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Child Welfare Workforce Development Specialist

The Children’s Alliance works to improve the lives and work of the children, families, and professionals involved in the child welfare and family wellbeing system. Through professional support of child welfare member agencies, public policy advocacy, and nationally recognized training programs, we drive system-level change for children and families. As a small, member-driven association working in an ever-changing social service field, the Children’s Alliance and all team members must remain adaptive to changing member needs, changing grantor/contract demands, and changing advocacy and training priorities.

A key initiative of the Alliance is to develop supports for child welfare professionals working in the child welfare continuum of care. One way we intend to accomplish this is through implementation of the KanCoach and Resilience Alliance programs. The KanCoach program focuses on improving organizational practices by enhancing supervisory capacity and skills through a strengths-based coaching model. Priority topics for KanCoach include safety/risk assessment and case planning, parent and youth engagement, relative/kin connections, and secondary traumatic stress. Resilience Alliance is designed to educate child welfare leaders and workers about secondary traumatic stress (STS) and train them in techniques to mitigate and cope with symptoms.

The Workforce Development Specialist will coordinate and deliver program objectives to child welfare supervisors working in public and private agencies. In addition to providing coaching and training to child welfare supervisors, this position will actively assist with the promotion, evaluation, and enhancement of the program. This position requires a strong understanding of the child welfare system, a commitment to building a learning culture within the child welfare workforce, and demonstrated success in teaching, training, and/or coaching. Additionally, this position requires flexibility, creativity, team-building skills, ability to provide strengths-based feedback, and strong communication and interpersonal skills.

This is primarily a full-time, hybrid position, with required in-state and limited out-of-state travel required. Applicants should expect to be at Children’s Alliance office in Topeka, Kansas at least once per month, with additional statewide travel required to perform coaching duties as we expand the program to additional organizations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

  • Conduct the KanCoach coaching program and Resilience Alliance programs with supervisors in Kansas child welfare agencies

  • Conduct initial and ongoing training for supervisors and other program staff to support KanCoach implementation

  • Support efforts to promote and establish buy-in for the vision and planning related to building a learning culture and implementing the coaching program

  • Participate actively in training, meetings, and coaching sessions

  • Advocate, promote, and practice cultural sensitivity and responsiveness in all interactions

  • Work collaboratively with team to develop and modify coaching curriculum and related transfer of learning supports

  • Conduct ongoing fidelity assessments to ensure coaching is provided with fidelity

  • Work collaboratively with the Director of Workforce Innovation & Development, fellow coaches, Children’s Alliance team and member agencies to support the expansion of KanCoach into supervisory practices within all Kansas child welfare agencies.

  • Ensure evaluation data is documented and reported regularly and accurately according to established protocols

Additional duties may include:

  • Monitoring national and Kansas state developments in child welfare systems

  • Staying up to date on innovative learning strategies and best practice in child welfare workforce development

  • Collaborating with Alliance instructional design staff to ensure curriculum and instructional design and support is high quality, relevant to the current practice environment and implemented with fidelity

  • Coordinating with team members, partners and stakeholders to ensure project task implementation on schedule and to address and remove any barriers to project implementation

  • Overseeing and support program fidelity, quality and efficient implementation

  • Ensuring program curriculum, support and delivery methods meaningfully impact child and family wellbeing

  • Proficient use of Children’s Alliance learning management system, communications and data management processes and platforms to support project implementation

  • Ensuring compliance and reporting processes for assigned projects

  • Developing and maintaining effective policies and guidelines for program implementation and ongoing evaluation

  • Committee monitoring or special projects as assigned during Kansas legislative session

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Bachelor's degree in social work or related human services field and five (5) or more years of professional experience in child welfare with a deep understanding of the Kansas child welfare system

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills

  • Strong emotional intelligence and self-regulation skills and demonstrated ability to work productively as part of a team

  • Demonstrated project management and program implementation skills p

  • Comfort with and ability to learn and manage new technology platforms and tools p

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Master's degree in social work, Master's degree in counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, Human Services or related field

  • Two (2) years of experience in child welfare supervision

  • Knowledge of KanCoach program and coaching principles, as well as prior training/instruction/teaching experience.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND LOCATION

  • Hybrid Position: Remote work with in person meetings/trainings required.

