Field Implementation Support Specialist

School of Social Work

EXTENDED

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is seeking dynamic professionals from across the state to join a partnership between public university social work programs, the Field Implementation Support Program (FISP) and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (IDCFS). Multiple positions are available to join the exciting and meaningful work of enhancing the practice of child welfare in Illinois.

The University of Illinois is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability or veteran status. For more information, visit http://go.illinois.edu/EEO.

As a member of a specialized Statewide training Field Support Team, the Field Implementation Support Specialist will work collaboratively with agency partners to provide training, coaching, mentoring and professional development to agency staff, supervisors, and managers. The Specialist will provide both introductory awareness and post-training content reinforcement/support in the application of Family Centered, Trauma-Informed and Strength Based practices, as well as other key IDCFS initiatives. Specialist will facilitate and at times develop training, lead learning groups, and coaching for agency leadership (supervisors and managers) in content related to leadership and supervisory skills. Specialist will provide field support to enhance the transfer of learning from the training classroom to field operations.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Specialist will demonstrate an understanding of the Illinois Core Practice Model, agency policy and procedures, child welfare practices, learning methodologies, coaching techniques and implementation sciences. Specialist will partner with staff, supervisors, managers, agency leadership and key stakeholders they are assigned. Field support will be inclusive of conducting regular and frequent face-to-face meetings with individuals and small cohorts within but not limited to a field office, agency or client residence. Field support will include assessing local team strengths and challenges, and other surveys to assess practice strengths and gaps. Multiple methodologies will be utilized to accomplish this including observations of practice to identify individual and team needs and development of a practice application plan aimed at organizational outcome improvement.
• Specialist will complete gap analysis for agency workers, supervisors, and managers, to assess areas of strength or challenges related to child welfare practice and develop and implement a plan to build from the strengths to address the identified challenges. Specialist will train, coach, mentor and professionally develop agency leadership staff who through individual coaching, group learning, and formal training on leadership and supervisory skills. Specialist will facilitate training of trainers which is inclusive of coordinating and preparation of the delivery of the training and curriculum. Specialist will train staff on the delivery of various curriculums, activities, facilitation styles, presentation and classroom management skills. Specialist will spearhead workgroups and special projects as assigned which would be inclusive of attending and coordinating various meetings, drafting and disseminating notes/reports and reporting out to staff and management. Specialist will work in close collaboration with the Field Support Program Manager in the performance and assignment of these duties to be inclusive of curriculum development, revisions and enhancements.
• Appropriately applies programmatic frameworks, self-reflection tools, action plans, and protocols to assess each respective supervisor and manager (areas may include but are not limited to: knowledge, skills, attitude, systems and operations management, practice and clinical application, training skills, coaching skills, agency and community leadership); assist direct service supervisors and middle managers with incorporating job competencies into the agency's practice programs; supports skill development in: independent and self-directed learning, critical thinking, problem identification, analysis and options, problem resolution, goal setting, action planning, and decision making; support skill development in the following organizational leadership techniques: change management, program management, performance standards, gap analysis, data collection and analysis, client and service survey analysis, and quality assurance with respect to the integration of agency practice models; and promotes the supervisor and program manager partnership with treatment specialists, social service providers, court members, community contributors, and supporters; reports problematic case issues and critical case data that impact job performance.
• Meet job and performance expectations as outlined by the annual program plan deliverables unless otherwise modified by the IDCFS; communicates appropriately with the Program Administration, Program Management and as directed with supervisors and middle managers in order to complete the practice application and field support gap analysis; meet with the Program Management and Program Administration to review and discuss all of their activities and strategic program implementation planning; reviews pertinent information and ongoing progress with the Field Support Program Manager and seek consultation for performance improvement issues; and inform the Field Support Program Manager of all activities occurring on assigned work. Complete required assignments and feedback reports: gap analysis, maintains progress notes, field surveys, and needs assessments; authors and submits regular reports; assists with data collection, entry, and analysis of all assigned instructional research as requested and submit a monthly activity report.
• Utilization of the assigned IDCFS equipment (laptop, copy, scan, and fax machines, LCD projectors, phones, conference lines, webinar and virtual platforms) and software programs Microsoft Office products, Share Point and D-Net appropriately and with proficiency as directed and required. As required, utilize various training functions of the Office of Professional Development, Parent and Caregiver Support under the Clinical Practice and Professional Development; Virtual Training Center on-line learning management system; participates in various Office, Division, and IDCFS meetings and training conferences as assigned; and other related duties to further the mission of the unit as assigned.

Minimum Requirements: Master's degree from an accredited college or university with course work in Social Work or other recognized professional degree in human services. Professional experience of seven (7) or more years in Illinois public-sponsored, agency-based child welfare setting within IDCFS or its private sector partner agencies, providing a combination of direct child welfare casework including Intake, Intact Family Services, Investigations and/or Permanency/Foster Care. Experience with applying learning methodologies, such as coaching, transfer of learning, group facilitation, training and curriculum development. Four of those years must include responsibility for supervision of child welfare direct service staff and/or management of child welfare services. Experience with applying learning methodologies, such as coaching, transfer of learning, group facilitation, training and curriculum development. Appropriate state license as a Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) or Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) either prior to starting the position or demonstrate the intent to acquire the clinical license within twelve months of beginning in the position.

Knowledge Requirements: Qualified applicants must possess a working knowledge of organizational change management strategies, established training, coaching and transfer of learning methodologies, case study and clinical case presentation methodologies, established evidence-informed child welfare practices and clinical interventions related to trauma and child maltreatment within family systems, the impact of trauma on the child and family system, child trauma treatment practices, child and adolescent development, issues related to diagnosis and co-morbidity, and other behavioral health issues.

This is a full-time (100%), twelve month non-tenure track academic professional position located throughout the state of Illinois. The position is grant-funded and renewal is contingent upon availability of funds. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications. For full consideration, please apply by May 1, 2021. Start date as soon as possible after hire. There are multiple positions available in all regions of the state.

Please create your candidate profile at http://jobs.illinois.edu and upload a cover letter, curriculum vita, and the name, address, and phone numbers of three references.

The University of Illinois conducts criminal background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer.

As a qualifying federal contractor, the University of Illinois System uses E-Verify to verify employment eligibility.