Social Services Associate Ketchikan

State of Alaska; Ketchikan (AK); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Insurance Benefits

Retirement Benefits

Paid Leave

Twelve paid holidays

Job summary

The Office of Children's Services in Alaska is seeking a Social Services Associate to support assessment, case planning and evaluation, and family services. You will gather information, assist professional staff, and help parents practice parenting skills in a safe environment.

This on-site role is located in Ketchikan, Southeast Alaska, with travel as required by casework (0-2 times per month or per year).

Qualifications

• Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy and politeness to others.
• Works with clients to assess needs, provide information or assistance and resolve problems.
• Adapts planned work to multiple demands and priorities in a changing environment.
• Uses computers, software applications, databases, and automated systems to accomplish work.
• Encourages cooperation and team spirit to achieve goals.

Responsibilities

• Gather information for assessments, case planning and evaluation.
• Provide parenting support during family contact to help parents practice parenting skills in a safe environment.
• Access electronic databases and provide information to staff to make referrals.
• Travel 0-2 times a month or year as needed for casework; travel may be day trips or overnight.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Customer service

Adaptability

Databases

Teamwork

Tools

Databases

Job description

What You Will Be Doing

A Social Services Associate is an administrative position. You will be supporting professional staff by gathering information for assessments, case planning and evaluation, while performing duties that can include providing parenting support during family contact to enable parents to practice parenting skills in a safe environment, accessing electronic databases, and providing information to professional staff to make necessary referrals for families to other agencies. As a Social Services Associate you will work with families and children, helping to provide services that will enhance families' capacities to give their children a healthy start, to provide them with safe and permanent homes, to maintain cultural connections, and to help them realize their potential. The successful incumbent will be courteous, professional in language and presentation, calm, motivated, efficient, and have strong critical thinking skills. This position will require traveling 0-2 times a month or 0-2 times a year and varies based on casework needs. Travel may be within the day or overnight stays.

The Office of Children's Services requires staff to work overtime when deemed necessary. OCS Staff are considered essential, so are expected to work during pandemic and other natural disasters. The agency also supports a healthy work/life balance for all staff.

Our Organization, Mission, and Culture

The Office of Children's Services strives for a diverse and inclusive workforce where safety and wellbeing are paramount and employees at all levels promote a culture where everyone is valued, treated equitably, and treated respectfully.

The Mission of the Office of Children’s Services is: Ensuring the safety, permanency and well-being of children by strengthening families, engaging communities, and partnering with Tribes.

Everything we do is underpinned by our Core Values.

Benefits of Joining Our Team

The Office of Children's Services is committed to an organizational culture that values each team member. We are committed to building and sustaining a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment. We celebrate and value the diversity of our employees, partners, and families we serve.

Your first 12 months in the agency are probationary and considered a training period, with formal and on-the-job training with your supervisor and your colleagues.

Full-time benefits of this position include but are not limited to: Insurance Benefits; Retirement Benefits; Paid Leave; and twelve paid holidays per year. Please see the benefits tab on this posting for more information.

Working Environment You Can Expect

This position is located in Ketchikan, Alaska and supports communities within Southeast Alaska. Travel varies based on casework or regional needs and could be 0-2 times a month or 0-2 times a year, within the day or overnight stays. Travel to villages or cities for placement or visitation varies based on regional needs. Travel in outlying areas may involve small aircraft.

The work we perform is critical and significantly impacts the communities we serve. As a result, the Office of Children's Services works on evenings and weekends as well as weekdays, so overtime and on-call work are expectations of our workers.

The Office of Children’s Services staff are considered essential and are required to work after hours, on-call hours, through pandemics- natural disasters, and all holidays that land on their rotational work week.

For information on the Juneau community (including schools, hospitals, housing), please review the Alaska Community Profiles.

Who We Are Looking For

• Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.
• Customer Service: Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.
• Adaptability: Adjusts planned work by gathering relevant information and applying critical thinking to address multiple demands and competing priorities in a changing environment.
• Computer Skills: Uses computers, software applications, databases, and automated systems to accomplish work.
• Teamwork: Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.

Legal Employment

The State’s online recruitment system, Workplace Alaska, requires applicants to certify that they have a legal right to accept employment in the United States. It is the responsibility of the employee to maintain the appropriate documentation to accept or continue legal employment. The State of Alaska does not function in the role of an employer sponsor.

EEO STATEMENT

The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities, who require accommodation, auxiliary aides or services, or alternative communication formats, please call 1-800-587-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at: P. O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.

Contact for Hiring Manager

Name: Laureen Larsen, Talent Acquisition Specialist
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]