Caregiver Support Program Manager

Amara is committed to positive long-term outcomes for children and families. We drive systemic change, promote healing, and advance racial and LGBTQIA+ equity by offering programs and services to families engaged with in the child welfare system.

At Amara, we believe that a supportive, equitable and inclusive workplace, where everyone feels valued, trusted, and nurtured, is key to shaping organizational culture and investing in underrepresented communities. Amara believes that a diverse workforce and inclusive workplace enhances our ability to fulfill our mission. We strongly invite candidates from diverse backgrounds, including communities of color, the LGBTQ+ community, veterans, and people with disabilities to apply.

We are seeking to hire a Caregiver Support Program Manager to become an integral and valued part of our Resource Care Team to achieve Amara’s vision. The Caregiver Support Manager will be responsible for overseeing the development, implementation and supervising staff that carries out the new state contract of the Caregiver Support Program supporting children and youth who are placed in formal care with kinship caregivers.

Position summary

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the following satisfactorily; other duties may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Program Development and Administration:

Budgeting

o At the direction of the Director of Resource Care, project, develop, and monitor revenue and expense budget for CSP. Review, allocate, and approve program-related expenses.

Contract Management/Reporting

o At the direction of the Director of Resource Care, ensure programmatic reporting is aligned with Agency vision, mission, and strategic plan and meets minimum reporting requirements.

o Work with internal and external partners to ensure Amara meets all monitoring, reporting, and contract requirements. This includes guiding internal and external audits to ensure regulatory compliance regarding service delivery.

Program Development/Refinement

o Be an internal expert on Amara’s new Caregiver Support Contract.

o Lead the implementation and iteration of protocols, procedures, and program structure consistent with best practice models for effective program implementation across the entire CSP in line with new contract. This work will include (but not be limited to): on-call, caregiver support, and case-aide services.

o Manage the day-to-day operations of CSP and collaborate with team members to advance program impacts. Ensure staff providing these services have the necessary training and skills to do the work including appropriate coverage as needed and in line with contract requirements.

Direction Setting/Leadership

o Create and implement a strategic work plan annually to ensure clear team-wide direction setting, work assignment, and accountability.

o Work collaboratively with Amara Program leads to ensure impactful, efficient, and complementary services across Amara’s service array.

o Coordinate with the Caregiver Support Supervisor and Enrichment and Education Manager to ensure that learning opportunities and support groups are made available to families and CSP staff as needed

o Inform Director of Resource Care and Chief Innovation and Program Officer regarding any recommendations for child welfare policy.

Community Engagement / Outreach

o Build collaborative relationships with local Community Based Organizations (CBOs) including behavioral health organizations, Tribal entities, foster care organizations, DCYF, etc. to ensure effective referrals, program awareness, and community support.

o At the direction of the Director of Resource Care and in collaboration with the Caregiver Support Collaborative and Amara’s Communication team, ensure key successes and challenges are transparently shared with our community partners.

o Attend required and recommended County and State provider and community meetings in key identified partner areas serviced by Amara.

o At the direction of the Director of Resource Care, lead outreach efforts by creating a clear strategy, collaborating across the organization and with the Caregiver Support Collaborative; effectively assign tasks to self and team members as appropriate (e.g. newsletter content creation, email marketing to key community partners, etc.).

o At the direction of the Director of Resource Care, coordinate with the Communications team on media content regarding issues related to Case Aide supports, including storytelling opportunities.

Outcomes/Evaluation

o In partnership with Associate Director of Program Impact and Evaluation, ensure appropriate data collection and reporting to evaluate program impact and efficacy given the contract constraints and the established programmatic goals.

o Keep Amara staff and key personnel up to date as to program outcomes and performance.

Staff Supervision and Management

Supervise a team of Caregiver Support Supervisors and Caregiver Support Placement Specialists that serve the entirety of Amara’s Caregiver Support service area. This includes both Caregiver Support and Case Aide bodies of work.

Provide a warm, caring, and confident leadership style that supports a team providing direct services to families experiencing the child welfare system.

Develop, supervise, and support the CSP team, including staff recruitment and retention, hiring, orientation, supervision, evaluation, and promotion of staff.

Ensure that services provided are high quality, consistent, and responsive to child and family needs across all team members.

