SOCIAL WORK SUPERVISOR III - LICENSING & PLACEMENT

Cabarrus County North Carolina; North Carolina; On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Cabarrus County is seeking a Licensing & Placement Supervisor to oversee foster home recruitment, licensing, and placement coordination. The role ensures compliance with state licensing regulations and agency policies while guiding staff and collaborating with partners.

The position emphasizes leadership, training, and operational oversight to improve placement stability and timely, appropriate placements for children in DSS custody.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in social work with 2+ years directly related experience.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience accepted.
• Directly related experience includes case management, assessment, referral, counseling, intervention, and treatment planning.
• Possession of a driver's license may be required per special requirements.

Responsibilities

• Plan, direct, supervise, and participate in social work program delivery.
• Review casework, hold conferences, and assist social workers in resolving difficult cases.
• Make case decisions impacting safety of children, elderly, or disabled adults.
• Oversee licensing and placement for foster/adoptive families; ensure compliance with regulations.
• Provide staff training and arrange formal training opportunities.
• Maintain detailed records, files, and confidentiality; ensure placement stability with partners.

Skills

Staff supervision

Staff training

Case management

Regulatory compliance

Communication

Interagency collaboration

Education

Master’s Degree in social work

Bachelor’s Degree in social work

Master’s Degree in human services

Bachelor’s Degree in human services

Tools

Office software

Recordkeeping systems

Job description

Examples of Duties

Essential Functions:

• Planning, directing, supervising, and participating in the delivery of social work programs and services.
• Reviewing casework, holding conferences, and assisting social workers in resolving difficult case situations.
• Making case decisions and judgments that impact the life and safety of children, the elderly or disabled adults.
• Interpreting and providing guidance on regulations and procedures.
• Providing on-the-job training for staff and making arrangements for staff to receive formal training.
• Preparing, reviewing and maintaining detailed and complex records, files, reports, and confidentiality.
• Oversee case planning, assessments, and documentation to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal guidelines.
• Oversees the development of case plans.
• Supervise the licensing process for foster/adoptive parents ensuring meet safety and regulatory standards.
• Ensure the best interest of children are represented in all placement and legal decisions.

The Licensing & Placement Supervisor provides administrative and supervision to the Licensing & Placement Unit while overseeing foster home recruitment, licensing, placement coordination, and foster parent engagement. This position is responsible for ensuring compliance with state licensing regulations and agency policies; coordinating foster parent recruitment, training, and retention efforts; facilitating daily placement staffing and placement preservation activities; monitoring licensing and respite processes; and supporting quality assurance initiatives. The supervisor collaborates with internal and external partners to improve placement stability, increase placement resources, and ensure timely, appropriate placements for children in DSS custody while providing leadership, coaching, and operational oversight to assigned staff.

(These are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work performed. The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)

Typical Tasks:

• Responsible for supervising, training, and evaluating staff and has substantial influence in hiring and other employment decisions.
• Analyzes situations and determines appropriate courses of action immediately or in short time spans and often under very stressful conditions.
• Assigns cases to staff and maintains workload balance.
• Implements changes in work procedures to meet program demands and presents recommendations to management which impact programmatic goals, objectives, and policies.
• Provides input to management on administrative and budget issues. Ensures that policies and procedures are followed.
• Identifies and develops community resources for activities, education, training, and supportive service areas; explains program policy to community agency providers and maintains ongoing consultation with community resources.
• Develops public awareness, support, and endorsement for assigned programs through presentations to civic, public, and private organizations.
• May perform social worker III or SW-IAT functions and may carry a small caseload.
• May travel to homes, schools, health facilities, and other service agencies. May transport clients
• Performs related tasks as required to potentially include but not limited to emergency shelter operations.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Thorough knowledge of social work principles, techniques and practices and their applications to specific casework, group work, and community problems; of federal and state laws, policies and procedures, program rules and quality assurance standards; of behavioral and socioeconomic problems and their treatment; and of organizations and resources in the community. Knowledge of methods and principles of casework supervision and training. Knowledge of medical terminology and disease processes and/or intellectual disability development programs and behavior management techniques. Knowledge of internal and external audits related to child welfare case management and placement practices. Working knowledge of office equipment and computers and applicable software applications. Ability to supervise, train, or orient lower-level social workers and other staff. Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely and to plan and execute work effectively; to testify as an expert witness; to employ advanced case management interview techniques to establish a supportive relationship and involve families in the initial assessment for the need of services; to quickly assess the risks and safety of the client environment during daylight hours, after dark and in high crime areas; to analyze and assess safety issues in relation to risk factors; to analyze tense family situations and make decisions about removing children and protecting elderly and disabled adults when the decision has to be made with limited direct information and limited access to consultation; and to interact and motivate a resistant involuntary client. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients and their families, a variety of medical and psychological professionals, law enforcement, court officials, attorneys, community agencies and the general public; and to attend work regularly.

Management Preferences: (Strongly Preferred)

• Completion of NC Child Welfare Pre-Service Training (required)
• Completion of NC Child Welfare Collaborative Training
• Masters' in Social Work
• Experience working in a (DSS) Child Welfare or Child Protective Services Dept in the State of NC.

Minimum Education / Experience requirements

Education and Experience:

• Master’s Degree in social work and 2 years directly related experience or;
• Master’s Degree in a human services field and 3 years directly related experience or;
• Bachelor’s Degree in social work and 3 years directly related experience or;
• Bachelor’s Degree in a human services field and 4 years of directly related experience or;
• Bachelor’s Degree and 5 years directly related experience.
• Degree must be from an appropriately accredited college or university.
• Directly related experience is defined as human services experience in the areas of case management, assessment and referral, supportive counseling, intervention, psycho-social therapy and treatment planning. Half credit will be given for years of experience in income maintenance casework up to a maximum of one year credit.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted.

Some county job postings indicate that you can qualify with an "equivalent combination of education and experience." If this language is included in the job description, it means you may qualify through either education, your years of directly related experience, or a combination of both.

If you have indicated that you have earned a certificate, diploma, or degree from a technical school, college, or university, please note that Cabarrus County will verify your educational credentials. Official transcripts must clearly show the specific credential awarded to ensure accurate validation.

Special Requirements:

Position may require possession of an appropriate driver’s license valid in the State of North Carolina. Position is a safety sensitive position as defined by the Drug Free Workplace Policy. Position requires on-call duty rotation. Employees are responsible for supervising approximately five to twelve professional employees. Work supervised is predominately at the level of Social Worker III and SW-IAT