This position is open until filled with an applcation review to take place after October 13, 2023.

The salary for this position is $6,500-$7,000 per month depending upon qualifications and is non-negotiable. 

This position serves San Diego and Imperial Counties.

Academy for Professional Excellence, a project of San Diego State University School of Social Work, was established in 1996 with the goal of revolutionizing the way people work to ensure the world is a healthier place. Our services integrate culturally responsive and recovery-oriented practices into our daily work to promote healing and healthy relationships. Providing over 70,000 learning experiences to health and human service and justice system professionals annually, the Academy creates experiences with the mission to provide exceptional learning and development experiences for the transformation of individuals, organizations, and communities. The Academy continues to grow with new programs and a variety of workforce development solutions in Southern California and beyond. 

A significant effort in the Academy’s commitment to incorporate culturally responsive and recovery oriented practices is the recruitment of individuals who represent the full diversity of our community. The Academy invests in people to create an innovative work environment that promotes well-being and a culture that builds on and fosters the strengths of its staff and their intersectional identities. When you join the Academy team you can expect to contribute to an inclusive and innovative environment where the sharing of ideas, perspectives, and experiences is welcomed and encouraged. In applying for a position at the Academy, we invite you to consider our Core Values and our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Child Welfare Development Services (CWDS) provides workforce development, organizational support, technical assistance and capacity building for the public child welfare staff of Southern California counties. These services include coaching, simulation, classroom training, eLearning and evaluation services. Workforce development services consist of development opportunities  for new social workers, the existing workforce, supervisors, managers and executive level leadership as well as community partners and multi disciplinary partners working closely with child welfare agencies.

Under the general direction of the County Consultant Manager, the County Consultant is responsible for working independently as well as in collaboration with a county for workforce development needs assessment, service planning and delivery to support building capacity and best practice on state and county initiatives. The County Consultant is responsible for contract oversight, maintaining partnerships with the assigned county (or counties), and ensuring all services are delivered in alignment with the scope of work. This position works closely with the Regional Training Coordinator to develop and plan all county training needs as well as with the coaching team to support practice improvement.  This position works full time from a home office and requires travel to county offices during the work day as well as some travel to Sacramento.

SPECIFIC DUTIES

This is a 40 hour a week full time position working M-F from 8:00 to 4:30 p.m. and is based on contract funding subject to annual renewal. The position is subject to intermittent overnight travel and work shifts outside of normal business hours including weekends and evening.

Note: Some duties may include working with and/or exposure to sensitive/traumatic topics or material dealing with child abuse, elder abuse, and/or issues and scenarios related to mental health, substance use, or racism.

OVERSIGHT OF CONTRACTS AND SERVICE PLANNING AND DELIVERY (85%)

• Act as the key point of contact/liaison with training and staff development partners in assigned child welfare agencies which includes the following:
• Maintain working knowledge of the contract and all contracted services
• Provide informational updates and written reports to county partners on our services and progress toward delivering all contracted services
• Conduct ongoing needs assessment with county partners 
• Plan for delivery of services (including collaborating with county partners to determine the topics, learning objectives, and training modalities for learning experiences we are contracted to provide; ensuring all contracted services are planned and delivered timely)
• Provide written reports to county partners regarding services provided
• Provide consultation and technical assistance to county partners to support best practice, practice improvements, and implementation of new initiatives
• Collaborate with county partners (and Academy evaluation team) to determine the intended outcome of services we are providing so that we can measure the impact of our services and conduct continuous quality improvement
• Assess readiness of the customer’s organization for implementation of new initiatives and practices and guide the pacing and sequencing of services to achieve intended outcomes
• Develop agendas and facilitate meetings with county partners
• Follow Academy processes and protocols to plan for service delivery including: 
• Collaborate with other Academy staff to assist in the identification of trainers, coaches, subject matter experts, and facilitators 
• Deliver training on child welfare topics as needed
• Work with external trainers and facilitators to provide training, coaching and/or facilitation on child welfare topics 
• Work with trainers, coaches, facilitators and subject matter experts who are developing content and delivering services on behalf of the Academy to ensure county needs are met

