Parent Support Specialist (Southern MN)

Families Rising is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Location: Candidates must live in southern Minnesota in proximity to one of the following areas: Mankato, Rochester, Redwing, Albert Lee, or Owatonna
Reports to: Families Rising MN Program Manager
Salary Range: $20-$25 per hour, 15-25 hours per week
FLSA Status: Nonexempt
To apply, submit a resume and cover letter to View email address on us.fitly.work

Responsibilities

Serve as the parent support specialist for adoptive, foster, and kinship families throughout Minnesota.

Specifically, the parent support specialist will:

• Conduct outreach in the community to agencies, counties, mental health professionals, and other service providers, building positive relationships and informing them about the support we provide to adoptive, foster, and kinship families.
• Conduct outreach to local adoptive, foster, and kinship parents to engage them in available services and support, and assess their support needs.
• Provide one‑on‑one support to adoptive, foster, and kinship parents; support will include emotional support, parenting tips and strategies, information about core issues, and referrals to community resources.
• Facilitate virtual and in‑person support groups for adoptive, foster, and kinship parents.
• Moderate private Facebook support group for parents.
• Help coordinate supportive or recreational activities for caregivers and youth.
• Serve as a positive member of the Families Rising Minnesota team.
• Participate in regular meetings, training, and calls.

Qualifications

• Lived experience with adoption, foster care, and/or kinship care.
• Demonstrable problem‑solving and self‑management skills.
• A bachelor’s degree in human services, social work, or related fields is preferred, or one year of relevant experience may be substituted for each year of the required education.
• Strong interpersonal and team leadership skills.
• Strong organizational, time management, and verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Proficiency in Google Suite.
• Proficiency in project management tools and software, including Asana.

Skill Sets

• Leadership: Able to lead their team to success by providing clear direction, motivation, and support.
• Organization: Highly organized to manage multiple tasks, timelines, and resources simultaneously.
• Time management: Able to prioritize tasks and manage time effectively to meet deadlines.
• Risk management: Able to identify potential risks and take measures to mitigate them before they can negatively impact the project.
• Problem‑solving: Quickly identify and solve problems that may arise during a project.
• Adaptability: Be adaptable and adjust plans and strategies to keep the project on track.
• Teamwork: Able to work collaboratively with their team to achieve project goals.
• Technical expertise: Understand the project’s technical aspects well and communicate effectively with technical team members.

Travel Required

• 10% or less – You will be expected to travel for this position occasionally.

Physical Demands

• Be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time.
• Be able to operate a computer and other office productivity consistently. Machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer.
• Have the ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand.
• Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.

Additional Notes

Work is performed in a remote office environment within the state of Minnesota . This position may require occasional evenings and weekends. Families Rising conducts child protective services and sex offender registry checks on all employees.

This is a fully remote position. Must live in Minnesota . Earned safe and sick time.

Founded in 1974, Families Rising (formerly the North American Council on Adoptable Children) emerged from a passionate group of adoptive parent leaders who aimed to create a supportive community. It became the leading North American organization committed to supporting child welfare professionals and parents. Dedicated to advocacy, education, support, and leadership development, Families Rising has become the go‑to resource for technical assistance, capacity building, and training across the United States and Canada. The annual Families Rising Adoption and Foster Care Conference brings thousands together once a year to learn from the top child welfare professionals in the nation to promote new and exciting child welfare workforce initiatives and strategies.