Definition
Plans, directs, supervises, and administers the entire social work program in a service area or institution; performs related work as required.
Work Examples
Supervises and evaluates the work of subordinates; recommends personnel actions related to selection, disciplinary procedures, performance, leaves, grievances, work schedules, and assignments; administers personnel policies and procedures.
Supervises, plans, directs and coordinates the social work program of a service area or institution; makes recommendations to higher level administrators concerning changes in functions and programs and the evaluation of program goals and objectives; assists in preparing budget estimates.
Provides consultative and technical guidance in the development of manuals and policies related to program operations.
Provides consultative services to county offices on all aspects of social work programs.
Implements policies and regulations and assures that conformity to policy is maintained; conducts staff meetings and develops in-service training of personnel through the use of staff meetings, conferences and group meetings and special training programs.
Meets with federal, state and local officials as needed to clarify, explain, coordinate and implement departmental goals, objectives, and programs.
Participates in special projects; serves as the statewide specialist of a social work program area; is part of the team.
Acts as a special representative of the department for operational matters as requested.
Prepares or directs the preparation of necessary records and reports.
Competencies Required
Knowledge:
Administration and Management – Business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Administrative – Administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Business and Management – Principles and facts related to business administration and accounting, human and material resource management in organizations, sales and marketing, economics, and office information and organizing systems.
English Language – Structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
Abilities:
Deductive Reasoning – Apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Flexibility of Closure – Identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Fluency of Ideas – Come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Inductive Reasoning – Combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Information Ordering – Arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Oral Comprehension – Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression – Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Originality – Come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Problem Sensitivity – Tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Speech Clarity – Speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition – Identify and understand the speech of another person.
Written Comprehension – Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Written Expression – Communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Skills:
Active Learning – Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Active Listening – Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Complex Problem Solving – Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Critical Thinking – Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Judgment and Decision Making – Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Management of Financial Resources – Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures.
Management of Material Resources – Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
Management of Personnel Resources – Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Reading Comprehension – Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Service Orientation – Actively looking for ways to help people.
Speaking – Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Time Management – Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Writing – Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in any field, and experience equal to five years of full-time work in consulting, supervising, or evaluating social work programs, two years of which were in a full-time supervisory capacity.
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in social work, and experience equal to two years of full-time work in supervisory work in a social work program.