Overview
Job Title: Manager of Social Work
Location: New York, NY (Harlem)
Type: Full Time, Exempt
Salary: $70,000 to $80,000
About StreetSquash
StreetSquash was founded in Harlem in September 1999 as the second squash and education program in the United States. A comprehensive youth enrichment program, StreetSquash combines academic tutoring, squash instruction, community service, college preparation, leadership development, and mentoring for young people ages 11-24. What began as an after-school program with 24 middle school students and two staff members has expanded to serve 400 participants from 6th grade through college graduation, and entry into the workforce. Learn more about us at www.streetsquash.org.
About the Position
StreetSquash is seeking a driven, innovative Manager of Social Work with a primary focus on adolescent counseling and family engagement, who has a passion for supporting young people and putting them on the path to achieving their higher education and career goals. The Manager of Social Work will be expected to oversee and be present at weekday sessions until 6:30 pm and select special events potentially on weekends. This position reports to the Program Director (PD). Opportunities to gain professional development experience and obtain clinical supervision hours.
Position Responsibilities
Programmatic Responsibilities
- Provide and train Social Workers on bio-psycho-social assessments and treatment, and family sessions
- Develop and lead weekly social-emotional curriculum and enrichment programming
- Communicate regularly with all staff and interns about student action plans
- Support students and families in their academic and personal growth through programming and relationship-building including one on one counseling, school visits, home visits, group work, action planning, case work, crisis intervention, family sessions etc.
- Coordinate and lead parent/caregiver groups and events
- Network with external stakeholders and other service providers to refer students and families as needed
- Collaborate on relevant programming with the social work staff, interns and the organization as a whole
- Lead and participate in Family Leadership Board initiatives including meetings, forums, and fundraising efforts
- Participate in Emergency Fund coordination
- Support and lead team meetings and staff development
- Complete wellness calls/ meetings with students and families on caseload, and monitor that of Social Workers and Interns
- Coordinate with program staff to discuss individual cases
Managerial Responsibilities
- Serve as a member of the senior leadership team to oversee the Social Work department, implement organizational plans, execute defined strategies, maintain a solution-focused approach as a leader within the organization, and resolve programmatic issues and concerns
- Work closely with the PD to oversee development and implementation of social-emotional and health and wellness programming to ensure consistency, high quality, and mission alignment
- Develop a deep understanding of each division of Social Work programming, the skills necessary to perform the job well, and the appropriate standard of performance
- Create/adapt systems to meet identified needs and maintain alignment with student standards and program benchmarks
- Seek support and professional development in the areas in which the Manager of Social Work is not already an expert to ensure an ability to evaluate staff performance
- Observe and participate in programming daily, maintaining a consistent presence with students and staff
- Work with the Program Director (PD) to ensure full participant enrollment and high attendance to achieve full space utilization and maximum impact. Support recruitment efforts accordingly.
- Manage a team of 1-2 full-time social workers and 2 interns;
- Assess staff and interns’ strengths and provide regular, direct feedback regarding individual performance, areas for growth, and plans for improvement
- Support PD with talent management including hiring, evaluations, retention, and promotions, and performance improvement plans
- Support and lead biweekly supervision meetings and Social Work department meetings
- Maintain consistent high standards for staff performance and program execution and hold them accountable for excellent programs on a daily basis
- Provide supervision for Social Workers and Interns
- Maintain relationships with partner schools and partner organizations to ensure a consistent flow of participants and integration into the school community
- Conduct regular school visits for students at our partner schools as needed to advocate for student services
- Build positive staff culture and work environment
- Fulfill other responsibilities assigned by members of the executive management team
- Network with other organizations and external services to refer students and families as necessary
- Maintain records and use of salesforce for all note-taking
Administration
- Work with the PD to coordinate Social Work staff and interns scheduling and program logistics
- Oversee social work and team budget in conjunction with the PD
- Collaborate with the Manager of Operations & HR to ensure staff adherence to data management systems in order to generate accurate data and program insights
- Collaborate with the Development and Communications Department to support the creation of organizational collateral, partnership-building, program marketing, and stewardship
- Ensure that the social work department tracks and analyzes participant enrollment data and trends for StreetSquash related to student persistence, success, graduations, etc.
Qualifications:
- Registration as a Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW) required (NYS), LCSW preferred
- Supervisory experience required
- Prior experience providing therapy to youth and adolescents; ability to establish and strengthen relationships with participants and partners
- Passion for young people and enjoyment of spending time with them, and pushing them to set and achieve goals in all aspects of their lives
- Extensive experience with Parents/ Caregivers and Family Engagement
- Knowledge of NYC Public Schools, transfer schools, special education desirable
- Excellent writing, research, and computer skills
- Interpersonal, organizational, and networking skills critical
- Proven ability to make good, proactive decisions in potentially emotionally-charged situations and/or in the absence of complete clarity; comfortable taking risks
- Ability to understand program data and the purpose of its usage; use data to identify programmatic trends and develop responsive practices for improving programs
- Sensitivity to different cultures, races, and ethnicities. Works well with diverse or marginalized populations
- Commitment to anti-racist practice
- Spanish and/or French proficiency a plus
- Google Suite, Zoom, and Salesforce experience a plus, or demonstrated experience to learn new systems
- Valid driver’s license
- Supervisory experience, SIFI eligibility, or certified a plus
Commitment: StreetSquash values long-term, deep, impactful work with students. It takes years to cultivate relationships and staff retention is a critical component of organizational success. This is not a transitional role or a temporary stepping stone. Candidates should be prepared to commit for the long haul, just as we are committed to supporting our staff to develop and grow.
Compensation & Benefits: StreetSquash offers competitive compensation, commensurate with experience. Salary is $70,000 to $80,000. Full benefits include employer-supported health coverage, monthly MetroCard or equivalent transit stipend, monthly cell phone stipend, FSA, paid federal holidays, 20 days of paid vacation plus 5 day holiday break, 40 hours of sick time, 3 personal days (after the first 90 days), and 401k contributions (after 1 year of employment).
Vaccination: StreetSquash has implemented a policy requiring all employees to be fully vaccinated and submit proof of their vaccination status in order to work on-site. Therefore, all new hires, prior to their start date, will be required to: (1) be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (i.e., receive both doses of a two-dose vaccine or a single dose of a one-dose vaccine) and provide the Organization with a copy of their COVID-19 vaccination card, or (2) or receive an accommodation exempting them from the vaccination requirement. StreetSquash will keep any information about an employee or applicant’s vaccination status confidential in accordance with, and to the extent required by, applicable law.
Application Process: Only complete applications will be reviewed and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Final applicants will be requested to consent to a pre-employment background check and employment verification. A background check is required to extend a job offer.
StreetSquash is an equal-opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply. No knowledge of squash is necessary for this position.