• Participate in/attend the first delivery of new trainings to ensure learning objectives are met, provide feedback to the curriculum developer and/or trainer, and make suggested improvements based on feedback from learners 
• Have knowledge of and be able to facilitate discussions with county partners about the the 4 domains of successful implementation and implementation drivers
• Actively support the development of contracts through needs assessment and regular communication with County Consultant Manager, CWDS Director, Contracts Manager and county partners
• Act in the role of project manager, developing project plans,monitoring and tracking progress, and communicating with different parts of the Academy team
• Maintain strong working relationships with county and state partners in the child welfare system as well as across the Academy
• Maintain current understanding of new regional and state initiatives related to child welfare practice
• Anticipate the impact of new initiatives and regulations to the county and support implementation planning and change management
• Remain current on county specific issues: (CFSR data, SIP, new county initiatives, policies, procedures, strategic priorities, evidence-based practices, fairness and equity, etc.),
• Develop skills of cultural responsiveness that align with our diversity, equity and inclusion strategy and be able to integrate these skills into learning experiences for customers

PROGRAM SUPPORT (10%)

• Deliver approximately 12 days of training per year
• Participate in or lead special project(s) related to key initiatives (special projects are assigned based on alignment with the interest areas and skill sets of each consultant)
• Support regional implementation of key practices and initiatives (for example, participating in regional convenings or learning collaboratives, participating in statewide workgroups to bring information back to our region, etc)

OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED (5%) 

• Perform other duties as assigned which help meet CWDS program objectives.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Excellent interpersonal, written and oral communication skills 
• Knowledgeable of current learning and development and adult learning theories
• Knowledgeable of project management processes 
• Ability to effectively manage monitor and assess multiple projects and priorities 
• Ability to apply independent judgment, discretion, and initiative to address problems and develop solutions 
• Ability to independently interpret a wide variety of complex policies and procedures integral to the program/project to which the position is assigned
• Ability to work individually and engage within a teaming environment 
• Ability to travel within California - primarily Southern region counties and Sacramento 
• Competence with standard office software packages for correspondence and report preparation
• Proven skill maintaining harmonious relations with colleagues, organizing project leaders, troubleshooting knowledge of program/project specific policies, 
• Ability to independently interpret and track a wide variety of complex policies and procedures integral to the program/project to which the position is assigned, 
• Ability to understand, define, develop & implement procedures, 
• Ability to adapt and carry out assignments without detailed instructions, 
• Ability to plan, coordinate & initiate actions necessary to implement group decision, strong leadership, organizational development & administrative skills; 
• Excellent interpersonal skills such as diplomacy, accurate listening/speaking skills; & the ability to collaborate and work well with a wide variety of contacts; write well, including clear, concise correspondence

• Ability to interact effectively with co-workers, clients and study participants
• Ability to understand and follow posted work rules and procedures
• Ability to relate well to others within the project environment
• Ability to display motivation 
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing
• Ability to display organization, meet deadlines, display detail orientation, possess good judgment and common sense
• Ability to demonstrate a high level of cross-cultural sensitivity

Minimum Qualifications

• Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in appropriate field related to the program/project
  -OR- 
• Additional experience may be substituted for the required education on a year for year basis.
  
  
• Six (6) years of experience related to the program/project.
• Three (3) years of experience providing coaching or training.
  
  (A masters' degree may be substituted for years of experience, up to two years)

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in social work or a related field.
• Five years of experience planning and coordinating projects and deliverables.
• Two years experience as a trainer and/or curriculum developer.
• A minimum of 3 year experience working in public child welfare preferred.
• Experience developing and delivering child welfare training.
• Theoretical knowledge of program planning, implementation, coordination and evaluation skills.

ADDITIONAL APPLICANT INFORMATION:

• This position is open until filled.
• A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position with SDSU Research Foundation.
• San Diego State University Research Foundation is an EEO/AA/Disability/Vets Employer.