Cabrini Green Legal Aid (CGLA) has strengthened lives, assisted families and supported communities --- one person at a time for over 40 years. CGLA does more than give people a second chance --- we are addressing the root causes of unemployment, homelessness, poverty and other challenges that contribute to crime and recidivism. CGLA strives to bring about substantive, transformational change in the lives of those we serve by using a holistic model that integrates the delivery of legal services with interdisciplinary social work services and collaborative supportive social services through strategic partnerships with social service providers, government agencies, and other legal aid organizations. Services focus on those negatively impacted by the criminal legal system through representation in criminal and civil proceedings and advocacy for relief under criminal records laws. For more information on CGLA, visit www.cgla.net.
Overview of Position:
The Assistant Director of Social Work position at CGLA serves as the head of the Client Support Services Team, providing supervision, support and direction to staff and interns. The Assistant Director of Social Work engages with attorneys and clients across all of CGLA’s legal programs, and is responsible for ensuring the fidelity of our interdisciplinary model of practice. In addition to the interdisciplinary work, the Assistant Director of Social Work engages with CGLA’s network of partner agencies and other social service organizations to further develop our collaborative partner relationships. The Assistant Director of Social Work reports to the Director of Programs and participates as an active member of the upper management team.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Provide leadership to an interdisciplinary team visioning the growth of our model in both depth and breadth, participating in the development and implementation of services that further our interdisciplinary practice and collaborative partnership model;
- Manage the Client Support Services budget including administering client assistance funds and other client programs throughout the year including the yearly Season of Giving campaign;
- Provide clinical supervision and facilitate team meetings for social work staff and MSW interns engaged as part of the legal team, motivating and supporting social workers to meet programmatic goals while maintaining a high standard of care ensuring all people are treated with dignity and respect;
- Train staff, interns, volunteers, and external partners on interdisciplinary model and CSS role;
- Complete formal staff performance reviews and intern evaluations required by each program;
- Track caseload numbers and client outcome data utilizing CGLA’s case management system and provide timely reports to the Director of Programs, as requested;
- Work with the management team to identify opportunities, cultivate relationships, and write applications and reports required by funders;
- Engage in continuous quality improvement including periodic review and revision of the evidence-informed holistic assessment model with the goal to establish it as evidence-based practice and review and improving of CGLA’s online case management system;
- Maintain a small caseload engaging in individualized case management with clients as part of the legal team including the coordination of services related to their needs across five areas: legal standing, economic stability, housing stability, family connectedness, and health;
- Provide emergency support to clients in crisis;
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Essential Qualifications:
- Commitment to CGLA’s mission;
- LCSW with a minimum of 5 years of supervisory experience, 5 years of direct practice experience, and 3 years of managerial experience;
- Experience working as part of an interdisciplinary team (experience in a legal setting preferred);
- Working knowledge of the criminal and/or civil legal system from systemic and individual perspectives;
- Familiarity with the structures of public benefit and welfare systems such as subsidized housing, food and financial assistance programs.
The Successful Candidate Will:
- Have excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to motivate and interact effectively with people from diverse backgrounds; and
- Demonstrate personal strengths in supervision, organization, follow-through, an ability to work well in team settings, good judgment, a sense of humor, and composure under pressure; and
- Be flexible and innovative, able to identify issues, build solutions, and adapt to the needs of clients, staff and the program with the goal to build a strong, effective, and efficient interdisciplinary team.
Please email your resume and cover letter and salary requirements to [email protected]
Type “Assistant Director of Social Work” in the subject line.
Please mention how you heard about the job announcement in your email or cover letter.