Company Description

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 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 culture enhances our ability to fulfill our mission. We strongly invite candidates from diverse backgrounds, including communities of color, the LGBTQIA+ community, veterans, and people with disabilities to apply.

We are seeking to hire a Family Connections Program Manager to lead our Family Connections Program, part of our Resource Care Team. This position involves a hybrid work environment, working both remotely and through in-person interactions with colleagues and participants throughout Washington state.

The Family Connections Program (FCP) seeks to shift local child welfare practice from a siloed and adversarial approach to a more collaborative and open approach. FCP does this by helping foster and kinship caregivers and children’s parents build a working relationship to maintain essential connections for the child placed in out-of-home care and by providing coaching and enrichment opportunities to child welfare workers and judicial officers. The goal of the program is to reduce the trauma experienced by children entering out-of-home care by supporting and facilitating a positive relationship between the child’s parents and caregivers. The team includes FCP peer mentors (parents impacted by the child welfare system and relative and foster caregivers who have received specialized training) as well as a program coordinator.

Job Description

The Family Connections Program Manager reports to the Chief Program & Policy Officer and works closely with Amara’s Program leadership team while managing Amara’s Family Connections Program (FCP) development, implementation, and maintenance.

Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Program Development and Administration:

Budgeting
- Review, allocate, and approve program-related expenses.
- Project, develop, and monitor revenue and expense budget for Family Connection Program with supervisory support.
Reporting
- Ensure programmatic reporting is aligned with Agency vision, mission, and strategic plan.
- Maintain effective contracts between Amara and pertinent program partners (e.g. DCYF, Administrative Office of the Courts, etc.).
- Ensure Amara is meeting all monitoring, reporting, and contract requirements. This includes guiding internal and external audits to ensure regulatory compliance regarding service delivery.
Program Development/Refinement
- Lead the implementation and iteration of protocols, procedures, and program structure that are consistent with best practice models.
- Manage the day-to-day operations of the Family Connections Program and collaborate with team members to advance program impact.
- Identify, recommend, and implement program and process improvement in concert with team feedback/guidance.
Direction Setting/Leadership
- In collaboration, create and implement a strategic workplan for the Family Connections Program annually, ensure clear team-wide direction setting, work assignment, and accountability.
- Work collaboratively to ensure impactful, efficient, and complementary services across Amara’s service array.
- Inform key personnel regarding any recommendations for child welfare policy
- Remain apprised of current trends, practices, and legislation that inform and impact the Family Connections Program.
Community Engagement – narrative change
- Build collaborative relationships with local Community Based Organizations (CBOs) including behavioral health organizations, foster care organizations, DCYF, etc. to ensure effective referrals and community support.
- In collaboration, ensure key successes and challenges are transparently shared with our community partners.
- Attend required and recommended County and State provider and community meetings in key identified partner areas serviced by Amara.
- Utilize support of the Strategic Policy Advisor in narrative change efforts, advisory council reporting, content creation for trainings, and embedding the FCP referral process across WA state DCYF offices.
Outreach and Communication – newsletters, marketing, advertisement, etc.
- Lead outreach efforts by creating a clear strategy, collaborating across the organization, and effectively assigning tasks to self and team members as appropriate (e.g. newsletter content creation, email marketing to key community partners, etc.).
Outcomes/Evaluation
- In partnership with key personnel, ensure appropriate data collection and reporting.
- Keep Amara staff and key personnel up-to-date as to program outcomes and performance.

FCP Staff Supervision and Management

As a manager, this position plays a key role in the development and ongoing promotion of Amara’s mission, vision, philosophy, and culture.
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 FCP team, including staff recruitment and retention, hiring, orientation, supervision, evaluation, and promotion of staff.
- FCP staff bring a wealth of lived expertise and varying professional experiences to their work, and require differing supervisory approaches and supports.
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 FCP staff and contractors to ensure best practice across all program areas.
Support FCP 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.
Collaborate with the FCP Coordinator to assign and manage staff caseloads, setting and adjusting work to be accomplished by staff.
Track overall performance of FCP team members and provide professional development as needed

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

Lived expertise can be considered in lieu of the educational requirements outlined below.
Associate’s degree in social services, family development, or an allied field with minimum of 5 years of experience providing direct service within the child welfare field OR Bachelor’s Degree with minimum of 2 years of experience providing direct service within the child welfare field OR Master’s degree in social work, education, or allied field.
Knowledge of child development and family systems
Knowledge of child welfare, 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 and other community providers
Must provide proof of current COVID-19 vaccination.
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.

Preferred Qualifications

Relevant lived experience navigating the complexities of child welfare.
Ability to effectively communicate (verbal and written) with Spanish-speaking families.
Experience coordinating and managing individual, and group supports.
Strong writing skills
Experience with MS Word, Teams, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel

Additional Information

Salary And Benefits

This is a full-time position with an annual salary of $66,268-$75,816 DOE. Amara offers a generous leave and benefits package including 10 company holidays, 4 personal days, sick leave, and 15 days of vacation per year. Competitive health, dental and vision insurance rates, a 401k with a company match, life, and disability insurance and a paid sabbatical. Amara supports a hybrid work environment with some flexibility to work from home. Candidate will have workspace available in one of our locations in either Pierce or King County.

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. For specific requirements please feel free to contact 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.

To Apply

To express your interest in this position, please submit your resume and one-page cover letter indicating why this position is the right opportunity for you in Smart Recruiters.

Resumes submitted without a cover letter will not be considered.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Amara is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Amara

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Family Connections Program Manager