Position Summary:

The Senior Manager of Child Welfare Operations serves as a key operational leader for the child welfare program, supporting the day to day functioning of the program. This role provides direct supervision of the Intake Manager and the Youth Success Manager, with other assignments as directed, and serves as a primary resource and operational partner to the Director of Case Management and the program's other directors in ensuring service quality, documentation integrity, and adherence to practice standards. The Senior Manager is accountable for compliance with the Citrus Family Care Network contract, vendor contracts and fee agreements, budget management and expenditure control, and the resolution of compliance matters as they arise. The Senior Manager also serves as the program liaison to Human Resources and Recruitment on hiring, employee relations, and staffing needs, working to keep the teams fully staffed and well trained. This is a highly visible role that is vital to the functioning of the program, requiring sound independent judgment, the ability to move between strategic planning and hands on problem solving, and the credibility to represent the agency with contract partners, funders, courts, providers, and the community.

Essential Job Functions:

• Demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills, building trust and consensus among staff, directors, and external partners; work collaboratively and respectfully with others, model a positive, solution-focused attitude, and resolve conflict constructively to keep teams aligned and moving forward.
• Serve as an operational leader for the child welfare program, supporting the effective day to day functioning of assigned teams.
• Provide direct supervision to the Intake Manager and the Youth Success Manager, and to other units as assigned.
• Serve as a primary operational support to the Director of Case Management, partnering closely on caseload management, practice quality, documentation integrity, and the removal of barriers that slow the case management teams.
• Act as the primary point of contact for operational matters, coordinating across case management, clinical services, quality assurance, finance, human resources, and administrative support.
• Provide the same operational support to the program's other directors, and identify barriers across teams, developing workflows, standard operating procedures, and accountability structures to resolve them.

• Oversee Intake operations, including referral acceptance, eligibility and benefit verification, case assignment, and timely transfer of cases to the assigned case management team.
• Oversee Youth Success Management, ensuring independent living services, educational advocacy, and transition planning for older youth are delivered and documented consistently.
• Ensure full compliance with the Citrus Family Care Network contract, including performance measures, reporting deadlines, monitoring reviews, and corrective action requirements.
• Partner with Quality Assurance on case file reviews, documentation audits, KPI tracking, and monitoring of critical timeframes, and translate findings into coaching and practice improvement.
• Lead the agency response to compliance matters, including incident reports, quality improvement referrals, investigations, and corrective action plans, ensuring timely resolution.
• Ensure compliance with state and federal child welfare regulations, the Florida Child Welfare Practice Model, CCWIS documentation standards, HIPAA, Medicaid, and agency policy.
• Use Stabilify and related data systems to monitor performance across programs and maintain compliance with critical timeframes.
• Prepare operational reports and outcome analyses for executive leadership, contract partners, funding sources, and external stakeholders.
• Manage vendor contracts, fee agreements, and service authorizations, ensuring services are properly procured, documented, and delivered as contracted.
• Monitor vendor performance, resolve service delivery and billing issues, and recommend renewal, renegotiation, or termination as warranted.
• Support development and management of the program budget, monitor expenditures against budget, and flag variances with recommended corrective action.
• Review and approve operational expenditures within delegated authority and ensure purchasing and reimbursement practices comply with agency and funder requirements.
• Serve as the program liaison to Human Resources, coordinating hiring, employee relations, corrective action, and separation in partnership with HR staff.
• Partner with Recruitment to maintain a pipeline of qualified candidates and reduce time to fill for critical positions.
• Work alongside the Director of Case Management on complex cases, escalations, and Citrus inquiries, ensuring responses are timely, complete, and consistent with practice standards.
• Ensure staff complete required training, certification, and credentialing within regulatory timeframes and coordinate ongoing professional development

• Provide coaching, performance evaluation, and development for assigned managers, building staff engagement, bench strength, and succession within the operations teams.
• Promote a positive, accountable, and supportive work environment across the operations teams.
• Serve as a liaison with Citrus Family Care Network, the Department of Children and Families, the courts, Citizen Review Panels, legal services, behavioral health providers, schools, and community partners.
• Represent the agency in operational meetings, contract monitoring reviews, site visits, and audits.
• Ensure that services align with trauma informed care principles and culturally responsive practice, and support permanency, placement stability, and family well-being.

Essential Qualifications:

Certifications/Licensures:

• Certification as a Certified Case Manager (CBHCM or CWCM) in good standing by an agency approved and recognized by the Florida Certification Board is preferred.

Education:

• Master’s degree in social work or a related field, with at least five (5) years of experience in human services or child welfare programs, including at least two (2) year in a managerial or supervisory role; or
• Bachelor’s degree in social work or a related field, with at least seven (7) years of experience in human services or child welfare programs, including at least four (4) years in a managerial or supervisory role.

Experience and Competencies:

