Social Services Manager

$57,000 - $63,000/Yr

Northside Center For Child Development

Full-time - Mid Level

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations

About the position

The Social Services Manager at Northside Center for Child Development is responsible for overseeing social services for families enrolled in the Head Start program. This role involves providing leadership and direction to a team of social service staff, ensuring the delivery of comprehensive services that support the holistic development of children and families. The manager will work to promote self-sufficiency among families and ensure that the program reflects multicultural principles.

Responsibilities

• Deliver comprehensive social services to children, families, and pregnant women in the Early Head Start and Head Start programs.
• Provide direct services to clients in need, when deemed appropriate.
• Serve as a liaison between mental health and parent involvement consultants in the EHS/HS program.
• Develop a parent involvement curriculum for all Early Head Start/Head Start families that incorporates available on-site and off-site resources.
• Establish ongoing collaborative relationships with community organizations that are responsive to the needs of Early Head Start/Head Start children and families.
• Help organize and oversee the procedures for program recruitment and enrollment.
• Ensure that EHS/HS multicultural principles are reflected in program practices.
• Intervene in the prevention of child abuse and neglect, as mandated by Federal and State law.
• Maintain confidentiality of family records and information.
• Encourage and promote the family's achievement of self-sufficiency.
• Participate in all appropriate trainings and meetings.
• Foster the belief in parents that they are the child's first teacher and reinforce this concept with practical suggestions for its development.
• Participate in the hiring of all EHS/HS staff members.
• Stay current on new initiatives and practices in the field.
• Participate in program annual assessment and federal reviews.
• Assist in the development and evaluation of EHS/HS home and center-based policies and procedures.
• Supervise the program's client intake process, ensuring that it emphasizes early assessment and the development of a Family Plan for every client enrolled.
• Manage the referral of clients to appropriate on-site and off-site services in the areas of mental health, education, health, employment, etc.
• Maintain the program's records as completed by the Social Services staff in a timely and accurate manner.
• Provide guidance and leadership in the planning of group socialization activities.
• Monitor the program's continuous outreach and recruitment activities within the Central and East Harlem community.
• Guide the staff in the assessment, intervention, and delivery of services to clients in need.
• Keep Home Visitors and Family Assistants informed of current research in Infant, Toddler, and Preschoolers development.
• Supervise Social Service Coordinators, Home Visitors, and Family Assistants through meetings, observations of home visits, group socializations, review of records and enrollment levels.
• Train Home Visitors to assist parents in ways of using household resources in educational activities with their children, as needed.
• Maintain a system of reflective supervision with the Home Visitors and Family Assistants.
• Meet with Family Assistants and Home Visitors on a weekly basis to update one another on family needs and children's progress.
• Share information about Northside Center for Child Development, Inc. and the EHS/Head Start program model.
• Assist the Director with the evaluation of social services staff on a yearly basis and develops their improvement/training plans.
• Model appropriate communication techniques.
• Provide program orientation for new staff with the support of the Program Director and other Management staff.
• Assist with the identification of training needs and the development of training to meet those needs.
• Supervise any volunteers and social services interns and provide the necessary training, support, and feedback necessary for their professional growth.
• Promote a viable environment in which parents can enhance their parenting skills while receiving support in their efforts towards self-sufficiency.
• Coordinate parent governing activities and ensure that Class and Center meetings reflect the program's mission and EHS/HS mandates.
• Assist parents in developing ways of using household resources in educational activities with their children.
• Provide parents with group socialization experiences and parenting skills workshops.
• Encourage parents to attend parent meetings.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Social Work or related field.
• Leadership ability.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to work as part of a team, communicate effectively both orally and in writing, receive and provide feedback, and manage dynamic interchanges in meetings.
• Experience working with families and children aged newborn to five.
• An understanding of the Head Start philosophy and ability to implement its principle of shared authority and decision-making.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Supportive work culture
• Opportunities for professional development