GUARDIAN AD LITEM OFFICE, 2ND CIRCUIT- OPS CHILD ADVOCATE MANAGER - 21802001

My Florida Families; Tallahassee (FL); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office in Florida is seeking a Child Advocate Manager to oversee a team of volunteers, gather case information, and provide advocacy to children in dependency court proceedings. You will collaborate with multidisciplinary partners and prepare reports for court.

Ideal candidates bring a bachelor’s degree, strong confidentiality and organizational skills, and the ability to supervise volunteers while maintaining professional conduct in challenging situations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred in a related social science field.
• Must possess a valid Florida Driver’s License.
• Ability to obtain Child Advocate Manager Certification within 12 months.
• Experience with child welfare, social services or supervising volunteers is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams on behalf of children.
• Oversee Guardian ad Litem Office volunteers and cases.
• Gather and document independent case information.
• Provide court-recommended advocacy and best interests determinations.
• Prepare written reports and provide testimony to the court.
• Attend court hearings, depositions and team conferences.
• Visit and contact assigned children, families, schools, and providers.
• Utilize agency databases and reporting systems.
• Participate in trainings, meetings and professional development.

Skills

Self-motivation

Learning mindset

Teamwork

Diversity interaction

Discretion

Confidentiality

Time management

Oral communication

Written communication

Computer literacy

Professional demeanor

Volunteer coaching

Case management knowledge

Child development knowledge

Abuse/domestic violence knowledge

Substance abuse knowledge

Mental health knowledge

Florida Courts System knowledge

Florida Statutes knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree (preferred)

Florida Driver’s License

Child Advocate Manager Certification within 12 months

Experience with child welfare or related fields

Job description

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GUARDIAN AD LITEM OFFICE, 2ND CIRCUIT- OPS CHILD ADVOCATE MANAGER - 21802001

Date: Oct 14, 2026

The State Personnel System is an E-Verify employer. For more information click on our E-Verify Website .

Requisition No:885610

Agency: Justice Administrative Commission

Working Title: GUARDIAN AD LITEM OFFICE, 2ND CIRCUIT- OPS CHILD ADVOCATE MANAGER - 21802001

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION AND THE OPPORTUNITY

The Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office is Florida’s award-winning, state-funded child advocacy organization that provides independent legal representation to abused, abandoned and neglected children in Florida’s dependency court proceedings. The Office upholds the highest standards of integrity, excellence and child centered representation. The Office assigns a multi-disciplinary team which is comprised of a guardian ad litem attorney, a child welfare professional, and hopefully a community volunteer or pro bono attorney, to represent each child the Office is court appointed to. The Child Advocate Manager serves as the child welfare professional on the multi-disciplinary team and is responsible for overseeing a team of guardian ad litem volunteers for which they assign to serve on individual cases. More information about the Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office can be found at www.guardianadlitem.org .

ABOUT THE WORK

The Child Advocate Manager position encompasses a broad range of consultative, administrative and advocacy activities. The Child Advocate Manager may also supervise a group of Guardian Ad Litem Office Child Advocate volunteers. Some examples of a “typical” working day may include the following:

• Collaborate with the Guardian ad Litem Office multidisciplinary team, management, Department of Children and Families, contracted service providers, Department of Juvenile Justice, Department of Education, Law Enforcement, etc.
• Overseeing the work of Guardian ad Litem Office volunteers.
• Gathering and documenting independent pertinent case information.
• Providing best interests advocacy recommendations to the Guardian ad Litem Office multidisciplinary team, to the court and to our child welfare partners.
• Preparing written reports to the court.
• Provide testimony to the court.
• Attending internal and external case-related court hearings, depositions, case plan conferences, dependency mediations, staffing’s and meetings.
• Visiting and contacting assigned children, parents, caregivers, schools and service providers.
• Utilizing the organization’s database and reporting systems.
• Participating in internal and external training, meetings and conferences.

ABOUT THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

The following are desirable knowledge, skills, abilities and traits for prospective Child Advocate Manager position candidates:

• Self-motivated and achievement oriented.
• Strong desire to learn and pursue personal development.
• Ability to take direction and work as part of a team.
• Ability to effectively interact with and/or influence people of diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to exercise discretion, respect privacy and maintain confidentiality.
• Strong organizational/time management skills and ability to meet deadlines.
• Excellent oral, written and computer literacy skills.
• Able to maintain a professional and effective demeanor in emotional or traumatic situations.
• Ability to coach, instruct and motivate volunteers.
• Knowledge of case management, social support services and concepts of child development.
• Knowledge of the dynamics of child abuse, domestic violence, substance abuse and mental health.
• Knowledge of the Florida State Courts System.
• Knowledge of Florida Statutes relating to child welfare and protection.

ABOUT THE EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

The following are education and experience requirements for prospective Child Advocate Manager position candidates:

• Must possess a valid Florida Driver’s License.
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in sociology, social work, psychology, child development, education, juvenile justice, communications, or a related social science is preferred but prior experience will be considered to meet the degree requirement. Experience could include time as Child Protective Investigator, Dependency Case Manager, Juvenile Probation Officer, Law Enforcement, Military, Educators, or other professional experiences working with children and families.
• Two years of experience in a program focusing on child welfare, social service, counseling, teaching, managing people or supervising volunteers is desired but not required.
• Experience with critical decision making, planning, organizing, coaching, leading, or supervising will be helpful to a successful candidate.
• All individuals hired after February 1, 2020, must be able to obtain a Child Advocate Manager Certification offered by the Florida Certification Board within 12 months of hire date.
• Maintain Child Advocate Manager certification during the duration of employment. Agency pays costs of certification.

If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS at 1-844-377-1888 on how your current benefits may be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be canceled, suspended, or deemed ineligible depending on the date of your retirement.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

For assistance, call the People First Service Center at [phone] Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Eastern time. Pursuant to Florida Law, 110.211 F. S., the State of Florida is an EEO employer.