Child Welfare Director of Intensive Technical Assistance

Join a team that makes a difference in the lives of children and teens in the US foster care system! 

NAA is seeking a passionate and collaborative diligent recruitment expert to lead a department in the National Center for Diligent Recruitment at AdoptUSKids.  

Overview: 

The National Center for Diligent Recruitment (“Center”) operates within AdoptUSKids (AUSK), a multi-million dollar five-year federally funded collaborative project of the Children’s Bureau. The National Center for Diligent Recruitment has the following objectives:  

1. Provide intensive support to states, tribes, and territories in fulfilling the requirements of their diligent recruitment plans and ensure they are fully implemented and meet the intended outcomes 
2. Offer universal, constituency, and short-term technical assistance to states, tribes, and territories to support sites’ diligent recruitment plans, activities, and outcomes 
3. Identify, document, and disseminate methods and approaches to diligent recruitment that are informed by evidence, include system change work, and can be replicated. 

The National Center for Diligent Recruitment will work with child welfare leaders to promote evidence-informed, best, and promising diligent recruitment approaches to improve the safety, permanency, and well-being of children, youth and families who are involved with the U.S. foster care system. This Center will provide intensive on-site guidance and assistance to states, territories, and tribes (STTs) to develop and actualize data-informed diligent recruitment plans that result in concrete outcomes for children, youth and families who are being served by the system. The Center’s website will be a repository of knowledge, best practice, and accomplishments of all on-site work in STTs and its dissemination strategy will promote best practices.  

Position Overview: 

The Director of Intensive Technical Assistance will co-lead onsite intensive technical assistance with the Center Director and members of intensive technical assistance department.  This position will provide supervision of the Center’s Intensive Technical Assistance Department: five full-time diligent recruitment advisors and expert consultants contracted for specific projects to support capacity-building efforts in STTs. The Director of Intensive Technical Assistance will work closely with the Center’s Universal and Constituency Technical Assistance and Support Services Department in the identification and development of universal technical assistance opportunities from their onsite work with STTs.  

Education and Experience Requirements: 

• A master’s degree in social work, nonprofit management, public administration, or a closely related field is preferred; (will consider a bachelor’s degree with extensive professional experience) 
• A minimum of 15 years of public child welfare experience at the state level required; with 5 of those years being state-level leadership experience 
• Experience as a recipient of technical assistance as a public child welfare professional preferred  
• Experience in leading, planning, and executing diligent recruitment plans collaboratively within the public child welfare system 
• Expert knowledge of training, capacity-building and coaching with leaders at all levels 
• Demonstrated ability to work across silos and collaborate with cross-system teams 
• Ability to travel 45-50% or 3 trips per month, on average   

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Coaching & Training. Deep knowledge and understanding of best practices in training and technical assistance and implementation science. 
• Public Child Welfare Knowledge. Possesses significant knowledge, skills, and abilities gained from public child welfare agency experience. Expert in diligent recruitment, family finding, implementation science, data analysis, race equity, and coordination. 
• Team Building. Motivates team members to accomplish group goals and goals of our funder. 
• Vision. Understands and communicates the shared vision of the project; influences others to translate vision into action. Knowledge and understanding of disproportionality and disparities with the ability to address them. Demonstrates commitment to DEI and youth voice.  
• Data Informed. Values data, critically thinks about complex data, supports the partner organizations in how they use data, and uses data to inform decision making. 
• Effective Communication. Diplomatic communication style (verbal and written) with the ability to communicate the needs and concerns of the partners accurately and effectively to the federal program officer. Practices active listening; keeps others well informed; encourages others to express contrary views; adheres to the communication model as outlined in our collaboration agreement. 
• Strategic Thinking & Change Management. Formulates objectives and priorities and implements plans consistent with long-term objectives while managing risks. Experience analyzing data and producing comprehensive reports. 
• Relationship Management. Treats others with courtesy, sensitivity, and respect; possesses a good sense of humor. Facilitates decision making among people with different priorities, perspectives, and points of view in all situations.  
• Accountability. Holds self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results. Delivers constructive feedback directly and supportively. 
• Public Relations. Clear written/verbal communication with the media and public on behalf of the project that demonstrates knowledge of child welfare and conveys a passion for the cause/children & families we serve. 
• Collaborative Leadership. Creates opportunities for collaboration; encourages the exchange of information and sharing; focuses on the common purpose; has an action orientation. 
• Integrity/Honesty. Possesses high ethical standards; consistently demonstrates ethical standards in words and actions 
• Mediation. Ability to arbitrate and resolve conflict specifically as it pertains to facilitating the shared vision of the project, meeting the goals and expectation of the Children’s Bureau and ensuring that the partners are equally contributing and participating in the project equitably. 
• Political Savvy. Identifies the internal and external politics that impact the work of the organization; perceives and interprets the political reality and acts accordingly. Stays thoughtfully and critically engaged in the work during high-pressure situations and interactions.  
• Financial Management. Ability to provide support in the preparation, justification, and administration of the program budgets; oversees and monitors expenditures regularly and develops resource spending plans when necessary for the department. Works directly with the Center Director regarding finances. 
• Project Management. Possesses exceptional project management skills. Determines the necessary sequence needed to achieve goals, handles multiple demands and competing priorities, sets high performance expectations for team members, and sets clear performance expectations and objectives. Flexibility with the ability to adapt as needed. 

Additional Notes: 

Work is performed remotely within the United States. NAA conducts child protective services and sex offender registry checks on all employees.  

Requirements

Role and Responsibilities: 

1. Programmatic Administration 

• Oversees and manages all Intensive Technical Assistance contracts and assures compliance with Children’s Bureau cooperative agreement. 
• Maintains accountability for meeting grant objectives through direct work with the Center Director. 
• Participates in NAA staff meetings, CLT partner meetings, and grantee meetings. 

2. Strategic Planning & Continuous Improvement 

• Provides leadership for the development of the Intensive Technical Assistance Department at the Center.  
• Works under the Center Director to meet the objectives and the activities proposed to accomplish them. 

3. Leadership 

• Meets regularly with team members throughout the Center to provide guidance on assigned activities. 
• Provides leadership of the Intensive Technical Assistance department and works in conjunction with the Director of Universal Constituency & Supportive Services to support the Center Director.  
• Supervises staff and consultants. 

4. Public Relations 

• Represents the Intensive Technical Assistance Department at conferences and meetings. 

5. Management 

• Directly manages, supervises, and provides leadership for the department.  
• Participates in the recruitment and selection of all department staff, including those employed by NAA and seeks Children’s Bureau participation and approval for all key positions.  
• Assures accounting of all department funds, meeting regularly with the Center Director to maintain sound financial practices. 
• Participates in Center staff meetings with the Center Director and Director of Universal Constituency & Supportive Services. 

Benefits

Benefits: 

As a member of our team, you will receive a competitive salary of $100,000 - $115,000 and a generous benefits package including a gold health plan, dental & vision insurance (100% employer paid for employees!); employer retirement plan contribution; and professional development opportunities, among others. You will also enjoy your work - knowing you are a part of a dedicated group of professionals making an impact. 

NAA is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a diverse workforce. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability.  

How to Apply:  

No phone calls please. Apply online here Director of Intensive Technical Assistance a cover letter and resume by May 8, 2024. The cover letter must include a detailed description of your experience with diligent recruitment. 

About NAA and AdoptUSKids: 

Founded in 1982 under the name Adoption Exchange Association, the National Adoption Association is the country's premier national association of adoption professionals and organizations. NAA is the only national association focused exclusively on supporting the educational needs of those in the adoption profession. The organization serves adoption exchanges, private child-placing agencies, and public child welfare systems by engaging members in national discussions to eliminate barriers to foster care adoption and share best practices. Our mission is leaders advancing best practices in adoption from foster care. Our vision is to build the premier network of professionals and agencies to create innovative strategies and solutions so that every child has a permanent loving family. www.adoptnaa.org  

AdoptUSKids educates families about foster care and adoption and gives child welfare professionals information and support to help them improve their services. We also maintain the nation’s only federally funded photo listing service that connects waiting children with families. Our mission is to: raise public awareness about the need for foster and adoptive families for children in the public child welfare system; and assist US states, territories, and tribes to recruit, engage, develop, and support foster and adoptive families. www.adoptuskids.org  

NAA Racial Equity Statement: 

As leaders in child welfare, we recognize systemic racism creates disparities that negatively impact our staff as well as the children and families we serve. NAA is committed to listening, learning, and taking actions to advance racial equity by:  

• Continually and intentionally recruiting, hiring, and supporting diverse staff, including consultants and vendors; 
• Using a racial equity lens in all of our programmatic work; 
• Evaluating our organizational policies and procedures to ensure that they are antiracist1;  
• Allowing staff to be their authentic selves.