Nonprofit Project Specialist, Child Welfare

Job Announcement – Project Specialist

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

NAA is seeking a passionate and collaborative Project Specialist 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 objectives:

1. Provide intensive support to states, tribes, and territories in fulfilling the requirements of their diligent recruitment plans and ensure they are fully implemented and meet the intended outcomes
2. Offer universal, constituency, and short-term technical assistance to states, tribes, and territories to support sites’ diligent recruitment plans, activities, and outcomes
3. Identify, document, and disseminate methods and approaches to diligent recruitment that are informed by evidence, include system change work, and can be replicated.

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 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 National Center for Diligent Recruitment Project Specialist role provides administrative and programmatic support to the National Center for Diligent Recruitment including the leadership team, the team working with child welfare agencies (state, local, tribal, and territorial) and AUSK partners. The Project Specialist will support the National Center for Diligent Recruitment through services such as webinar/meeting support, administrative functions, quality assurance, and data maintenance. The Project Specialist will be responsible for general office functions and organization.

Requirements

Education and Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in related field preferred.
• At least 3 years of related high-level administrative experience.
• Prior non-profit or child welfare experience.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish is a plus.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• High level proficiency in Microsoft Office—MS Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, Access, and PowerPoint.
• Proficiency with Zoom, Slack, Trello, Google Workspace, Airtable, project management tools and overall familiarity and comfort with navigating and learning new technology.
• Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, and designing forms. Ability to contribute to a strong team-based environment and adapt easily to change.
• Results-oriented with a high attention to detail, ability to multi-task, and meet deadlines in a demanding, fast-paced environment.

• Passion about the children, families and jurisdictions served by AdoptUSKids.
• Ability to recognize and prioritize agency workflow needs.
• Demonstrated leadership and decision-making skills.
• Commitment to providing quality customer service.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a professional team.

Additional Notes:

Work is remotely. This position may require occasional evenings and weekends. NAA conducts background checks on all employees.

Role and Responsibility:

1. Event Coordination. Develop and monitor event workplan and logistics including virtual and in-person events (i.e., webinars, trainings, meetings, conferences). Provide webinar technical support. Prepare and distribute materials. Coordinate travel and materials.
2. Communication. Maintain cross-collaborative communication and partnerships within the National Center for Diligent Recruitment to support the collaborative. Take notes at meetings, both internally and with external partners, and distribute as necessary.
3. Data Coordination. Collect and coordinate the compilation of the National Center for Diligent Recruitment data as needed for the Data Dashboard, agency audits, response to requests from the Children’s Bureau, and other data shared externally. Onboard new National Center for Diligent Recruitment members to their data systems, trouble shoot issues with program partners and make needed updates to the system. Assist with data pulls from programming partners’ systems as well as validation of data collected and entered by program partners.
4. Quality Assurance. Gather, review, and provide quality assurance regarding data collection throughout the project.
5. Administrative Support. Assist the team with organizing and process-tracking webinar and project development, creation, and implementation. Ensure a high level of customer service to internal and external stakeholders. Coordinate office meeting spaces and manage organization of office files and equipment.
6. Customer Service. Support the National Center for Diligent Recruitment’s Universal and Intensive Technical Assistance teams by providing high quality customer service and support to States, Tribes and Territories.

Benefits

Benefits:

As a member of our team, you will receive a competitive salary of $50,000 to $60,000 (commensurate with experience) 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 Project Specialist with a cover letter and resume by May 30, 2024. Applications without cover letters will not be considered.

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 antiracist[1];

·       Allowing staff to be their authentic selves.

[1] Anti-Racism is defined as the work of actively opposing racism by advocating for changes in political, economic, and social life. Anti-racism tends to be an individualized approach and set up in opposition to individual racist behaviors and impacts.  Source: ProInspire sourcedRace Reporting Guide by Race Forward_V1.1.pdf