This position is open until filled with an initial application review to take place on June 12, 2025.

The starting salary range for this position is $6,622.00 - $7,283.00 per month depending upon qualifications and is non-negotiable.

FUNCTION OF THE UNIT

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 approximately 50,000 learning experiences to health and human service and justice system professionals annually, the Academy provides a variety of workforce development solutions in Southern California and beyond. With five programs, three divisions and over 100 staff, the Academy’s mission is to provide exceptional learning and development experiences for the transformation of individuals, organizations, and communities. 

As a member of the Academy team you will be engaging in communal development of heart, mind, and practice. You are expected to foster culturally responsive practice behaviors to promote well-being and a culture that focuses on healing, healthy relationships and changed behaviors.

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 multidisciplinary partners working closely with child welfare agencies.

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

Under the general direction of the Practice Coach Supervisor, the Practice Coach is responsible for working independently, and in partnership with a county, to provide coaching and workforce development services to public child welfare staff to support the transfer of learning and to develop specialized workforce development deliveries, projects, and capacity for best practice on state and county initiatives for CWDS. This position works closely with the county coaches to coordinate regional needs and county-specific coaching needs. This position works primarily from a home office and requires regular 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., based on contract funding subject to annual renewal. The position is subject to intermittent overnight travel and work shifts outside normal business hours, including weekends and evenings. This is a hybrid position working some days (1-2 days per week) in a San Bernardino County office and some days (3-4 days per week) in a home office. This position is based in California with a regular on-site work location of Riverside, California. 

The primary county served for this position is San Bernardino County, and the applicant must reside within a commutable distance.

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

The Academy is a project of the San Diego State University Research Foundation, which is grant-funded and serves as an auxiliary to the University. The Academy is based near, but not on campus, and does not have direct responsibilities for working with or teaching college students.

The Academy is currently working to update employee classifications. This position may be subject to a future classification change, however, this does not change the role, responsibilities, or compensation of the position.

REGIONAL COACHING AND TRAINING (70%)

• Facilitate coaching to support child welfare best practices and the transfer of learning from the classroom to fieldwork. Integrating knowledge of Federal and State initiatives, County policies and procedures, Child Welfare best practices, and coaching/facilitation best practices. This work occurs in county offices and in the field with all levels of Child Welfare.
• Facilitate training to support Southern Regional Training Academy contract deliverables to include but not limited to the facilitation of simulations deliveries.
• Demonstrate leadership while working with all levels of Child Welfare to strategize program deliverables and enhance or improve organizational health. 
• Represent the Academy through strong political acumen and leadership skills while attending or facilitating County meetings or community meetings.
• Facilitate coaching sessions using the Academy's coaching model to ensure coaching fidelity and consistency.
• Interface and maintain positive working relationships with key partners internal to the Academy and externally in the southern region and statewide.
• Develop a strong understanding of implementation science and use it to support the implementation of coaching and best practices.
• Maintain a current understanding of Federal and State initiatives, regional/County issues, Child Welfare, coaching, and workforce development best practices. 
• Participate in statewide initiative workgroups to further expand child welfare knowledge. 
• Create and provide monthly coaching reports.
• Track and document coaching attendance and coaching hours/days in a tracking system and regularly monitor to ensure accuracy.
• Assure all county needs are explored and met as appropriate to the scope of the contract (this may include, based on county need AND Practice Coach availability and capacity, occasional after-hours or weekend sessions to meet with those staff; in the event that this is needed the practice coach will not work more than their allotted hours in any given work day).
• Participate in ongoing regular individual supervision with your supervisor. 
• Work collaboratively with your coaching team (other coaches, coaching supervisors, coaching manager). Regularly attend group supervision as well as group coaching development days.
• Work closely with the County Consultant and the CWDS County Team to ensure there is ongoing partnership and communication. 
• Demonstrates continuous customer service to meet the needs of counties and contracts.
• Support the coordination of coaching internally and externally with County partners including County Leadership and Staff Development. 
• Support the Academy and CWDS vision and values by demonstrating your understanding of your everyday work product, interactions, and behaviors. 

PROGRAM SUPPORT (25%)

• Act as a key partner at the state level in the planning and integration of new Federal and State initiatives and regulations in anticipation of the impact on Child Welfare in the Southern region.
• Supports program deliverables outside of the CWDS Coaching program to support larger Academy contracts. 
• Serves as a subject matter expert internally to provide guidance on Federal and State Initiatives. 
• Provide mentorship for new coaching staff during onboarding. 
• When available and budget allows, attend training and conferences for professional development and provide a report of information gathered/learned upon your return.
• Follow policy and procedure and complete travel and other work-related reimbursements in a timely and accurate manner. 
• Provide as a subject matter expert a set number of workforce development deliveries per FY on various topics.
• Participate in the review of and/or development of workforce development deliveries and curriculum.
• Attend internal meetings and committees to support program and Academy-wide communication, culture, and functioning. 
• Provide input and support for hiring, observing, and reviewing external contractors as needed.
• Provide input and support for hiring and onboarding new employees. 
• Lead, assist, or participate in special projects and committees as needed, when appropriate, and as designated/specified by the leadership team.

OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED (5%)

• Perform other duties as assigned which are in the best interests of the Academy for Professional Excellence.

 KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES (KSAs)

• Excellent interpersonal skills such as diplomacy, accurate listening/speaking skills; and the ability to work well with a wide variety of contacts; write well, including clear, concise correspondence.
• Ability to maintain positive relations with colleagues
• Ability to organize project leaders and troubleshoot knowledge of program/project-specific policies.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed and recovery-oriented principles.
• Ability to foster a relationship that reflects our vision of a culture that focuses on healing, healthy relationships and changed behaviors.
• 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 apply independent judgment, discretion, and initiative to address problems and develop solutions.
• Ability to coordinate work projects, determine priorities, set deadlines, and complete work accordingly; and draw logical conclusions and resulting program implications.
• Ability to carry out assignments without detailed instructions.
• Ability to display motivation and strong interpersonal skills.
• Fundamental written and oral communication skills, including a sound foundation in English grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Ability to travel within California - primarily southern California regions - and to national conferences when applicable.

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

• Experience in the practice and implementation of Child Welfare Key Initiatives 

• Master’s degree in an appropriate field related to human services.

• Three years of experience in the role of a facilitator or a coach providing 1-1 development, in which you have engaged others in a critical thinking process by asking questions and focusing on the process as it relates to an outcome. 

• Experience in the practice and implementation of coaching.

• Five years of experience planning and coordinating projects and deliverables.

• Two years experience as a trainer, facilitator, and/or curriculum developer

• Ability to define, develop, and implement procedures

• Competence with standard office software packages for correspondence and report preparation

ADDITIONAL APPLICANT INFORMATION

• Candidate must reside in California and live within a commutable distance from SDSU at time of hire.
• Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on background check results (including a criminal record check).
• San Diego State University Research Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, SDSU Research Foundation provides equal opportunity in employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin or any other categories protected by federal or state law.  
• Employment decisions are based on an individual’s qualifications as they relate to the job under consideration. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every employee has equal access to resources and support. 
• SDSU Research Foundation complies with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), and other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws including grant or contract terms and conditions related to funded program activities. Further the SDSU Research Foundation maintains a Nondiscrimination Policy that prohibits discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all programs, policies, and practices.  
• SDSU Research Foundation makes all employment decisions including, but not limited to, applicant screening, hiring, promotion, demotion, compensation, benefits, disciplinary actions, and terminations on the basis of merit.