Associate Director, International Adoption Services

Title: Associate Director, International Adoption Services

Reports to: Director, International Adoption Services

Department:  International Programs

Primary Purpose

The Associate Director, International Adoption Services will supervise one part-time social worker and one non-clinical caseworker. The Associate Director may conduct educative and outreach webinars regarding the organization’s programs. The Associate Director leads the vision of the International Adoption Services branch of the department, driving outreach and family recruitment.  The ideal candidate will conduct and supervise international home studies to ensure compliance with the organization’s guidelines, state regulations and requirements of Hague/IAA/UAA. The Associate Director communicates directly with families at various points in the process and addresses client concerns empathetically and professionally. This is a position that requires experience in child welfare and the ability to use clinical judgment.  The Associate Director is someone who can communicate assertively but compassionately, talk to, engage, and educate a diverse population of pre-adoptive parents, and who absorbs information quickly and thoroughly.  This is a full-time position with an annual salary range of $78,000-$85,000 commensurate with experience. This is an in-office position based in the organization’s Manhattan headquarters, with fieldwork in the greater NYC area (i.e. NYC, Long Island, Westchester, and Northern New Jersey)

The organization is a non-profit based in New York City that has been providing adoption services and adoption support for more than 110 years. The organization is newly licensed in Arizona. At the organization, we believe that every child deserves a family, and we work tirelessly to advocate for children in need of a permanent, loving home. Over our history, the organization has served more than 25,000 children, women, and families through our main program areas: Comprehensive Domestic and International Adoption Programs; Birth Parent Services; Well-being Services; and International Humanitarian Aid through programs like our Granny Program to support children living in orphanages overseas.

Our services are made possible by the dedicated individuals on our staff. At the organization, we find joy in celebrating with each other, our co-workers, and our clients. Everyone is treated with respect and dignity to strengthen the vibrancy of our community. We celebrate a culture of excellence, inclusivity, compassion, flexibility, and support. The organization offers a competitive benefits package that includes full health benefits, generous PTO and holiday schedule, HRA & FSA plans, life insurance, retirement plan with employer contribution, paid maternity/paternity/adoption leave, commuter benefits, and more. Being part of the organization’s team is being part of a legacy, which for more than a century has provided critical services to children, women, and families around the world.

Key Performance Indicators

• Develop and implement outreach strategies to recruit families for intercountry adoption services
• Supervise one caseworker whose role is to guide prospective adoptive parents through the paperwork elements of the home study
• Supervise one part-time social worker whose role is to conduct home study assessments and post-placement/post-adoption supervision
• Conduct home study assessments and write home study reports for families pursuing adoption. This requires the application of clinical skills and judgment
• Conduct post-placement/post-adoption visits and reporting.  Ability to identify normative vs. atypical post-placement adjustment of child and family, and ability to teach families tools to promote optimal child development and attachment
• Document all client communications in client database
• Facilitate trainings and presentations on adoption and child development
• Track deadlines of post-placement/post-adoption visits and ensure that all visits happen within the required timeframe, by either directly conducting the visits or assigning the visits to supervisee and supervising such visits.
• Maintain high quality service delivery to adoptive parents and adopted children
• Assist with educational and outreach efforts to potential adoptive parents
• Travel as needed within the Greater New York City region, including New Jersey
• Perform any other department or agency-related duties or special projects as directed by supervisor, including but not limited to, conference attendance, presentations, workshops, support groups, etc.         

Education & Experience

• Master’s degree in Social Work with licensing in New York and/or New Jersey (LMSW, LSW, LCSW) Knowledge of home study, parent preparation, post-placement/post-adoption reporting, and the impact of trauma on child development
• Evening and weekend hours may be required.

Technical Skills

•  Competency of MS Office – Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
• Ability to run reports in a database environment and analyze data      

Key Competencies   

• Clinical assessment skills
• Strong management skills, including robust organization, and ability to meet tight deadlines
• Ability to multitask; strong execution skills; thorough follow through, and attention to detail
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work in a collaborative environment with various departments, which supports both individual and cooperative work

To apply: Please send cover letter with salary requirement and resume to: recruiting@spence-chapin.org

This description is not intended to detail every aspect of your job/duties or list every task you may perform. It is provided as a general overview of the responsibilities and skills required to do this job successfully.

The organization offers a competitive benefits package that includes full health benefits, generous PTO and holiday schedule, HRA & FSA plans, life insurance, retirement plan with employer contribution, paid maternity/paternity/adoption leave, commuter benefits, and more. Being part of the organization’s team is being part of a legacy, which for over a century has provided critical services to children, women, and families around the world.