Supervisor

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Program Office Supervisor will manage the Foster Care Program Office. The term “manage” includes, but is not limited to:

• Setting goals for the program office in consultation with the Executive Director.

• Supervise the Permanency Case Manager, Case Manager Permanency Aides, Program Office Secretary, and, when applicable the Administrative Secretary, and the Permanency Specialist (When carrying Foster Care ases, handling intake and On-Call).

• Interviewing, screening out, selecting the final candidate, and making a recommendation to the Executive Director or designee for the hiring of program office staff.

• Conduct regular performance reviews/evaluations of all program office staff. Upon completion of evaluations, the Program Office Supervisor is to recommend or advise as to the employee status and, when applicable, a salary increase to the Executive Director or designee. The Supervisor’s recommendations concerning status and rates of pay will be given weight when reviewed by the Executive Director.

• Appraise the training needs of all program office staff, arrange for and monitor to ensure that training needs are met in an efficient and timely fashion.

• Teaching Permanency Case Manager, Permanency Specialist and other program office staff their job duties and functions in their role with FCCY. Ensure all program office staff fully understand their job requirements and perform duties properly. These requirements must include FCCY procedures and policies, Department of Public Welfare (DPW) regulations, and treatment tools and resources. The direct service staff (i.e., Permanency Case Managers, Case Manager Permanency Aides) must also be taught theoretical concepts to further their development.

• Planning, proportioning and delegating the work of the program office staff

• Going beyond mere compliance, obedience and cooperation to active support, encouragement and teamwork.

• Ensure all program office staff adheres to full compliance with policy, procedure, philosophy and all applicable laws and regulations.

DUTIES:

1. Learn, understand, accept and implement agency policy and procedures, philosophy, applicable laws and regulations.

2. Attend required meetings, conferences, training and other agency functions, manage work time appropriately on a 40 hour per week, flex-time schedule, be punctual for appointments, and complete assignments and reports on time.

3. Communicate fully, honestly, clearly in an appropriate and positive manner, which furthers the agency’s purpose and promotes cooperation and teamwork. Write letters, progress reports, incident reports, and other written reports as required. Keep the Executive Director and referring agency fully informed in a timely manner of important issues.

4. Meet with families and children in care, monitor progress and adjustments in placements. Participate in and provide leadership for planning and implementing an excellent standard for foster families, including an appropriate provision of room, board, supervision, clothing, religious opportunities, social opportunities, education, medical and dental care, and family reunification.

5. Assist and support service families and the children placed with them to develop relationships which will make it possible, promote, and ensure a safe and welcoming home. Participate in and provide leadership in planning and carrying out activities which will promote well-being, happiness, ability to solve problems and personal development for children, and independence of self-determination for adults in our homes.

6. Look ahead, reason, anticipate, inform appropriate people and take action to better prevent problems from occurring and encourage positive opportunities for children to develop and for adults to reunify with children whenever possible.

7. Assure that transportation is available as needed, and transport children, adults and families when appropriate.

8. Assure transportation is provided safely, assure company or personal cars are safe and in good condition.

9. Recruit service families and conduct family studies and re-evaluations.

10. Assure service families meet agency requirements for training, plan with and assist families in training and personal development which goes beyond minimum requirements. Respond appropriately to after-hour calls.

11. Be closely and continually involved with children, adults, bio/legal families and foster families in regard to solving interpersonal conflicts, developing and maintaining relationships.

12. Plan with children and adults, foster families, bio/legal families and referring agencies in regard to visits, returning home and other future plans. Monitor and supervise the process as necessary to assure goals are met.

13. Prepare written plans and carry out planning processes as required by agency policy and regulations.

14. Maintain complete, clear, comprehensive, neat, organized records for children, adults and families in compliance with policy and regulations.

15. Participate in the process of accepting children and adults referred for care in a manner which assures FCCY meets the responsibility of placing the needs, rights, and welfare of children, adults and families as the first priority. Attend meetings and conferences, gather information, arrange and supervise visits and perform any necessary function to accomplish timely and appropriate placement.

16. Make plans and collateral contacts, make arrangements, provide direct help to assure practical problems are solved and children and adults in placement receive medical care, dental care, education, religious opportunities, supervision, clothing, opportunities for contact with referring agencies, family visits, recreation and social opportunities not only sufficient to comply with all regulation and policy requirements, but to as well as possible consider the needs and wants of the individual in placement and available resources. Participate actively in increasing available resources.

17. Keep desk and work area clean, neat and in order. Avoid giving messages of anger, defiance of rule, law or generally accepted morality, excessive pressure or disorganization. Give positive messages which further the agency’s purpose in non-verbal communication, including dress, manner and conditions of work environment. Understand the difference and give positive rather than negative harmful messages by use of good taste and judgment.

18. Relate to other people in a manner which promotes cooperation, relate to colleagues in a manner which promotes teamwork. Evidence courtesy, respect, appropriate concern, friendliness, and mature control of feelings and self in all interactions.

19. Set goals for the program office in consultation with the Executive Director. Provide supervision, leadership, and direct performance to meet goals.

20. Supervise Program Secretary and Administrative Secretary.

21. Teach Permanency Case Managers, Permanency Specialists to understand requirements and perform duties properly. Teach theoretical concepts to further staff development.

22. Supervise the work of Permanency Case Managers, Permanency Specialists to assure that duties are properly performed, and the needs of children are met as well as possible.

23. Conduct regular performance evaluations for all staff supervised. The Supervisor’s recommendations for initial and subsequent rates of pay will be given particular weight when reviewed by the Executive Director.

• Plan and implement projects to improve and extend services.

• Submit any proposed changes or suggestions for Foster Care to the Executive Director. These suggestions will be given weight by the Executive Director.

• Interview, screen out, select, and make recommendations to the Executive Director for hiring staff. These recommendations will take weight with the Executive Director.

REQUIREMENTS:

The Supervisor of a Foster Care Program Office is to have a master’s degree in a social service field with two years’ experience in direct services in the social work field or related field. A bachelor’s degree with two years’ experience in direct services in the social work field or related field will be considered. This position also requires a current Pennsylvania driver’s license. The Program Office Supervisor must meet the eligibility requirements under current Pennsylvania legal and regulatory requirements. The Supervisor must demonstrate an ability to understand, accept, and implement agency philosophy and policies. The Program Office Supervisor must demonstrate an ability to form appropriate relationships, to work successfully with adults and children from a variety of backgrounds, to promote, encourage and participate in teamwork efforts. A Supervisor must also demonstrate an ability to solve problems in a resourceful and appropriate way and have the ability and willingness to learn and develop professionally.