DCS CASE MANAGER 1* - 10272026-82286

State of Tennessee; Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 46,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

State of Tennessee's Department of Children's Services seeks a DCS Case Manager 1 trainee in Davidson County. You will learn to perform entry-level case management for children under state supervision, conduct home visits, and coordinate with families and service providers.

The role requires a bachelor's degree, eligibility to work in the U.S., and a clean background. Training lasts one year with potential for progression; flexible scheduling includes evenings and weekends.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
• Must be at least 21 years old on date of application.
• U.S. citizen.
• Valid driver's license before and during employment.
• Good moral character as determined by investigation.
• Submit criminal history disclosure form.
• No felony conviction.
• Consent to fingerprint-based background check.
• Pre-employment drug screening.

Responsibilities

• Determines abuse/neglect, safety needs, permanency, and monitors foster/adoptive placements.
• Maintains case documentation and testifies in court.
• Conducts interviews with children, families, and collateral contacts, gathers records.
• Performs home visits, schedules visits, transports children as needed.
• Engages families to build trust and pursue permanency; communicates rights.
• Coordinates with teams and service providers; trains foster/adoptive parents.

Skills

Time Management

Active Learning

Complex Problem Solving

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Electronic Devices

Computers

Motor Vehicles

Job description

Job Information

Opening Date/Time 10/27/2026 12:00AM Central Time

Closing Date/Time 11/02/2026 11:59PM Central Time

Salary (Monthly) $4,098.00 - $5,129.00

Salary (Annually) $49,176.00 - $61,548.00

Job Type Full-Time

City, State Location Nashville, TN

Knoxville, TN

Murfreesboro, TN

Tullahoma, TN

Manchester, TN

Oak Ridge, TN

Winchester, TN

Shelbyville, TN

LaFollette, TN

Franklin, TN

Clarksville, TN

Chattanooga, TN

Mt. Juliet, TN

Maryville, TN

Columbia, TN

Sevierville, TN

Morristown, TN

Johnson City, TN

Carthage, TN

Cleveland, TN

Athens, TN

Kingsport, TN

Lenior, TN

Sweetwater, TN

Oak Ridge, TN

Oneida, TN

Rutledge, TN

Greeneville, TN

Ripley, TN

Ashland City, TN

Jackson, TN

Memphis, TN

Department Children's Services

Location of (200) Position(s) to be filled: Department of Children's Services, Davidson County

A Certified Transcript Is Required.

This classification, DCS Case Manager 1*, currently has an in-range salary of $4,217.00 monthly/$50,604.00 yearly.

A criminal background, drug, and motor vehicle records (MVR) screening will be conducted prior to employment. Therefore, you may be required to provide information about your criminal history in order to be considered for this position.

Qualifications

Education and Experience: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree.

Necessary Special Qualifications

Applicants for this class must:

• Must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age on the date of application;
• Be a citizen of the United States;
• Possess a valid driver's license prior to and during employment;
• Have a good moral character, as determined by investigation;
• Complete a criminal history disclosure form in a manner approved by the appointing authority;
• Have no conviction for a felony;
• Agree to release all records involving their criminal history to the appointment authority;
• Supply a fingerprint sample in a manner prescribed by the TBI for a fingerprint based criminal history records check;
• Submit to and pass a pre-employment screening test for use of illegal drugs.

Overview

This classification is responsible for professional case management work of routine difficulty and performs related work as required. This is the trainee/entry level class in the DCS Case Manager job series. An employee in this class learns to perform a variety of case management duties for children under State supervision, in State custody, or at risk of State custody, and their families. This class differs from DCS Case Manager 2* in that an incumbent of the latter is fully trained and functions at the working level.

An applicant appointed to this flexibly staffed class will be reclassified to the next higher class in the series after successful completion of a mandatory one-year training period; inadequate or marginal performance during the training period will result in automatic demotion or termination.

Responsibilities

ALL LISTED RESPONSBILITIES WILL BE PERFORMED AT THE LEARNING/ENTRY LEVEL:

• Determines if abuse or neglect has occurred, who the abuser is, the level of risk or harm to the child, determines the need for a safety plan, makes recommendations regarding permanency, monitors adoptive and foster families, recruits foster parents, conducts home visits, and coordinates/observes visitation.
• Maintains documentation for case files and other required documentation. Prepares for, participates and testifies in court proceedings.
• Conducts interviews with alleged child victims, individuals reporting alleged abuse or child neglect, child's family, and collateral contacts; gathers required information such as school records, demographic information, medical exam/psychological information, etc., identifies supports for children and families, administers client drug screens; and conducts required assessments/assessments of home. Conducts face-to-face visits with children, resource families, providers, kinship homes, and other relevant entities.
• Works flexible hours including weekends, holidays, and after hours. Schedules appointments, meetings, visitation with children on caseload. Transports children to various appointments safely, assists children in preparing for placement, and sitting with children who are awaiting placement.
• Communicates effectively and timely with others, engages with children and families to build trustful relationships, encourages clients to overcome barriers and achieve permanency, explains parental rights and other relevant documents to families, responds timely to families, providers, co-workers and supervision.
• Convenes and identifies members for Child and Family Team Meetings to work collaboratively with all Child and Family Team Meeting participants. Develops action steps and goals to be accomplished by the Team.
• Works within communities by making referrals to service providers on behalf of clients; collaborates with law enforcement officials and multi-disciplinary teams; trains foster parents, adoptive parents and community.

Competencies (KSA's)

Competencies

• Decision Quality
• Action Oriented
• Customer Focus
• Manages Conflict
• Communicates Effectively

Knowledge

• Clerical
• Customer and Personal Service

Skills

• Time Management
• Active Learning and Listening
• Complex Problem Solving

Abilities

• Written Comprehension
• Deductive Reasoning
• Inductive Reasoning

Tools & Equipment

• Electronic Devices
• Computers
• Motor Vehicles