Child Welfare Workforce Development Specialist

Application Deadline: Rolling, applications reviewed from November 25, 2024

The Children’s Alliance of Kansas drives systems-level change to strengthen children and families through advocacy, networking and education. A key initiative of the Alliance is to develop supports for child welfare professionals working in the child welfare continuum of care. One way we intend to accomplish this is through implementation of the KanCoach and Resilience Alliance programs. The KanCoach program focuses on improving organizational practices by enhancing supervisory capacity and skills through a strengths-based coaching model. Priority topics for KanCoach include safety/risk assessment and case planning, parent and youth engagement, relative/kin connections, and secondary traumatic stress. Resilience Alliance is designed to educate child welfare leaders and workers about secondary traumatic stress (STS) and train them in techniques to mitigate and cope with symptoms.

The Workforce Development Specialist is a hybrid position that will coordinate and deliver program objectives to child welfare supervisors working in public and private agencies. In addition to providing coaching and training to child welfare supervisors, this position will actively assist with the promotion, evaluation, and enhancement of the program. This position requires a strong understanding of the child welfare system, a commitment to building a learning culture within the child welfare workforce, and demonstrated success in teaching, training, and/or coaching.
 
Additionally, this position requires flexibility, creativity, team-building skills, ability to provide strengths-based feedback, and strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Essential Duties:

• Virtually lead the KanCoach and Resilience Alliance programs with supervisors in Kansas child welfare agencies
• Train supervisors and other program staff to support KanCoach implementation
• Promote and establish buy-in for the vision and planning related to building a learning culture and implementing the coaching program
• Participate actively in training, meetings, and coaching sessions
• Advocate, promote, and practice cultural sensitivity and responsiveness in all interactions
• Work collaboratively with team to develop and modify coaching curriculum and related transfer of learning supports
• Conduct ongoing fidelity assessments to ensure coaching is provided with accuracy
• Work collaboratively with fellow coaches, Children’s Alliance team, and member agencies to support the expansion of KanCoach into supervisory practices within all Kansas child welfare agencies
• Ensure evaluation data is documented and reported regularly and accurately according to established protocols

Additional duties may include:

• Monitoring national and Kansas state developments in child welfare systems
• Staying up to date on innovative learning strategies and best practice in child welfare workforce development
• Collaborating with Alliance instructional design staff to ensure curriculum is high quality, relevant to the current practice environment and implemented with fidelity
• Coordinating with team members, partners and stakeholders to ensure project task implementation is on schedule and to address and remove any barriers to project implementation
• Overseeing and supporting program fidelity, quality, and efficient implementation
• Ensuring program curriculum, support and delivery methods meaningfully impact child and family well-being
• Utilizing the Children’s Alliance learning management system, communications and data management processes and platforms to support project implementation
• Ensuring compliance and reporting processes for assigned projects
• Developing and maintaining effective policies and guidelines for program implementation and ongoing evaluation
• Monitoring committees and special projects as assigned during Kansas legislative session

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in social work or related human services field
• Five (5) or more years of professional experience in child welfare with a deep understanding of the Kansas child welfare system.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills as demonstrated in cover letter, interview, and references
• Strong emotional intelligence and self-regulation skills and ability to work productively as part of a team as demonstrated in cover letter, interview, and references
• Project management and program implementation skills as demonstrated in résumé
• Comfort with and ability to learn and manage new technology platforms and tools as demonstrated in résumé

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in social work, master’s degree in counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Human Services or related field
• Two (2) years of experience in child welfare supervision
• Familiarity with the KanCoach program

Working Conditions

• Work Environment: Primarily remote/hybrid with some in person meetings required.
• Travel: Some in state and domestic travel may be required. Monthly in-person work at Children’s Alliance in Topeka.

Commitment to DEIB

Children’s Alliance of Kansas is committed to supporting an inclusive work environment for all employees, fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment, where individuals are valued, respected, and empowered. Our work is highly personal, and we believe that diversity in our workforce enhances connection, community, and understanding.
We encourage applicants from all backgrounds, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, and socioeconomic status. 

Our commitment to equity ensures that our entire team has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.

To Apply

Please submit your résumé (2 pages maximum) and cover letter (2 pages maximum) through this https://forms.gle/jCieZqVGNHQhq49z5

Questions? Please email sophie@coneflower.org