Senior Director, Birth Parent Services

The Senior Director, Birth Parent Services will supervise birth parent social workers. Responsibilities include working with birth parents in the options counseling, permanency planning and adoption process, individual counseling, writing psychosocial histories, visiting clients in hospital and community, discharging babies from hospital, facilitating selection of and meetings with adoptive parents, assisting in placement and/or return of infants, referral to community support services. The Senior Manager will conduct outreach, education, training at hospitals and agencies that serve expectant parents. Work closely with Program Director to implement department goals. This is an in-person position with annual salary range of $75,000-$80,000 commensurate with experience.

II. Key Performance Indicators

• Supervise the coordinator, Birth & Expectant Parent Services and any MSW interns as directed
• Provide birth parent outreach, education and training to professionals at local hospitals, clinics and social services
• Provide “options counseling” to pregnant and postpartum woman considering adoption for their newborns and young children
• Visit clients in the hospital and at home, as needed
• Represent the agency at hospital and discharge babies from hospitals to the agency’s interim care program
• Determine client’s need for services and make referrals to resources outside of the agency
• Gather bio-psycho-social background information, formulate assessments and write histories
• Write case notes in client database and maintain up-to-date case records
• Educate clients on best practices in adoption. Guide clients in planning, including making hospital plans, matching with adoptive families, reviewing legal documents and securing an optimal post surrender contact plan
• Provide therapeutic counseling to individuals and families
• Participate in placement and return of infants
• Provide short term supportive and bereavement counseling to clients who have placed a child
• Participate in answering birth parent inquiry calls to agency’s 24-hour, toll free birth parent telephone line
• Actively participate in weekly supervision with direct Supervisor
• Perform any other department or agency-related duties or special projects as directed by supervisor

III. Education & Experience

• MSW from an accredited school of social work
• A minimum of two years MSW experience
• NYS license to practice social work
• Must have a valid driver’s license and clean driving record
• Experience in adoption and/or pregnancy counselling preferred; must have at least one-year counselling
• Spanish speaking a plus

IV. Technical Skills

• MS Office –Proficiency in Word, Excel and Outlook
• Knowledge of completing case notes in a database environment

V. Key Competencies

• Strong organizational skills, and ability to meet tight deadlines
• Ability to multitask; strong execution skills; thorough follow through, and attention to detail
• Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills
• Ability to work in a collaborative environment with various departments, which supports both individual and cooperative work
• Ability to work independently at satellite office locations