Manager of Child Welfare Field Operations

Location: Maine, ME USA,None,None

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)

Public Services Manager II

Opening 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: 02022-7783

Location: 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. 

Thinking about applying?

Research shows that people from historically excluded communities tend to apply to jobs only when they check every box in the posting. If you’re currently reading this and hesitating to apply for that reason, we encourage you to go for it! Let us know how your lived experience and passion set you apart.

Agency information: 

The Department of Health and Human Services (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