Social Services Associate; Family Services PCN

Social Services Associate

The Department of Family and Community Services, Office of Children's Services (OCS) is recruiting for a full-time Social Services Associate located in Anchorage, Alaska. As a Social Services Associate you will work closely with families and children, helping to provide services that will enhance families' capacities to give their children a healthy start, to provide them with safe and permanent homes, to maintain cultural connections, and to help them realize their potential.

You will be supporting professional staff by providing information for assessments, case planning and evaluation, while performing duties that can include providing parenting support during family contact to enable parents to practice parenting skills in a safe environment, accessing electronic databases, and providing necessary referrals for families to other agencies. When supporting family contact that may include transporting children and occasionally clients to family contact appointments to include medical appointments.

On occasion, this position may be required to provide child care.

The Office of Children's Services strives for a diverse and inclusive workforce where safety and wellbeing are paramount and employees at all levels promote a culture where everyone is valued, treated equitably, and treated respectfully. The Mission of the Office of Children's Services is:
Ensuring the safety, permanency and well-being of children by strengthening families, engaging communities, and partnering with Tribes. Everything we do is underpinned by our Core Values.

The Office of Children's Services offers a welcoming and professional environment to anyone looking for new challenges and an opportunity to work independently and in collaboration with agency staff, department leadership, and federal partners. The Office of Children's Services promotes a commitment to work-life balance and an organizational culture that values each team member.

Your first 6 months in the agency are probationary and considered a training period, with formal and on-the-job training with your supervisor and your colleagues. Full-time benefits of this position include but are not limited to:
Insurance Benefits;
Retirement Benefits;
Paid Leave; and twelve paid holidays per year. Please see the benefits tab on this posting for more information.

This position is located in the Anchorage Regional Office in mid-town off Tudor Road and is within walking distance to several amenities. For information on the Anchorage community (including schools, hospitals, housing) please review the Alaska Community Profiles.

We are seeking a candidate with the following competencies:

• 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.

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.

A cover letter is NOT required for this position. Your complete application will be used to determine which applicants will advance to the interview phase of the recruitment and selection process.

At time of interview applicant is requested to submit:

• A copy of academic transcripts (unofficial are acceptable but must include the institution name/URL on documents provided) if required to meet minimum qualifications.
• Copy of your two (2) most recent performance appraisals; if unavailable, two (2)…