Careers

Position Summary

The Department of Children and Families (DCF) is committed to upholding the fundamental mission of protecting children from abuse and neglect to ensure they are able to grow and thrive in a safe and nurturing environment. DCF’s vision is that all children have the right to grow up in a nurturing home, free from abuse and neglect, with access to food, shelter, clothing, health care, and education. DCF works toward establishing the safety, permanency, and well-being of the Commonwealth’s children by stabilizing and preserving families; providing quality temporary alternative care when necessary, safely reunifying families; and when necessary and appropriate, creating new families through kinship, guardianship, or adoption. Preferred applicants will possess a demonstrated commitment to the core practice values: 1) child-driven, 2) family-centered, 3) community-focused, 4) strength-based, 5) committed to diversity/cultural competency, and, 6) committed to continuous learning.

We are seeking a dynamic individual for the role of Family Resource Center (FRC) Program Manager. Our ideal candidate will be responsible for enhancing strategic and solid partnerships between the agency and community organizations on behalf of families and children. The Manager will be the primary liaison with contracted service providers as well as any services that will be delivered by U Mass Medical Systems.

Duties & Responsibilities

(these duties are a general summary and not all-inclusive)

• Provide effective oversight and support in the development, implementation, coordination, and evaluation of a network of Family Resource Centers across the state.
• Provide technical assistance in complex and ambiguous contexts where competing interests and approaches may exist.
• Create mechanisms for internal/external evaluation of all engagement initiatives
• Administer a system for routinely obtaining feedback from families served by FRC and its contracting agencies.
• Conduct ongoing assessment of FRC operating system and service levels, processes, and workflows identifying system or programmatic barriers as appropriate,
• Work with FRCs to initiate change as needed to ensure they function in a cost- effective and efficient manner, consistent with DCFs overall goals and objectives.
• Supervise a staff consisting of a Lead Trainer.
• Monitor implementation of tracking tools for incoming family members and referrals
• Develop and distribute meeting schedules for program manager meetings
• Coordinate site visits to programs and monitor implementation of program practices
• Provides contract management oversight
• Ensures requirements for the FRCs, trainings, and data are in compliance with legislative requirements
• Establish regular contact with FRCs
• Data analysis/reporting
• Other duties, as assigned

Preferred Qualifications

• Training in Social Work, Community Development and/or Urban Planning, Psychology, Sociology, Human Services, or a related field.
• A demonstrated commitment to the agency’s core practice values and the ability to revise core work processes and policies to align them with practice values.
• Familiarity with principles and practices of human services, child and family welfare, legislature, and industry trends/developments.
• Strong analytical skills in order to quickly assess situations, identify trends, develop solutions and apply critical assessment to the larger context
• Skilled facilitator, with the ability to inspire others, and engage learning communities
• Expertise in community-based interventions to improve outcomes for low-income, culturally diverse families and communities.
• Competence in resolving problems and conflicts in a diplomatic and tactful manner.
• Record of developing and implementing program strategies with external constituents; ability to form and maintain collaboration among partners.
• Outstanding organizational, written, and oral communications skills; attention to detail.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage projects with a high degree of accuracy.
• Demonstrated program measurement, reporting, and evaluation skills.
• Capacity to maintain accurate records and exercise discretion in handling confidential information.
• Proven ability to supervise, including the planning and assigning of work according to the nature of the job to be accomplished; Leading and developing high-performing teams.
• Proficient usage of Microsoft Office products including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Bilingual preferred

The following skills and abilities are essential to be successful in this position

• Managing a team of direct reports; empowered management in engaging and developing teams.
• Forward-looking, action-oriented team player with a proven track record of working collaboratively with constituents across multiple levels of the agency and the Commonwealth.
• Ability to resolve problems/conflicts in a diplomatic and tactful manner.

Minimum Entrance Requirements

Applicants are preferred to have at least (A) five (5) years of full-time or, equivalent part- time, professional, administrative, supervisory, or managerial experience in business administration, business management, public administration, public management, clinical administration, or clinical management of which (B) at least one (1) year must have been in project management, supervisory or managerial capacity or (C) any equivalent combination of the required experience and substitutions below.