CPS Social Service Specialist 4 (SSS4) - Mt. Vernon

$69,396 - $93,348/Yr

(510) Families - Mount Vernon, WA

Full-time - Mid Level

Mount Vernon, WA

Social Assistance

About the position

The CPS Social Service Specialist 4 (SSS4) position in Mt. Vernon, WA, is a full-time role focused on leading a team of Social Service Specialists in providing essential social services related to Child Welfare Field Operations. This includes overseeing Child Protective Services (CPS), Family Assessment Response (FAR), Family Voluntary Services (FVS), and Family Reconciliation Services (FRS). The role requires a combination of fieldwork and office duties, with a strong emphasis on mentorship, advanced case management, and risk assessment to ensure the safety of vulnerable children.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of Social Service Specialists in providing professional social services.
• Perform visits in unregulated environments to conduct investigations for allegations of abuse and/or neglect.
• Provide on-the-job training, mentoring, feedback, coaching, and consultation to Social Service Specialists.
• Assist in onboarding new staff and transitioning them from training to fieldwork.
• Assign work, review cases, and establish procedures for efficient workflow.
• Report strengths and weaknesses of employees to their direct supervisor and provide feedback for performance evaluations.
• Prepare and provide testimony at administrative hearings and court proceedings.
• Provide coverage of assigned caseloads in the absence of social service specialists.

Requirements

• Seven years of paid social service experience and 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Service discipline.
• Bachelor's degree in social services or related field with three years of paid social service experience.
• Master's degree in social services or related field with two years of paid social service experience.
• One year of experience as a Social Service Specialist 3.
• Experience assessing risk and safety to children and providing direct family-centered practice services.

Nice-to-haves

• Child welfare experience in multiple program areas: CPS, CFWS, FVS, FRS, and/or Permanency/Adoptions.
• Case management experience.
• Knowledge of child development and family systems.
• Experience working with clients with mental health or substance use disorders.
• Familiarity with agency software programs, including Outlook, Excel, and FamLink.

Benefits

• On-the-job training
• 10% assignment pay in addition to the regular base salary