JOB TYPE: Regular, full time
SUPERVISOR: Program Director
Resume and Pre-Interview Questions:
To apply, we ask that you send a resume and responses to pre-interview questions at the following link. https://ampersandfamilies.mysamdb.com/SAM/Usr/PreInterviewQuestionsForm_Edt.aspx. We do not require a cover letter.
Once we receive all materials, Program Directors will review and decide whether to extend first interview offers. You should expect to hear back from us within two weeks.
Agency Summary:
Ampersand Families recruits and supports permanent families for older youth, and champions practices in adoption and permanency that restore belonging, dignity and hope. We are seeking experienced professionals who understand the profound impact that child welfare intervention has on the lives of children, youth and families. A successful candidate for this position will be curious about the many ways permanency work can restore belonging, dignity and hope. An orientation of professionalism and humility that values continuous learning and commitment to give and receive consultation are requirements for successful employment at Ampersand Families.
Ampersand Families is proud to be an employer of choice with an organizational culture of excellence that embraces humor, learning and collegial support. We employ professionals who are accountable for learning the skills, building the relationships and investing the time required to achieve and support real outcomes for youth, families and excellence in the programs designed to support them.
Ampersand Families is committed to doing our part to create a more equitable child welfare system. To that end, Ampersand Families provides equal employment opportunity for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, nationality, ethnic background, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, marital status, socio-economic status, status with regard to public assistance, political affiliation, veteran status, other non-visible differences and other protected attributes.
Position Description:
Family support and education is a hallmark of Ampersand Families’ work. The Family Support and Education Specialist will play a key role in the innovative post-placement supports our agency provides, including our Buddy Family program and Family Retreats and Supports. They will provide a variety of formal and informal educational opportunities for families throughout their adoption process, via group training sessions, 1:1 parent orientations, communications and newsletters, and materials distributed from within the office. The Family Support and Education Specialist may also provide home study and placement services for relative and non-relative prospective adoptive families.
As an organization, Ampersand Families strives to strategically address systemic inequity and barriers to permanency for older youth, youth of color and sibling groups. To a large extent, this commitment is demonstrated though active engagement with relatives and kin as potential permanency resources for youth who cannot return to their parent/s. The right person for this position has a deep commitment to helping relative/kin families successfully parent children and teens who have experienced trauma. They will seek and maintain key connections with individuals and organizations to share about our efforts in this regard, and act as the first contact for relatives and kin.
This is a professional position requiring significant amount of self-direction, some irregular hours and travel throughout the state of Minnesota.
Primary Duties:
Innovative Family support
· In coordination with Program Director, manage all logistics for parent training, weekend retreats and other family support events (dates, venues, RSVPs, trainers, copies/handouts, food, set up, clean up, supplies, etc)
· Ensure successful delivery of four family retreat/support events each year, either virtually or in-person
· Create and distribute bi-weekly/monthly Family News and Wellness messages via email to a large number of current and former clients and supporters, including quarterly reminders of foster care licensing requirements for the agency’s currently licensed families
· Maintain regular communication with a specified caseload of buddy families, completing required steps of the process including assessment interviews, home safety walk throughs, individualized education, matching with an identified family
· Write quarterly reports on services provided and barriers to delivery for Buddy Family program and Family Retreats/supports
Parent engagement,training and home study services
· Ensure that all inquiring prospective families, relative and non-relative, and buddy families receive a comprehensive one-on-one orientation to the agency.
· Provide consultation to relative and kin families who might be able to provide permanency to youth who are in the child welfare system and not able to return home to their parent/s
· In partnership with other staff, lead buddy family training sessions, Match and Placement Education training sessions, and Parent Roundtables
· Maintain documentation of all activities, outreach, and communication with workers, youth, and families
This position might include providing home study assessment, foster care licensing and placement support services to a small case load of relative or non-relative families
Community outreach and engagement
· Promote creative recruitment strategies to increase in number and diversity the pool of families adopting, providing permanency, or becoming Buddy Families via the agency.
· Participate in the agency’s continued development of early intervention work with relative and kin families in partnership with counties and community agencies.
Experience and skills required:
· The strongest candidates will have project coordination and administrative experience as well as experience with the child welfare system and/or adoption.
· Personal and professional commitment to antiracism work, and understanding of the impact of systemic racism on the lives of youth who end up in the child welfare system. Willingness to engage in difficult, respectful conversations for the purpose of strengthening the organization, the child welfare field, and interpersonal relationships with colleagues.
· Ability to be self-directed as well as to work as part of a team. Flexibility, comfort with change and personal initiative are necessary traits to effectively fulfill the expectations of this position.
· Enthusiasm for professional development and commitment to grow through feedback, consultation and training
· Excellent organization skills, able to handle big picture and small detail aspects of the work
· Ability to multi-task and problem solve, proficiency at simultaneously handling several projects with different timelines is a must
· Strong communication skills; ability to communicate effectively and develop partnerships with wide range of community members, social service professionals, families and youth
· Impeccable, clear boundaries with youth and families
· Recognizes ways that race, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability level, and other identities (historically and presently) intersect and play out in the lives of youth and families who have experienced child welfare intervention
· Experience and interest in developing internal and external communications and partnerships
· Enthusiastic facilitation/public speaking skills, including experience with large group presentations and leading trainings
· Ability to work some evenings and weekends (approximately 1-2 evenings a month and up to 8 weekend days per year)
· Ability to travel to community partner locations and client homes in the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota
· Competency with a variety of technology and computer programs (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Other Requirements
Driving record, current driver’s license, insurance coverage and background checks in compliance with agency policies. Willingness to travel throughout Minnesota, including occasional overnights.
STARTING SALARY RANGE: $46,000 – $52,000
As part of our commitment to equitable hiring practices, we offer the highest starting salary based on an applicant’s qualifications that the agency is able to pay. Therefore, we do not engage in salary negotiations at hiring.
BENEFITS
Ampersand Families has a very competitive benefit package, including Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Long-term Disability Insurance, Retirement Plan, 20 Days of PTO (accrued per year; increases with each year of employment), 10 floating holidays plus Juneteenth and Election Day paid holidays, Paid Parental Leave, and Short-term Disability Bank (accrue 5 days/year of service).
Permanency Specialists are provided with a work laptop and work cell phone. They are also provided with a company credit card to manage expenses in the field. Mileage is reimbursed for local travel, and rental cars are available for longer trips. All staff are provided a budget of $350 yearly for ongoing training and education.
Before accepting an offer, candidate is given an opportunity to meet with current staff to get a further sense of the Agency culture and to ask any questions they may have.
Ampersand Families acknowledges that this is a time of significantly heightened stress for many in our community, and we recognize that this may impact a candidate’s readiness to apply for a new position. A thorough outline of our agency’s typical hiring process and timeline is included on our website. We encourage interested candidates to submit application materials and indicate if they need accommodations in the hiring process (which may include a different pace for interviews, flexibility in interview times).
