Child Welfare Diligent Recruitment Advisor

Join a team that makes a difference in the lives of children and teens in the US foster care system! 

NAA is seeking passionate and collaborative diligent recruitment experts to play a critical role in the National Center for Diligent Recruitment at AdoptUSKids.  

Overview

The National Center for Diligent Recruitment (“Center”) operates within AdoptUSKids (AUSK), a multi-million dollar five-year federally funded collaborative project of the Children’s Bureau. The National Center for Diligent Recruitment has the following four goals:

1. Increase states, territories, and tribes (STTs) capacity to effectively collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative data to guide their targeted recruitment efforts.
2. Provide on-site intensive tailored technical assistance (T/TA) to support the work of STTs in implementing and updating robust DR plans that have significant and strategic outcomes.
3. Develop effective models of diligent recruitment based on evidence-informed and evidence-based research.
4. Further the evidence-base of family finding, relative outreach, reunion support and intensive recruitment and retention services within the communities of origin of the children/youth in the foster care system. 

The National Center for Diligent Recruitment will work with child welfare leaders to promote evidence-informed, best, and promising diligent recruitment approaches to improve the safety, permanency, and well-being of children, youth and families who are involved with the U.S. foster care system., This Center will provide intensive on-site guidance and assistance (TA) to states, territories, and tribes (STTs) to develop and actualize data-informed diligent recruitment plans that result in concrete outcomes for children, youth and families who are being served by the system. The Center’s website will be a repository of knowledge, best practice, and accomplishments of all on-site work in STTs and its dissemination strategy will promote best practices. 

Position Overview: 

The Diligent Recruitment (DR) Advisors will report to the Director of Intensive Technical Assistance. They will provide intensive technical assistance through onsite and virtual support based on each jurisdiction’s needs. The DR Advisors will assist systems in overcoming barriers to actualize diligent recruitment plans and the intended plan outcomes. DR Advisors will incorporate effective use of data, community partners and lived experience engagement, and customer service into their capacity-building work with sites through effective consulting, coaching, training, and project management approaches.

Education and Experience Requirements: 

• A master’s degree in social work, nonprofit management, public administration, or a closely related field is preferred; (will consider a bachelor’s degree with extensive professional experience)
• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in public child welfare
• A minimum of 5 years of supervisory experience is required
• Deep understanding of technical assistance delivery, capacity-building work, effective consulting/coaching/training approaches, and adult learning styles
• Demonstrated experience in the development and implementation of diligent recruitment plans
• Demonstrated experience delivering technical assistance, training, or coaching to affect system change in public child welfare.
• Ability to travel onsite to deliver capacity-building services up to 45-50% or 3 trips per month, on average

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Public Child Welfare Knowledge. Possesses knowledge, skills, and abilities gained from public child welfare agency experience. Expert in diligent recruitment, family finding, implementation science, data analysis, and coordination. 
• Coaching & Training. Deep knowledge and understanding of best practices in training and technical assistance and implementation science. 
• Vision. Understands and communicates the shared vision of the project; influences others to translate vision into action. Knowledge and understanding of disproportionality and disparities with the ability to address them. Demonstrates commitment to authentic youth engagement.  
• Relationship Management. Treats others with courtesy, sensitivity, and respect; possesses a good sense of humor. Honors different priorities, perspectives, and points of view in all situations. 
• Effective Communication. Professional communication style (verbal and written) with the ability to communicate project needs and concerns to the Director of Tailored Technical Assistance. Practices active listening; keeps others well informed; openness to others who express contrary views; adheres to the communication model as outlined in our collaboration agreement. 
• Project Management. Possesses exceptional project management skills. Determines the necessary sequence needed to achieve goals, handles multiple demands and competing priorities, meets high performance expectations and objectives. Flexibility with the ability to adapt as needed. 
• Data Informed. Values data, ability to understand data, supports the department in how they use data, and uses data to inform decision making. 
• Accountability. Holds self-accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results.  
• Strategic Thinking. Proactive in anticipating workload fluctuations and increases. Ability to make reliable independent decisions that are consistent with The Center’s goals and objectives.  
• Team Building. Participates in team building activities and meetings to contribute to the accomplishment of group goals and goals of our funder. 
• Integrity/Honesty. Possesses high ethical standards; consistently demonstrates ethical standards in words and actions. 

Additional Notes: 

Work is performed remotely within the United States. This position may require occasional evenings and weekends. NAA conducts child protective services and sex offender registry checks on all employees.  

Requirements

Role and Specialty: 

Diligent Recruitment Advisors – The Diligent Recruitment Advisors provide intensive technical assistance to states, tribes, and territories. The Advisors are matched to jurisdictions that align with their specialization. The Advisors will have mastery of various areas of diligent recruitment to include and not limited to:  

• Working with diverse communities 
• Family engagement and support 
• Kinship care 
• Linguistic responsiveness 
• Urban recruitment/retention  

• Rural recruitment/retention 
• Children with complex needs 
• County-based systems 
• Racial equity work 
• Focused & child-specific recruitment 

Benefits

As a member of our team, you will receive a competitive salary of $90,000 - $95,000 and a generous benefits package including a gold health plan, dental & vision insurance (100% employer paid for employees!); employer retirement plan contribution; and professional development opportunities, among others. You will also enjoy your work - knowing you are a part of a dedicated group of professionals making an impact. 

NAA is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a diverse workforce. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability.  

How to Apply:  

No phone calls please. Apply online here Diligent Recruitment Advisor with a cover letter and resume. The cover letter must include a detailed description of your experience with diligent recruitment. 

About NAA and AdoptUSKids: 

Founded in 1982 under the name Adoption Exchange Association, the National Adoption Association is the country's premier national association of adoption professionals and organizations. NAA is the only national association focused exclusively on supporting the educational needs of those in the adoption profession. The organization serves adoption exchanges, private child-placing agencies, and public child welfare systems by engaging members in national discussions to eliminate barriers to foster care adoption and share best practices. Our mission is leaders advancing best practices in adoption from foster care. Our vision is to build the premier network of professionals and agencies to create innovative strategies and solutions so that every child has a permanent loving family. www.adoptnaa.org  

AdoptUSKids educates families about foster care and adoption and gives child welfare professionals information and support to help them improve their services. We also maintain the nation’s only federally funded photo listing service that connects waiting children with families. Our mission is to: raise public awareness about the need for foster and adoptive families for children in the public child welfare system; and assist US states, territories, and tribes to recruit, engage, develop, and support foster and adoptive families. www.adoptuskids.org  

NAA Racial Equity Statement: 

As leaders in child welfare, we recognize systemic racism creates disparities that negatively impact our staff as well as the children and families we serve. NAA is committed to listening, learning, and taking actions to advance racial equity by:  

• Continually and intentionally recruiting, hiring, and supporting diverse staff, including consultants and vendors; 
• Using a racial equity lens in all of our programmatic work; 
• Evaluating our organizational policies and procedures to ensure that they are antiracist1;  
• Allowing staff to be their authentic selves.