Utilize reflective supervision skills in individual and group settings with assigned staff (including any volunteers, interns, or contractors) to ensure best practice across all program areas. Ensure this is done in line with contract requirements.

Support assigned staff in effectively coordinating work for shared clients across program areas, be readily available for ad-hoc staffing and participate in team meetings as needed.

Assign and manage staff caseloads, setting and adjusting work to be accomplished by staff.

Track overall performance of assigned team members and provide professional development opportunities and recommendations as needed.

Support and track case progression; guide clinical staffing through placement.

Provide case coverage for supervisees as needed.

Monitor professional practices of direct reports, ensuring compliance with agency goals, values, policies, and procedures

Assess strengths and needs of staff; support and facilitate ongoing professional development

Regularly facilitate one-on-one and group supervision to develop clinical knowledge and skills, promote self-awareness, encourage collaboration amongst team members, and ensure consistent communication between staff and leadership

Review, assess, and edit reports as needed

Maintain strong ethical boundaries and ensure staff is adhering to their professional code of conduct

Conduct performance evaluations as directed by Amara policy

Direct Service

Provide caregiver support services to assigned cases.

Carry a small caseload to meet the needs of the program which will change over time as the program evolves.

Provide coverage for staff as needed.

Partnership/Engagement

Facilitate family workshops, information meetings, support groups, and community events as needed

Collaborate with staff and managers in other Amara programs as needed to ensure appropriate cross-program referrals and consistent service delivery

Be an active participant in Resource Care Leadership meeting to enact the effective implementation of Amara’s Caregiver Support programming

Qualifications: The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

An MSW or equivalent (social services, human services, behavioral science, or allied field)

4+ years of experience providing healing-centered or trauma informed care

3+ years of work experience in child welfare or social services (lived experience can account for up to 1 year of this requirement)

2+ years of experience in supervision or administration of social services

2+ years of experience supervising and mentoring a team of 3+ individuals

Knowledge of child development and family systems

Knowledge of child welfare, kinship care, foster care, guardianship and adoption and the needs of families supporting children through transitions and post-permanency

Ability to demonstrate initiative, discretion, maturity, flexibility, and independent judgment required

Ability to work with individuals across the spectrum of age, religion, race, culture, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and gender expressions & identities

Ability to work collaboratively with an outstanding professional team, DCYF, Tribal Leadership, and other community providers

A team member with a respectful and accessible approach to their work who is comfortable with situations of ambiguity and able to relate to a wide range of clients and team members

A highly competent team player who is energized by Amara’s mission and the array of services that the organization is providing

Strong written and oral communication skills; experience communicating through verbal and written formats with a wide variety of stakeholders while balancing responsiveness, empathy, and directness

Ability to flex hours to accommodate client and staff needs on an occasional basis

Cross-cultural responsiveness relative to age, race, ethnicity, belief systems, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and economic circumstances

Ability to successfully manage competing priorities, triage tasks, and effectively utilize time with colleagues and with clients

Ability to confidently navigate complex conversations with staff and families

Strong familiarity with resources in King and Pierce Counties

First Aid/CPR/BBP Certification

Willingness and ability to work at Amara offices, and travel as needed to other WA state counties.

Valid Driver’s License, reliable vehicle, current auto insurance

Must be at least 21 years of age.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Up to six Caregiver Support Staff as assigned – see Essential Duties and Responsibilities.

Criminal Background Check:

Amara conducts background checks appropriate to the contractual requirements of the position. A previous conviction will not necessarily bar individuals from employment at Amara. Specific clearance requirements can be discussed with the Hiring Manager or Human Resources.

Vaccination Requirement:

Amara requires that all employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This requirement is designed to prioritize the safety of the children and families we serve. Exemptions may be sought only for documented medical or religious accommodation.

Salary and Benefits

This is a full-time position with a rate of pay between $40.86-$48.87 hourly ($85,000-$99,999 annually) depending on experience. Generous personal leave and benefits package, including paid time off, paid sabbatical, health, vision and dental insurance, 401k with a company match, life, and disability insurance. Amara supports a hybrid work schedule with some flexibility to work from home. Occasional travel between our King and Pierce County offices may be required.

To Apply

To express your interest in this position, please send your resume and a one-page cover letter indicating why this position is the right opportunity for you in Smart Recruiters: https://smrtr.io/mcjTY

Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled.

Amara is an Equal Opportunity Employer