Associate Director, Family & Community Support

Primary Purpose

The Associate Director, Family & Community Support (FCS) department holds responsibilities in core areas – clinical and community engagement.  This role requires the application of both clinical as well as administrative skills.  The idea candidate has experience in child development, adoption and/or child welfare.  This role requires strong clinical skills in working with children and adults and the ability to oversee and facilitate post adoption programming.  The Associate Director plays an integral role in providing direct support to the Sr. Director as operational partner for the entire department.  Occasional evening and weekend work required.  This is a full-time, in-person position with an annual salary range of $85,000-$95,000.

Spence-Chapin is a non-profit organization based in New York City that has been providing adoption services and adoption support for more than 115 years. At Spence-Chapin, we believe that every child deserves a family, and we work tirelessly to advocate for children in need of a permanent, loving home. Over our history, Spence-Chapin has served more than 30,000 children, women, and families through our main program areas: Comprehensive Domestic and International Adoption Programs; Birth Parent Services; Well-being Services; and International Humanitarian Aid through programs like our Granny Program to support children living in orphanages overseas.

Our work is made possible by individuals dedicated to our staff. At Spence-Chapin we find joy in celebrating each other, our co-workers, and our clients. Everyone is treated with respect and dignity to strengthen the vibrancy of our community. We celebrate a culture of excellence, inclusivity, compassion, flexibility, and support. Spence-Chapin offers a competitive benefits package that includes full health benefits, generous PTO and holiday schedule, HRA & FSA plans, life insurance, retirement plan with employer contribution, paid maternity/paternity/adoption leave, commuter benefits, and more. Being part of the Spence-Chapin team is being part of a legacy, which for more than 110 years has provided critical services to children, women, and families around the world.

Key Performance Indicators

• Provide ongoing, clinical services and monitoring for a caseload of 10-15 clients
• As a member of the clinical team, participate in team consultation and clinical supervision
• Provide clinical services in range of modalities to the adoption constellation both private and public adoption
• Complete progress notes and other written documentation in accordance with organization protocol or contractual agreements
• Oversee and facilitate community programming collaborating with Sr. Director on outreach and onboarding to hosting activities and gathering feedback
• Supervise Community Engagement coordinator and volunteers
• Complete administrative roles associated with Community Programming along with Manager
• Provide logistical/setup support for community events
• Plan yearly calendar of events for adoption community with Manager & Sr. Director
• Ensure electronic and physical files are maintained for clients and program events
• Provide direct support to Sr. Director for key decisions and tasks
• Represent Spence-Chapin when needed at conferences, community events and with partners
• Outreach and relationship building to expand network of partner organizations
• Provide additional assistance within and outside of counseling areas, as requested and/or as appropriate, to ensure the ongoing success of counseling and community programming services at the organization
• Perform any other departmental or agency-related duties or special projects as directed by supervisor

Education & Experiences

• Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW or LCSW), or related field-psychology, mental health, etc. required
• Expertise with trauma and/or attachment models of therapy
• Minimum of 3-5 years’ experience working with children and families within the adoption constellation
• Strong interpersonal skills and charismatic presentation style
• Knowledge of providing telehealth services and virtual presentations
• Knowledge of and sensitivity to cultural diversity and cross-cultural issues
• Those with lived experience in adoption or foster care encouraged to apply

Technical Skills

• MS Office -Proficiency in Excel, Word, Outlook and PowerPoint
• Experience with database platforms and entering case notes
• Basic knowledge of Canva

Key Competencies

• Demonstrated clinical experience
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong organizational skills with ability to meet tight deadlines
• Ability to multi-task; strong execution skills thorough follow through and attention to detail
• Strong analytical skills; critical thinking and problem solving
• Additional languages a plus
• Occasional weekend or evening work necessary
• Ability to work in a collaborative environment with various departments, which supports both individual and cooperative work

This job description is not intended to detail every aspect of your job or list every task you may perform. It is provided as a general overview of the responsibilities and skills required to do this job successfully