  • Home office setup required; organizational support provided.  

  • Travel: Some in state and domestic travel may be required.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

  • Competitive salary

  • Health and retirement benefits.

  • Generous paid time off and holiday schedule.

  • Professional development opportunities.

TO APPLY

Please submit a resume and cover letter outlining your qualifications and interest to jobs@childally.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Kansas Director of Caregiver Training and Support

The Children’s Alliance works to improve the lives and work of the children, families, and professionals involved in the child welfare and family wellbeing system. Through professional support of child welfare member agencies, public policy advocacy, and nationally recognized training programs, we drive system-level change for children and families. As a small, member-driven association working in an ever-changing social service field, the Children’s Alliance and all team members must remain adaptive to changing member needs, changing grantor/contract demands, and changing advocacy and training priorities.  

The Kansas Director of Caregiver Training and Support is responsible for leading the strategic development, coordination, and implementation of caregiver training and support programs across Kansas. This position ensures high-quality, trauma-informed and culturally responsive learning opportunities are provided to foster, kinship and adoptive caregivers. The Director works closely with public and private child welfare partners, training staff, curriculum developers, and member agencies to strengthen caregiver readiness and retention statewide.  

This is a full-time, hybrid position based in Kansas; with regular in-state travel and occasional out-of-state travel.  

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Program Leadership and Oversight 

  • Program strategic leadership and direction for all caregiver training and support initiatives in Kansas. 

  • In partnership with Director of National Partnerships, lead the implementation and continuous improvement of pre-service and in-service caregiver training curricula, including MAPP and other state-approved models.  

  • Monitor training fidelity, consistency, and impact across delivery partners. 

 Training and Curriculum Management 

  • In partnership with Director of National Partnerships, collaborate with state agencies and training providers to develop, review, and update curricula to reflect current research, best practice, and feedback from the field. 

  • Ensure training leaders and facilitators are well-prepared, supported, and credentialed appropriately. 

  • Oversee the scheduling, delivery, and evaluation of training sessions across the state. 

Caregiver Engagement and Support 

  • Develop and manage initiatives that provide emotional, practical, and peer-based support for caregivers. 

  • Serve as a voice for caregivers in statewide policy and program discussions. 

  • Analyze trends and feedback to inform systemic improvements in caregiver support services.  

Partnerships and Collaboration 

  • Represent the organization in statewide workgroups, committees, and collaborative planning efforts related to foster/kin/adoptive parent training and support. 

  • Build and maintain strong relationships with DCF, provider agencies, and community partners. 

Data and Quality Assurance 

  • Assist in the development of robust performance and quality improvement processes. 

  • Monitor training outcomes and support metrics; generate reports for funders and stakeholders. 

  • Identify areas for program improvement and innovation using data, research, and field input.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Minimum of five (5) years of progressive experience in child welfare, training, program coordination, or caregiver support. 

  • Demonstrated success managing teams, partnership, and statewide initiatives.  

  • Strong knowledge of foster/kinship/adoption systems, ideally within Kansas or a comparable state. 

  • Knowledge of MAPP programs (preferred).  

  • Skilled communicator with a commitment to equity, trauma-informed practice, and family-centered service delivery. 

  • Proficiency in using data to inform decisions and improve outcomes. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Master’s degree in social work, education, public administration, or related field (preferred).  

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND LOCATION

  • Hybrid Position: Remote work with in person meetings/trainings required.

  • Home office setup required; organizational support provided.  

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

  • Competitive salary commensurate with experience. 

  • Health and retirement benefits. 

  • Generous paid time off and holiday schedule. 

  • Professional development opportunities. 

TO APPLY

Please submit a resume and cover letter outlining your qualifications and interest to jobs@childally.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.