Director of Foster Parent Recruitment

Reports to VP of Foster Care
Albany, NY, USA

Description

Join Our Mission

The Director of Foster Parent Recruitment will be responsible for the overall leadership, implementation, monitoring, and assessment of foster parent recruitment statewide to promote continual and predictable growth through undivided leadership attention. Their primary concerns will be recruitment, retention, and engagement of foster homes. The Director of Foster Parent Recruitment position would be responsible for increasing statewide inquiries, home openings and placements annually by creating and implementing sales enablement strategies that increases productivity while fostering our agency mission and values.

Job Responsibilities

·Collaborates with leadership and home finders to develop, monitor, and pursue annual statewide foster home recruitment and retention goals based on year-end projections and key internal/external factors.

·Promote foster parent inquiry generation through various sales enablement, marketing and program development initiatives including, but not limited to: utilize Google search console to analyze traffic, conversions, and bounce rate data to increase Berkshires SEO, expand word of mouth inquiries through generating community partnership leads for Home finders; growing kinship programming, promoting foster parent referrals through mind mapping and foster parent -engaging closed out inquiries, developing relevant content to create inquiry funnel, provide Home finder skill-building and tools.

·Assists in development and administration of program budget including oversight of and monitoring of foster parent recruitment and retentions expenses.

·Understand and embrace Berkshire’s Mission, DIEB (Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Belonging) initiatives, and Family First legislation to develop targeted foster home recruitment efforts and on-going retention supports to increase placements of hard-to-place youth and meeting the diverse needs of the youth and families we serve.

·Serve as community liaison and spokesperson for Berkshire through speaking engagements (conferences, community events, podcast, radio, new stories and other platforms) and community partnerships (LDSS & other governmental entities as well as like-minded non-profits and for-profit businesses) to promote program growth.

·Organize and conduct foster parent interviews, focus groups and surveys to continually develop and improve foster home recruitment and retention strategies.

·Educate and empower leadership, home finders and other foster care team members through standardizing success strategies and providing training, tools and feedback loops regarding foster home recruitment and retention efforts by office.

·Create opportunities for engagement and increase retention of foster parents statewide. Continually evaluate and develop a customer experience strategy that focuses on the Foster Parent experience and perspective at each stage of the recruitment, placement, and retention cycle.

·Actively engages leadership to developing process and program improvement plans by utilizing data driven output and/or information. Systematically monitors results against expectation and implements a corrective action plan where necessary including developing systems for tracking reports and other matters.

·Adheres to agency policies and procedures; follows and supports agency mission, vision and values including participating in internal surveys and data collection for continuous improvement initiatives.

·Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a complete listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Required Core Competencies (Knowledge, Skills & Abilities)

• Demonstrated influential leadership including ability to implement a strategic vision.
• Demonstrated crisis management skills including ability to assess situations and resolve multiple conflicts simultaneously. Demonstrated problem solving skills.
• Demonstrated decision making, organizational and communication skills including attention to detail, verbal, and written communication skills, and listening and training skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a highly collaborative team environment and can reach consensus-based decisions. The ability to be decisive when needed and make relationships with internal and external departments and/or stakeholders.
• Demonstrated supervisory/management/leadership and team building skills necessary to effectively assist staff to fulfill their roles and functions.
• Excellent writing, public speaking, training, team building, and communication skills required.
• Ability to work with an economically and culturally diverse population.

Preferred Core Competencies (Knowledge, Skills & Abilities)

• Demonstrated knowledge of relevant regulations pertaining to operation of programs offered including but not limited to OCFS and COA standards. Must keep current and up to date on required paperwork and documentation.
• Handles confidential and sensitive information with discretion, demonstrated knowledge of HIPAA regulations.
• Knowledge of child welfare system strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of sales enablement, marketing and communications strongly preferred.

Job Requirements

·Minimum of Master’s Degree in Human Services, Public Administration, Business Management, Marketing or related field required.

·Minimum of 5-7 years of experience working with children and families required. Minimum of 3-5 years of supervisory/management experience required.

·Must have a current, valid driver’s license per Agency guidelines. Statewide travel can be required for up to 50% for the position. Must have access to a reliable vehicle with appropriate insurance.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Access, Word, Outlook, etc.), and other technology systems.

·Must be able to work a flexible schedule including nights and weekends if needed.

Physical and Mental Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus. The employee needs to be able to read, write and speak English fluently.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to stand, walk, sit, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls, reach, climb stairs, balance; stoop/bend and, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk, hear. Dexterity to write and operate standard office machines such as

computers, printers, copiers, fax machines, phones and calculators is required. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

The mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an

employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job the employee must:

·Act as a positive role model and effectively manage emotions and demonstrate tolerance and empathy.

·Demonstrate an understanding that changing behaviors and habits require repetition and practice.

·Demonstrate patience and flexibility with coworkers and follow one’s safety plan when necessary.

A safe and risk-reduced environment is essential for effective treatment, good planning,

efficient operations, and the long-term preservation of the organization. To the extent that risk is recognized and identified, and formally managed, persons served, employees, foster families and Berkshire Farm Center and Services for Youth will be safer, and treatment and services will be of higher quality.

Berkshire Farm Center and Services for Youth embraces the Sanctuary Model and is committed to creating a trauma-informed, outcome-based culture of open communication, nonviolence, emotional intelligence, social learning, shared governance, social responsibility and growth and change.

Salary

Salary Range Based on Education and experience: $88,000

Equal Opportunity Employer

Berkshire Farm Center & Services for Youth is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, disability, marital status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law.  

We are committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable, and accessible environment where diversity is valued and recognized as a source of strength and enrichment. We seek to attract talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures.  

As a federal contractor, Berkshire Farm Center & Services for Youth will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)