

This position is responsible for primary decision making of child protection practices and will perform duties below to ensure child safety and well-being:

• Supervises hotline specialists to include conducting one on one supervision, unit meetings, ensuring work is performed in a timely and accurate manner and assigning duties as appropriate. Conducts performance appraisals and motivates employees to achieve peak productivity and performance; participates in the hiring and disciplinary processes.
• Evaluates the effectiveness of policies and procedures and recommends changes; communicates the mission of the unit; establishes and monitors the workflow of the unit and assigns cases and assessments.
• Conducts and participates in staffings and consultations with specialists; meets with each specialist in the unit per supervision protocol to discuss cases, problems, issues and to address specialist performance.
• Leads weekly unit meetings to discuss information; participates in the Department of Family Services, Children, Youth and Families Division meetings involving planning, decision making and management. Coordinates and facilitates staff training as needed.
• Ensures compliance with federal, state and Fairfax County laws, outcome measures, rules and regulations.
• Reviews, edits and/or approves unit correspondence and reports.
• Serves as a liaison to community professionals, clients, other agencies, the courts, and the public; responds to complaints and concerns.
• Collects, reports and monitors team statistics, data, outcomes, and performance. Provides oversight for required data systems and uses data systems for management of day-to-day work.
• Provides supervisory support over telephone and in the field to infield workers while on-call for the CPS after hours rotation shift. This may include evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Provides trainings to the community about mandated child protective services reporting requirements.
• Serves as an expert in the Review, Evaluate, and Direct (R.E.D.) team process of group decision making.
• Performs other duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Working knowledge of human services programs and protocol.
• Working knowledge of CPS intake and ongoing processes, procedures, and protocol.
• Ability to provide guidance, supervise and train others; ability to objectively review and appraise the performance and work of others.
• Working knowledge of child protection laws, rules, and regulations.
• Ability to understand, interpret and communicate policies and procedures to staff.
• Ability to assess situations and make prudent and appropriate decisions; ability to apply conflict resolution and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with co-workers, clients, other agencies, and the public.
• Ability to communicate, present, and facilitate in a public speaking forum.
• Ability to efficiently plan, schedule and organize.
• Ability to use standard office equipment to include computer, fax machine, copier, and telephone.
• Maintain regular and punctual attendance.

To learn more about the Department of Family Services' Child Protective Services, please click here .

Schedule: The hours are 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. The position will be required to work during County observed Holidays when Fairfax County Public Schools are operational. In addition, this position requires being part of an on-call rotation that includes evening, overnight, weekend, and holiday hours which may require immediate response into the field.

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor’s degree; plus four years of increasingly responsible, directly-related professional experience in the social services or human services field. A master’s degree in a related field may be substituted for one year of required experience.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check, a Child Protective Services Check, and a driving record check to the satisfaction of the employer.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree in social work (MSW) or a related human services degree
• Five years of professional social or human services work which primarily involved conducting abuse and neglect investigations to identify and respond to cases of child abuse/neglect
• One (1) year supervisory or leadership experience
• Two (2) year in evaluating and screening child abuse and neglect referrals experience
• One (1) year in facilitating, presenting, and speaking to a large audience experience.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Sufficiently mobile to travel independently within Fairfax County and Northern Virginia to attend meetings, training, accompany staff to home visits, and court appearances. Ability to communicate clearly and concisely both orally and in writing. Ability to use automated technology. Ability to concentrate and multi-task in a fast pace environment. Ability to perform duties in a position that is sedentary in nature. Mobility to attend meetings at various county locations. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include a written exercise.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or status as a veteran in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact 703-324-4900 for assistance. TTY 703-222-7314. EEO/AA/TTY.