Social Services Associate, On-Call - Anchorage

at  State of Alaska

THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT YOU CAN EXPECT:

The Office of Children’s Services Anchorage Regional Office is located in Midtown Anchorage. The working environment will consist of a typical office setting as well as regular field work throughout the community.
This position is critical to the office’s ability to successfully meet the department’s mission. Therefore, a successful incumbent would be highly self-motivated, have excellent, clear verbal and written communication skills, possess sound common sense and the ability to learn very quickly.
The Office of Children’s Services requires staff to work after hours and on-call.
For information on any of the communities listed above (including schools, hospitals, housing), please review the Alaska Community Profiles.
Who We Are Looking For:

Below are the knowledge, skills, and experience that demonstrate the skills we are seeking:

• Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.
• Customer/Quality Focus: Anticipates, monitors, and meets the needs of customers and responds to them in an effective, appropriate manner. Demonstrates commitment to identifying customers’ apparent and underlying needs and continually seeks to provide the highest quality service and product to all customers.
• Adaptability: Adjusts planned work by gathering relevant information and applying critical thinking to address multiple demands and competing priorities in a changing environment.
• Computer Skills: Uses computers, software applications, databases, and automated systems to accomplish work.
• Teamwork: Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.

Special Note:

• This position requires a valid Alaska driver’s license.
• Additionally, while the Division does have vehicles assigned to it, they may not always be available for staff use. Mileage reimbursement is available when a personal vehicle is used for work-related matters. Current automotive insurance must be in place prior to use of a personal vehicle while conducting business on behalf of the State.
• A child protective history check will be performed per AS 12.62.160 and/or 13 AAC 68.315 including a background and fingerprint check.
• The successful candidate may be required to attend multiple training courses normally located in Anchorage.

To view the general description and example of duties for a Social Services Associate, please visit following link: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/Alaska/classspecs.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

One year of any combination of postsecondary or vocational education and/or experience in assisting clients, customers, the general public, or other staff in the explanation and application of guidelines, policies, or services.

EDUCATION:

If post-secondary education is required to meet the minimum qualifications, you must fill in the Education section of the application. If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the number of units completed. Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials if used to meet the minimum qualifications for a position. Transcripts can be attached at the time of application or provided at the time of interview.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION:

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements, if applicable. If utilizing this education you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs; or an accredited U.S. state university reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the state university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Omission of required documentation listed will result in an incomplete application and you will not receive further consideration.

WORK EXPERIENCE:

If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer name, your job title, dates of employment, and whether full-or part-time. Applications will be reviewed to determine if the responses are supported, and minimum qualifications are clearly met. If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the interview and selection phase of the recruitment.
If you are currently or previously been appointed to a flexibly staffed position, please ensure your work experience within a flexibly staffed position indicates the actual dates employed at each level. Ensure your time and any subsequent flex promotion(s) are documented as a separate position. This is required as there are minimum qualifications that require experience at a particular level in which the lower level may not be considered. If this information is not accurately reflected in your application this may cause the processing of your application for consideration to be delayed.
NOTE: Attaching a resume or curriculum vitae is not an alternative to filling out the application in its entirety. Noting “see resume or CV” or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.

As a Social Services Associate you will work closely with case workers by supporting them in their efforts to provide services and support to families and children. Services are intended to enhance families’ capacities to give their children a healthy start, provide them with safe and permanent homes, maintain cultural connections, and to help them realize their potential. You will be responsible for a variety of duties, including assisting with searching for relatives, providing placement support to resource families, helping connect parents with services, conducting referrals, collecting collateral information, documenting case information in the electronic and hard case files, coordinating and overseeing family visits, and other duties that support the case workers as deemed necessary.
You may be assigned to the Foster Care Licensing Unit providing support to unlicensed relative(s) through the Emergency Relief Support (ERS) program. This position will also assist in fingerprinting resource families and provide general support as assigned.