Division Manager - Ongoing Division

Division Managers provide direct supervision to Supervisors and/or Managers within the agency's social service divisions. Division Managers provides oversight to work units delivering direct services to children and families and/or or carrying out functions that support agency operations. Division Managers participates in program and policy development, implementation and monitoring of state and federal mandates and regulations, personnel management, performance evaluations, and other administrative duties to assure effective and efficient delivery of services to dependent children and their families. Division Managers must ensure adherence to child welfare mandates. Division Managers monitor and/or assists Supervisors and Caseworkers, as necessary, in carrying out child welfare requirements. Division Managers liaison with law enforcement, child advocacy centers, medical professionals and other community partners. The work involves remedying child welfare concerns, at times removing children from their homes, Juvenile Court involvement (testifying), and exposure to serious child abuse. Division Managers provide after-hours coverage on a rotational basis with the Deputy and Program Administrators. Division Managers must be certified by the State approved curriculum as Direct Service Worker and Direct Service Supervisor and obtain 20 hours of training each year to maintain certification. OCY mandates are extensive and delivered directly by OCY staff.

• Monitors compliance and quality of work unit service provision with State laws and regulations, agency policy and procedure. Assures continuity and effectiveness of existing service programs, and implementation of new ones in meeting service directives and regulations. Develops practice policies that accomplish service requirements by maintaining prescribed service provisions standards, and budgetary expenditures.
• Manages work units within one of three social service divisions. Supervises supervisors and provides back-up to casework staff if needed in absence of supervisor. Meets with each employee for weekly supervisory conferences, and assures availability during work hours, and after-hours, when necessary, to provide direction on difficult cases, authorize service provision, and approve supervisory decision making. Assists in conflict resolution and problem- solving. Approves supervisor's performance actions, staff performance evaluations, caseload distribution and other policy and procedural issues. Assists staff in professional development and enable development of management and social work skills.
• Participates in prospective employee interview process and selection of work unit staff. Assigns new employees to work units. Provides consultation and problem resolution regarding staff conduct and performance. Conducts employee performance evaluations as evaluator or reviewing officer to assist in improvement of professional capabilities. Staff are appraised minimally annually of strengths and weaknesses and provided objectives for maintaining or improving performance on the job. Incumbent also addresses training needs for new and experienced staff and approves off-site training attendance for department. Responsible for maintaining adequate staffing levels to assure related service delivery and child protection.
• Reviews cases and assignment, flow of children through system and monitors workload and caseload size and composition to assure optimal utilization of staff time and effectiveness and maximize employee productivity. Employs information gathering to measure fluctuations of workload, levels of service needed to meet public need, case disposition decisions, and submittal of documentation of service provision. Gathers and compiles statistics and conducts information analysis to document trends or change in service levels within work units and/or division. Utilizes statistical analysis in preparation of administrative reports, development of annual plan for services and budget review, documentation of division performance and compliance with legal and regulatory deadlines.
• Manages, oversees and responds to questions, concerns and case status appeals by reviewing case records, decision-making and service delivery. Consults with involved staff and prepares responses to questions or concerns of public mandated reporters, community agencies and monitoring compliance entities. Optimal outcome in process is a helpful and satisfactory resolution of initial issues. Incumbent may assume responsibility for entire problem resolution process or compile and prepare information for reply by Deputy Administrator or Agency Administrator.
• Division Manager must maintain professional contacts with others involved in county public and private systems providing services to children and/or families to facilitate understanding of agency services and program and maximize problem prevention through communication and collaboration. Meets, when necessary, with provider agencies and other professionals to resolve case specific concerns or programmatic concerns.
• Represents agency at public forums, in meetings and on special task forces, and consortiums to strengthen county network of programs and services. Maintains professional contacts by visiting contractual vendor service agencies, school districts, hospitals, police departments and professional public and private group gatherings to review programs and improve service coordination. Participates on local or statewide task forces and committees as assigned.
• Provides community education and awareness presentations, upon request, to general public and professional organizations. Community presentations focus on agency services, child abuse and neglect issues, and legal mandates.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Long and short-term planning skills and organizational abilities.
• Leadership abilities and ability to motivate, empower and encourage professional growth of staff.
• Ability to gather, assemble, correlate and analyze information and devise solutions to administrative problems.
• Ability to comprehend program goals, objectives, and operation, and to relate them to administrative analysis.
• Ability to develop, install and evaluate administrative problems and procedures and subject data to statistical analysis.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all agency staff, other administrative officials, the public and the professional community.
• Ability to clearly and concisely express ideas, orally and in writing.
• Knowledge of basic social, economic and health problems and available resources related to child welfare.
• Ability to work as a team member in accomplishing divisional and agency goals.
• Ability to exercise judgment and discretion in interpreting and implementing Agency, County, State and Federal policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of current casework practices and procedures, agency goals, objectives, service trends and structure, organization and methods of public and private child welfare agencies and institutions.
• Knowledge of current legal, legislative and regulatory mandates governing provision of services to children, youth and families.
• Ability to work as member of an administrative team, and assist where needed, as necessary to assure efficient agency operations.

• Three years of experience in public or private social work including two years in a public welfare program, two of which must have been in a supervisory capacity; and a bachelor's degree which includes or is supplemented by 12 college credits in sociology, social welfare, psychology, gerontology, criminal justice, or other related social sciences; or Any equivalent combination of experience and training which includes 12 college credits in sociology, social welfare, psychology, gerontology, criminal justice, or other related social sciences;;
• This position is subject to mandates requiring Child Abuse, Criminal History and FBI Clearances for employment.
• Pennsylvania residency is a requirement for this position.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to:

• Sit, stand, walk, stoop or kneel and climb stairs.
• Talk, hear and see to access and communicate.
• Use hands to handle or feel objects, tools or control and reach with hands or arms.
• Apply decision making techniques and make sound judgment related to child safety and well-being.
• Complete required documentation of Administrator duties.
• Lift approximately 30 pounds 5% of the time including infants, children, car seats, case records and a child's belongings.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Must have automobile in good working condition with Pennsylvania driver's license and adequate insurance coverage.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential function. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

TO APPLY FOR A POSITION, YOU MAY COMPLETE THE ON-LINE APPLICATION, FAX COUNTY APPLICATION TO 610-292-2160 OR MAIL APPLICATION TO THE ADDRESS BELOW. A LETTER OF INTEREST AND RESUME MAY ALSO BE INCLUDED WITH THE COUNTY APPLICATION.

County of Montgomery

Department of Human Resources

PO Box 311

Norristown, PA 19404-0311

(610) 278-3052

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations for the interview due to a

Disability, please advise the interviewer of the accommodations you require well in advance of the scheduled date.

If you need help to fill out this application form or during any phase of the application, interview or employment process, please contact Human Resources or the Hiring Manager of the department.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER