Permanency Child Protection Lead Social Case Worker

City and County of Denver; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 69,000 - 113,000; Full time

Job summary

The City and County of Denver is actively seeking a Lead Social Case Worker for Denver Human Services. You will lead a team of four social case workers on the Permanency Child Protection unit, guiding case management, counseling, and referrals for children under 11.

Ideal candidates possess leadership experience, extensive county child protection work, a Colorado Social Case Worker certification, and a valid driver's license. This hybrid Denver, Colorado role offers growth within DHS.

Qualifications

• Previous leadership experience.
• Extensive Child Protection experience in county-level welfare.
• Certification as a Social Case Worker (Colorado Child Welfare Academy).
• Valid Driver’s License required.
• Positive, professional, proactive attitude.

Responsibilities

• Lead on a team of 4 Social Case Workers and participate in leadership and development.
• Provide supervision and assist the Social Case Worker Supervisor as needed.
• Coach, train, and mentor staff at various experience levels.
• Attend voices meetings and court hearings with Social Case Workers.

Skills

Leadership experience

Team leadership

Decision-making

Education

Colorado Driver's License

Social Case Worker certification (Colorado Child Welfare Academy)

Job description

About Our JobWith competitive pay, great benefits, and endless opportunities, working for the City and County of Denver means seeing yourself working with purpose — for you, and those who benefit from your passion, skills and expertise. Join our diverse, inclusive and talented workforce of more than 11,000 team members who are at the heart of what makes Denver, Denver.What We OfferThe City and County of Denver offers a competitive salary commensurate with education and experience. The target hiring range for this position is $71,000 - $77,000. We also offer generous benefits for full-time employees which include but are not limited to:A guaranteed life-long monthly pension, once vested after 5 years of service457B Retirement Plan140 hours of PTO earned within first year + 12 paid holidays, 1 personal holiday, 1 wellness day and 1 volunteer day per yearCompetitive medical, dental and vision plans effective within 1 month of start dateLocationThe City and County of Denver supports a hybrid workplace model. Employees work where needed, at a job site several days a week and off-site as needed. Employees must work within the state of Colorado on their off-site days.What You’ll DoAt Denver Human Services (DHS), we envision a healthy community where people are connected, supported, safe, and well. One in three people in Denver turn to DHS for support at all stages of life. Our employees help children, at-risk adults, families, and individuals navigate social and economic pressures by connecting them to services and experts who support their overall well-being.Denver Human Services is seeking a dedicated and experienced Lead Social Case Worker to serve on the Permanency Child Protection team. In this role, you will be a lead on a team of 4 Social Case Workers and actively participate in leadership, supervision and development. You should be a strong team player and possess good decision-making skills and the ability to effectively handle conflicts.The Permanency Child Protection team primarily provides service to children ages 11 and under. Therefore, it is imperative that the Lead Social Case Worker has a clear understanding of child development and the impact of child abuse and neglect on both children and their families.The Lead Social Case Worker will perform permanently assigned lead work over professional social case workers, assist the Social Case Worker Supervisor with establishing unit goals, plans, and specific unit functions. You will provide intensive social case work services including case management, counseling, referral, placement, and assessment/evaluation.The Permanency Child Protection Lead Social Case Worker will:Maintain current supervisory certification and participate in training the Social Case Worker staffDemonstrate critical decision-making skills with their staff and sectionAssist Social Case Worker Supervisors and perform supervisory roles in their absenceDemonstrate competencies and critical decision-making skills when working with intake assessments, ongoing cases, and youth casesCoach, train, and mentor staff at various levels of experienceLead by example and set a precedent for Social Case WorkersAttend voices meetings and court hearings with Social Case Workers when neededWhat You’ll BringWe value diversity of ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, sexual identity, gender, religion, language, ability, and experience and exemplify this through the makeup of our team at all levels. You'll be right at home here if you cultivate strong relationships and push yourself, your work, the people around you and Denver to the next level.Our ideal candidate has some or all the following experience, skills, and characteristics:Previous leadership experienceExtensive experience with Child Protection in a County level Child Welfare environmentA certification as a Social Case Worker from the Colorado Child Welfare AcademyA positive, professional, and proactive attitudeRequired Minimum QualificationsEducation: Requirements as set forth in Colorado Department of Human Services Volume 7 and/or Volume 30 regulationsExperience: Requirements as set forth in Colorado Department of Human Services Volume 7 and/or Volume 30 regulations. Three (3) years of post-graduation professional social case work experience at the type and level of Social Case WorkerEducation & Experience Equivalency: No substitution of experience for education is permitted. Additional appropriate education may be substituted for experience requirements.Licensure & Certification: Requires a valid Driver’s License at the time of application. Licenses and certifications must be kept current as a condition of employment.Requires certification as a social case worker in Child Welfare or Adult Protective Services in accordance with CDHS regulationsAdditional DocumentPlease attach your official or unofficial transcripts of your completed undergraduate and/or graduate degree and list of professional references to your application in the required attachment section.Denver Human Services works to ensure that all employees are paid equitably. Please ensure your resume is complete and accurate and that it includes all of your relevant work experience and education including job titles, description of assigned duties and all dates of employment periods that you would want to be considered when determining an offer amount.Application DeadlineThis position is expected to stay open until September 29th, 2026. Please submit your application as soon as possible and no later than September 29th at midnight to ensure consideration.About Everything ElseJob ProfileCS2694 Social Case Worker LeadTo view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click here.Position TypeUnlimitedPosition Salary Range$68,773.00 - $113,476.00Target Pay$71,000-$77,000/yearAgencyDenver Human ServicesRedeployment during Citywide EmergenciesCity and County of Denver employees may be re-deployed to work in other capacities in their own agencies or in other city agencies to support core functions of the city during a citywide emergency declared by the Mayor.The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law.It is your right to access oral or written language assistance, sign language interpretation, real-time captioning via CART, or disability-related accommodations. To request any of these services at no cost to you, please contact [e-mail] with three business days’ notice.Applicants for employment with the City and County of Denver must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S.For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.