Lead PMIC Youth Care Specialist

Child Saving Institute; Council Bluffs (IA); On-site; USD 50,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) matching up to 5%

Paid vacation and sick leave

10 paid holidays per year

Tuition reimbursement

On-site childcare tuition discounts

Job summary

Child Saving Institute in Council Bluffs, IA, is seeking a PMIC Lead Youth Care Specialist to provide strategic leadership in the care and rehabilitation of at-risk youth. You will mentor staff, oversee shifts, and drive program development and quality assurance while partnering with families and external partners.

The role requires strong leadership, trauma-informed care, and collaboration across clinical staff and educators.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years of experience in youth care or related field.
• Associate or bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, human services, or related field.
• Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
• Experience in human services with children at risk and residential work preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight to the Youth Care team.
• Mentor and support Youth Care Specialists with training and feedback.
• Oversee shift operations ensuring policy and safety compliance.
• Develop individualized service plans with clinical staff.
• Lead crisis intervention and trauma-informed practices.
• Design and evaluate youth programs and quality assurance.
• Coordinate with case managers, clinicians, educators and families.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Organizational skills

Crisis intervention

Mentoring

Trauma-informed care

Team collaboration

Education

Associate or bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, human services, or related field

Tools

CPI training

Job description

PMIC Lead Youth Care SpecialistPosition Title: PMIC Lead Youth Care SpecialistLocation: 520 N 7th St, Council Bluffs IAPay: $55,000+ Based on Education and Relevant ExperienceJob Purpose:As the Lead Youth Care Specialist, you will provide strategic leadership, oversight, and advanced support in the care and rehabilitation of at-risk youth. This role involves ensuring the highest standards of care, mentoring junior staff, and driving program development and quality assurance initiatives. The Lead Youth Care Specialist will act as a key liaison between staff, youth, families, and external partners, embodying Child Saving Institute’s mission to champion children and families.Essential Job Duties:Leadership & OversightProvide strategic direction and leadership to the Youth Care team.Mentor and support Youth Care Specialists offering guidance, training, and performance feedback.Oversee shift operations, ensuring compliance with policies, procedures, and safety protocols.Serve as acting supervisor in the absence of the Shift Supervisor.Youth Support & EngagementDevelop and implement individualized Service plans in collaboration with clinical staff.Facilitate team meetings, conflict resolution sessions, and life skills training.Monitor youth behavior and progress, documenting observations and interventions.Crisis Response & SafetyLead crisis intervention efforts, de-escalating volatile situations using trauma-informed practices.Train junior staff in crisis prevention and intervention techniques.Ensure safety protocols are followed, and incidents are documented accurately and promptly.Program Development & Quality AssuranceAssist in the design and evaluation of youth programs and services.Identify areas for improvement and recommend changes to enhance program effectiveness.Participate in audits, inspections, and quality assurance initiatives.Collaboration & CommunicationCoordinate with case managers, clinicians, educators, and families to support youth development.Represent the organization in multidisciplinary team meetings and community outreach efforts.Communicate effectively with all stakeholders to ensure continuity of care.Other Duties:Perform other duties as directed by supervisor.Complete training necessary to perform consistent with program and agency staff development plans including identification of training appropriate to this position; and taking the responsibility for scheduling and attending appropriate training.Complete 24-hour checklist training, defensive driver training, car seat and transportation training and orientation prior to working independently with youth.Environment:The majority of work is a combination of shelter, office and a community or home-based environment.Duties are performed in a variety of environment ranging from highly stressful and potentially aggressive to casual and leisurely, in both indoor and outdoor settings.Work environment can range from quiet activities such as deskwork to stressful situations with youth in crisis.The environment may include:Potential exposure to bodily fluids (Universal Health Precautions are required to be followed).A noise level in the work environment that can range from moderate to occasionally loud.Travel to activities/medical facilities.Employee does not use personal vehicle to conduct agency business unless approved by supervisor and employee has auto insurance that meets agency policy and personal vehicle that passes agency auto inspection.Qualification Requirements:Minimum of 2 years of experience in youth care or a related field.Associate or bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, human services, or a related fieldStrong leadership, communication, and organizational skills.Experience in Human Services with children at risk and residential work strongly preferred.Minimum of 21 years of age.Motor vehicle record of 3 points or less.Must be able to provide proof of active auto insurance.Knowledge in childcare practices, developmental issues and group processes and practices, child abuse and neglect, child development, behavior management and verbal and physical intervention.Strong direct service professional skills, including:Commitment to empowering others to solve their own problemsBelief in a nurturing family as the ideal environment for a person and that person have the capacity to grow and change,Ability to develop respectful relationship with persons served to help them gain skills and confidence,Ability to collaborate with coworkers and other professionals, andAbility to maintain a helping role, intervene appropriately to meet service goals, and set appropriate limits.Necessary stamina and temperament to work with children and youth (birth – 18 years of age) who are experiencing crisis and/or emotional behavior disorders.Strong written and verbal communication skills.Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure using whole numbers.Ability to communicate with children, parents, police, CPS, and staff.Ability to care for children through nurturing and provide age-appropriate discipline techniques.Ability to collaborate cooperatively with team members.Patience and emotional stability.Non-judgmental, positive attitude.Flexibility, creativity, and dependability.Ability to appropriately manage confidential information.Ability to understand and consistently implement policies and procedures of the agency.Physical Requirements:Ability to regularly stand, use hands to handle or feel objects or children; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.Ability to walk and occasionally sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.Corrected hearing and vision within normal range.Ability to successfully complete the CPI course and conduct physical interventions as taught by the instructor. Examples: (a) wrapping arms around child’s limbs and maintain clasped hands against opposing pressure; (b) kneeling to break a child’s fall while arms are wrapped around a child; and (c) ability to assume a sitting position while arms are wrapped around a child.Ability to be awake and alert for an entire shift, which may be up to 10 to 12 hours.Ability to regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.Ability to perform a variety of physical demands based on activity level of clients.Ability to work in outside weather conditions while performing the duties of this job.Ability to actively participate in a wide range of activities including but not limited to basketball, swimming, fishing, volleyball, movies, staffing, team meetings, etc.Ability to safely operate a vehicle.What You’ll Get:Medical, dental, and vision insurance optionsPaid vacation and sick accruals starting day one401(k) matching up to 5% and fully vested right away10 paid holidays per yearReferral BonusesTuition reimbursementDiscounted, On-Site Childcare TuitionBirthing (up to 6 weeks) & non-birthing (up to 2 weeks) leave at full payNO NIGHTS AND NO WEEKENDSThe opportunity to be a part of a forward-thinking culture!Be a positive influence on young lives and apply today!Equal Opportunity Employer StatementChild Saving Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.Accommodation StatementChild Saving Institute is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process. Applicants requiring accommodation should contact Human Resources to discuss their needs.Disclaimer: This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the position. Duties and responsibilities may be modified at any time to meet organizational needs.