Director, Social Services (Hope House)

Children's Rescue Fund; New York (NY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Children's Rescue Fund in New York is hiring a Director of Social Services to lead comprehensive social services aimed at stabilizing homeless families. Responsibilities include overseeing staff, ensuring compliance with regulations, and collaborating with other departments. Applicants should have a Master’s degree in Social Work or a related field with substantial supervisory experience. This role demands excellent communication skills and a solid understanding of housing and social services. The position is crucial for improving clients' living conditions.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Social Work preferred; bachelor's with supervisory experience acceptable.
• Minimum five years of social services experience and two in supervisory role required.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills needed.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver comprehensive social services for clients.
• Oversee Social Services department's staff and operations.
• Coordinate inter-agency networking for medical and educational services.

Skills

Social services experience

Leadership and supervision

Interpersonal skills

Written and oral communication

Knowledge of housing regulations

Education

Master’s degree in Social Work

Bachelor’s degree with supervisory experience

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Primary Function/Purpose

The Director of Social Services is responsible for the development and delivery of comprehensive social services for clients referred to the Children’s Rescue Fund by the NYC DHS Division of Family Services. This role is designed to stabilize homeless families by strengthening their independent living skills and helping them achieve successful placement into permanent housing. This individual is responsible for working with clients at our Hope House location in the Bronx, NY, and will work cooperatively with other members of the management team to achieve program goals.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Social Work is strongly preferred; candidates that do not have a Master’s degree but have a bachelor's degree can be considered if they have at least 4 years of relevant supervisory experience
• At least five years of social services experience and two years’ experience in a supervisory and administrative capacity is required, including experience in clinical interventions with families and disadvantaged populations, group work practice, substance abuse issues, and housing programs
• Skill in supervising the work of professionals, including their development
• Skill in securing client entitlements through knowledge of housing regulations and homeless programs
• Excellent interpersonal relations skills to establish cooperative working relationships
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and knowledge of office systems such as MS-Office is required

Primary Responsibilities

• Ensuring that each member of the social services staff has hands‑on working knowledge of all DHS procedures, New York State Part 900 Regulations, OTDA, CRF Rules and Regulations, and all other relevant laws/programs related to providing comprehensive social services and permanent housing to CRF clients
• Ensuring the timely collection, preparation, and analysis of client and program information to generate routine and as‑needed reports, in order to evaluate program performance and facilitate short‑ and long‑term planning
• Overseeing and supervising the Social Services department (Caseworkers, Housing Specialists, and Case Management Supervisors) on the utilization of the DHS Client Assistance and re‑housing system (CARES) regarding intake, shelter assessment, service plans/independent living plans, Provider Housing, transfers and client responsibility, incident reports, case conferences, and meeting DHS housing placement targets
• Ensuring that the families are living in a safe, clean, and hazard‑free environment by ensuring that the casework staff are conducting weekly/bi‑weekly unit inspections; communicating and documenting all observations and maintenance repairs that need to be addressed
• Intervening or directing staff intervention when necessary to resolve problems effectively
• Working collaboratively with Housing Specialists to ensure that weekly, monthly, and quarterly targets are being achieved
• Being knowledgeable of DHS Housing programs, packages, and incentives
• Working in collaboration with other departments to develop independent skills workshops
• Coordinating an inter‑agency network of on‑ and off‑site providers to ensure families’ receipt of appropriate medical, nutritional, educational, and specialized mental health assistance
• Collaborating with other members of the management team to develop and implement social services policies and procedures that guide and direct the delivery of services, including relocation goals and strategies
• Performing other duties and special projects as required, including serving on‑call
• Evaluating and verifying employees’ work assignments and ensuring that performance evaluations are being completed in the required timeframe

Secondary Responsibilities

• Facilitating effective communication with other staff within an interdisciplinary context, participating in and contributing to staff meetings and the development of policies and procedures
• Participating in training and staff‑development activities to acquire and maintain both interpersonal and operational skills necessary for successful job performance
• Serving as a Super User in the DHS CARES System to assist the program staff with trouble‑shooting problems in the system
• Ensuring that staff attend CORE trainings within six months of employment, such as the mandated reporter training, CARES getting started, CARES assessments, Incident Reporting, Safe Sleep Training, Mental Health First Aide Training, and Domestic Violence training
• Being on call seven days a week for Priority One incidents

Measurable Areas

• Closely monitoring open/closed Public Assistance cases on a weekly basis
• Closely monitoring certified housing and high‑income families
• Closely monitoring all apartments viewed/visited by clients each week (in the absence of the housing coordinator)
• Closely monitoring and tracking appointments kept/missed, specifically as it relates to ILPs and housing related matters (in the absence of a casework supervisor and/or housing coordinator)
• Working toward the achievement of DHS weekly, monthly, and quarterly target goals of moving families into permanent housing in conjunction with the social services department
• Closely monitoring special populations such as newborn, ACS, medical, mental health, and domestic violence cases, up to sex offenders

Principal Relationships

• Frequent significant contact with paid and volunteer staff, designed to ensure effective performance and professional growth
• Regular contact with other department personnel and providers to ensure program services are effectively delivered to clients
• Regular contact with clients on complex issues that require expertise or processing by a senior professional
• Regular significant contact with other agencies to ensure clients receive needed services

Other Requirements (including Physical Demands)

• May be required to work long hours and a varied schedule
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

EEO Statement – Children’s Rescue Fund is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or protected veteran status.