• Five years of previously supervised work experience in child welfare related field.
• Bilingual is preferred.
• Physical required prior to hire; paid by agency
• Expertise with the Florida Child Welfare Practice Model and knowledgeable in Child Welfare electronic system of record (FSFN or CCWIS).
• Possess strong leadership, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Availability to work a flexible schedule as required by the department, including nights and weekends.
• Oversee Intake operations, including referral acceptance, eligibility and benefit verification, case assignment, and timely transfer of cases to the assigned case management team.
• Oversee Youth Success Management, ensuring independent living services, educational advocacy, and transition planning for older youth are delivered and documented consistently.
• Ensure full compliance with the Citrus Family Care Network contract, including performance measures, reporting deadlines, monitoring reviews, and corrective action requirements.
• Partner with Quality Assurance on case file reviews, documentation audits, KPI tracking, and monitoring of critical timeframes, and translate findings into coaching and practice improvement.
• Lead the agency response to compliance matters, including incident reports, quality improvement referrals, investigations, and corrective action plans, ensuring timely resolution.
• Ensure compliance with state and federal child welfare regulations, the Florida Child Welfare Practice Model, CCWIS documentation standards, HIPAA, Medicaid, and agency policy.
• Use Stabilify and related data systems to monitor performance across programs and maintain compliance with critical timeframes.
• Prepare operational reports and outcome analyses for executive leadership, contract partners, funding sources, and external stakeholders.
• Manage vendor contracts, fee agreements, and service authorizations, ensuring services are properly procured, documented, and delivered as contracted.
• Monitor vendor performance, resolve service delivery and billing issues, and recommend renewal, renegotiation, or termination as warranted.
• Support development and management of the program budget, monitor expenditures against budget, and flag variances with recommended corrective action.
• Review and approve operational expenditures within delegated authority and ensure purchasing and reimbursement practices comply with agency and funder requirements.
• Serve as the program liaison to Human Resources, coordinating hiring, employee relations, corrective action, and separation in partnership with HR staff.
• Partner with Recruitment to maintain a pipeline of qualified candidates and reduce time to fill for critical positions.
• Work alongside the Director of Case Management on complex cases, escalations, and Citrus inquiries, ensuring responses are timely, complete, and consistent with practice standards.
• Ensure staff complete required training, certification, and credentialing within regulatory timeframes and coordinate ongoing professional development.
• Possess a current Background Clearance Screening Letter as required by DCF.
• Valid Florida driver’s license and ability to obtain and maintain WestCare’s vehicle insurance is required;
• The ability to identify and evaluate an individual’s strengths, barriers, problems, and needs for the development of a Wellness and Recovery Plan
• The ability to write assessments, progress notes, discharge summaries, and other consumer related data
• Knowledge of the inter-relationship among substance use, mental health, and primary care disorders
• Knowledge and application of developmental theories
• The ability to evaluate the impact of substance use and mental health problems on the consumer’s functioning in major life area
• The ability to coordinate and integrate multiple services, as well as interface and communicate with internal and external providers
• The ability to provide information to individuals and families concerning alcohol or other drug abuse, mental health problems, and the available services and resources
• The ability to identify the needs of a consumer that cannot be met by the counselor or agency and to assist the consumer/family to utilize the support systems and community resources available
• The ability to identify crises when they surface; mitigate or resolve the immediate problem; and de-escalate the situation, including the ability to develop Safety Plans, as needed
• The ability to assess the individual’s growth and development relative to normative development for his/her chronological age, including physical, emotional, cognitive, educational, and social development
• Understanding of the relationship among mental health, substance use, physical health, and medication use on daily functioning
• Understanding and application of federal, state, local and agency confidentiality rules and professional standards of conduct
• Understanding of family dynamics, family roles, and family structure
• Understanding of professional ethics, consumer rights, and professional responsibilities
• Ability to communicate appropriately and effectively with members of a multidisciplinary team
• Ability to organize, interpret, and communicate data in a comprehensive and effective manner
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and effectively prioritize
• Ability to network with internal and external departments and agencies
• Ensures and maintains a safe working environment.
  • Work area is clean and orderly.
  • Verbalizes, understands and adheres to agency safety procedures.
  • Demonstrates appropriate use of Unusual Incident Reports, in accordance with the Center’s reporting procedures
• Presents a positive personal image
• Dresses and maintains a professional demeanor
• CPR Certification, First Aid Certification and an annual Tuberculosis test.
• Ability utilize Microsoft Office Software Suite
• Ability to provide an Affidavit of Good Moral Character
• Clearance in Pre-Employment Drug Testing and Criminal Records Checks, as required.
• Strong leadership and team management abilities.
• Extensive knowledge of child welfare systems, case management, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience in program development, quality assurance, and staff supervision.
• Excellent communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to develop and maintain collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong organizational and project management skills

Working Conditions:

• Work is primarily performed in an office or outpatient treatment setting.
• Some outdoor activities may be required.

Essential Physical and Mental Demands of the Job

The employee must be able to perform the following essential duties and activities with or without accommodation:

Physical Demands:

• Requires mobility and physical activity: Having an adequate range of body motion and mobility to work in an office, residential, or outdoor environment including standing and walking (even and uneven surfaces), sitting for extended periods of time, bending, twisting, reaching, balancing, occasional lifting and carrying of up to 50 pounds. Use of computer and telephone systems is required which includes coordination of eye and hand, and fine manipulation by the hands (typing, writing, and working with files). Requires the ability to defend oneself and clients in physically abusive situations through the use of approved physical de-escalation techniques.
• Requires talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Talking is required to impart oral information to employees, clients, patients, and the public
• and in those activities in which the employee is required to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to others accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Requires hearing: Hearing is required to receive and communicate detailed information through oral communication.
• Requires seeing: Clarity of vision at 20 inches or less and at distance. This factor is required to complete paperwork for many of the employees’ essential job functions and to observe client behavior and activities in and out of the facility.
• The normal work routine involves no exposure to human blood, body fluids or tissues. However, exposure or potential exposure may be required as a condition of employment. Appropriate personal protective equipment will be readily available to every employee.

Mental Demands:

• Requires the ability to collect and analyze complex numerical and written data and verbal information to reach logical conclusions.
• Requires the ability to work and cooperate with clients, co-workers, managers, the public and employees at all levels to exchange ideas, information, instructions and opinions.
• Requires the ability to work under stress and in emotionally charged settings.
• The ability to defend oneself and clients in mentally/verbally abusive situations through the use of approved mental/verbal de-escalation techniques.