Lead Family Services Specialist - Family Engagement/Permanency (Chesterfield-Colonial Heights)

**Please be advised this is a courtesy posting - to apply, please visit: careers.chesterfield.gov**

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The Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services is hiring a Lead Family Services Specialist to support the Family Engagement program through our Permanency team.

What You Do and How You Do It:

As the Lead Family Services Specialist for Family Engagement, you will assist with the development and implementation of the family engagement efforts for families receiving child welfare services through Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services. This is a leadership position that involves facilitating child-specific, strengths-based, and family-centered meetings to develop and implement service plans that lead to permanent living arrangements, such as reunification, placement with relatives, or adoption. In this role, you will also provide fiscal oversight for the reunification budget and champion family finding activities using tools like Accurint and genograms to identify relative resources. Being the Lead Family Services Specialist means that you will need to provide on-call supervision to staff, offering supervisory coverage in the absence of the supervisor. You will also act as a representative of the Department on the Family Assessment Planning Team (FAPT). The ideal candidate for this position will be a compassionate, skilled professional dedicated to fostering positive outcomes for children and families. Perform other work as required.

Here's What You Need:

• Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a Human Services field or minimum of a Bachelor's degree in any field with a minimum of two years of appropriate and related experience in a Human Services area (Section 22VAC40-670-20 of the Administrative Code of Virginia).
• Considerable experience in assigned program area/human services programs.
• Any combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.
• Possession of a BSW or MSW degree and a Commonwealth of Virginia Social Worker license are desirable.

We’re Looking for Ideal Candidates Who Have:

• Considerable experience working in foster care programs preferred.
• Excellent organizational, time management, oral/written communication, interpersonal, public relations and supervisory skills preferred.
• Knowledge and ability to apply social work principles and Virginia policies in family services programs preferred.
• Ability to demonstrate exceptional critical thinking and decision-making skills during crisis situations preferred.
• Computer competency preferred.
• Exceptional ability to collaborate and achieve performance goals preferred.
• Ability to plan and manage own work activities including service delivery preparing reports, and correspondence, record keeping responsibilities and related activities preferred.

Current valid driver’s license and good driving record required. Based on the Virginia DMV point system, record must not reflect a total of six or more demerit points within the twenty-four months preceding the anticipated hire date, or one major violation of six demerit points within the preceding thirty-six months. Out of state driving records must be obtained by applicant and presented at time of interview. Records must reflect at least three years of history and be dated within thirty days of interview date.  Pre-employment drug testing, FBI criminal background check and education/degree verification required.  Pre-employment drug testing, FBI criminal background check and education/degree verification required.

A Chesterfield County application is also required and must be submitted online by the deadline.

This position is considered Critical Safety Sensitive and is subject to random drug testing and alcohol testing.  The use of medical marijuana for this position is prohibited.

This position is part of an Emergency Shelter Team during times of natural disaster, reporting to shelter duty as required.

Chesterfield County offers an attractive benefits package. As a local Department of Social Services, Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Department of Social Services may offer incentives, approved through the Virginia Department of Social Services, to candidates hired who possess additional relevant training, skills and experience. Those incentives apply to individuals who possess: a Masters or Bachelors Degree in Social Work, Masters in Human Services, LCSW, Child Welfare Stipend participants, co