JPD - Supervising Family Navigator

Supervising Family Navigator

The Supervising Family Navigator provides leadership, coaching, and support to the Family Navigator team while promoting family-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive services. This position serves as a key liaison between families, communities, and the Juvenile Probation & Court Services Department, ensuring that family voice and lived experience remain central to service delivery and program development. A core requirement of this role is experience as a parent, caregiver, or primary support person of a youth involved in the Cook County juvenile justice system.

The supervisor leverages this lived experience, along with professional and leadership skills to mentor staff, strengthen community partnerships, advocate for families, and support positive outcomes for youth and caregivers.

Transformational & Trauma-Informed Supervision

• Provide reflective, strengths-based supervision to Family Navigators through regular individual and group supervisory conferences.
• Coach staff using trauma-informed, healing-centered practices that acknowledge secondary trauma, emotional labor, and the value of lived experience.
• Support Navigators in setting and maintaining healthy professional boundaries while honoring authentic connection with families.
• Facilitate supervision meetings that promote learning, accountability, and psychological safety.
• Identify professional development needs and support growth plans aligned with individual strengths and program goals.
• Provide guidance and coaching to help Family Navigators successfully transition lived experience into a professional role within a court-based environment, including expectations related to communication, documentation, collaboration, and professional conduct.

Program Leadership & Quality Assurance

• Oversee day-to-day operations of the Family Navigator program, ensuring consistency and fidelity to the program's mission.
• Review case documentation, progress notes, and data entry to ensure accuracy, timeliness, and trauma-responsive language.
• Collaborate with department leadership to assess program outcomes, identify trends, and continuously improve service quality and delivery.
• Provide guidance and consultation on complex family engagement situations, including conflict resolution, safety considerations, and system navigation.
• Ensure coverage and staffing needs are met within a flexible, rotating schedule environment.

Community Partnership & Systems Collaboration

• Strengthen and sustain partnerships with community-based organizations, schools, behavioral health providers, and advocacy groups across Cook County.
• Represent the Family Navigator program in interagency meetings, community events, and collaborative initiatives.
• Support Navigators in conducting community-based visits that prioritize safety, dignity, and trust.
• Partner with probation leadership, Juvenile Probation Officers, and court stakeholders to improve coordination, communication, and family engagement.
• Advocate for family and community perspectives in system meetings, program planning, and collaborative initiatives.

Staff Wellness & Collective Care

• Support staff in accessing internal resources, peer support, and wellness strategies.
• Address staff performance concerns through coaching, supervision, and corrective guidance in accordance with departmental policy.

Administrative & Leadership Duties

• Ensure compliance with Department policies, timekeeping requirements, and Code of Conduct.
• Participate in hiring, onboarding, and training of Family Navigators.
• Attend required supervisory, unit, division, and department meetings.
• Support implementation of departmental initiatives and program improvements.
• Perform additional duties as assigned by departmental leadership.

• Knowledge of trauma-informed, healing-centered, and culturally responsive practices when working with justice-impacted youth, families, and staff.
• Skill in providing reflective supervision, coaching, and mentorship that supports professional growth, accountability, and emotional wellness.
• Ability to integrate lived experience perspectives into leadership,…