CFWS Social Service Supervisor 5 (SSS5) - Mt. Vernon

Our vision is to ensure that "Washington state's children and youth grow up safe and healthy, thriving physically, emotionally, and educationally, nurtured by family and community."

Job Title:

CFWS Social Service Supervisor 5 (SSS5).

Location:

Mt. Vernon, WA

• Region 3.

This position is flexible/hybrid and can be done remotely; however, you will need to be in person in Olympia at least every month or every other month.

Closes:

Monday, July 6th, 2026

Salary:

$78,912

• $106,104 Annually
• This position will also receive 10% assignment pay.

This is in addition to the regular base salary; the required duties include performing visits in unregulated environments, such as private residences, to conduct investigations for allegations of abuse and/or neglect to assess the safety of vulnerable children.

Please Note:

The salary listed does not include the 2% general wage increase effective July 1, 2026 The mission of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is to work alongside Washington's vulnerable children, youth, and families to foster safety, stability, and better outcomes by strengthening opportunities, connections, and community. DCYF is seeking Social Service Supervisor 5 (SSS5) to join our dynamic team in Mt. Vernon. Our office is committed to supporting staff as they learn, grow, and strengthen their child welfare practice. If you have child welfare experience and are looking for an opportunity to expand your leadership skills, mentor others, and continue your own professional growth and development in a supervisory role, we encourage you to apply. Click here to learn more about DCYF .

The Opportunity:

In this role, you will use your strong assessment, engagement, and leadership skills to supervise Social Service Specialists within the Child Protective Services (CPS) unit. As a front-line supervisor, you will provide staff with advanced-level guidance and specialized case management knowledge to support the agency's goals of child protection, permanency planning, and enhancing child well-being, ensuring child safety remains at the forefront of all decision-making. You will oversee and review the work of frontline employees responsible for investigating and intervening with families where there are allegations of child abuse, neglect, and/or abandonment. The primary function of this position is to supervise staff who assess child safety, intervene to protect unsafe children, and partner with families and caregivers to develop case plans that support safe parenting and family stability. This position provides frontline workers with on-the-job training, mentoring, feedback, coaching, and consultation, including field observations and modeling of case management skills and techniques in both office and unregulated environments. As the unit supervisor, you will conduct regular clinical reviews, consultations, and monitoring of assigned cases, applying child welfare practice principles, laws, rules, and policies while assessing and intervening on workload needs as necessary. You will work with diverse populations, including military and Native American families, ensuring compliance with Indian Child Welfare policies, military protocols, and collaborative agreements with tribal partners, Military Family Advocacy, and local law enforcement agencies. In addition, you will foster a learning environment that promotes racial equity, social justice, culturally responsive practice, ADA-sensitive service delivery, and individualized case planning that supports positive outcomes for children and families. Some of what you will get to do: Provide supervisory duties for the unit, including on-the-job training, mentoring, feedback, coaching, and consultation to Social Service Specialists transitioning to and performing fieldwork. Provide professional staff with guidance and direction regarding caseload and time management, case actions, assessment and intervention techniques, and application of the Safety Framework and Structured Decision-Making process to assess risk and safety throughout the life of a case. Plan, direct, and manage the workload of the unit; develop and disseminate expectations that apply to all staff; monitor performance; and ensure staff are meeting expectations in the areas of safety, permanency, and well-being. Conduct regular clinical reviews, consultations, and formal case conferences to counsel and advise staff on case planning, review case activities, identify services for families, and support high-quality service delivery with a steady focus on child safety. Maintain current knowledge of applicable laws, rules, and policies governing child protective and child welfare services and provide consultation to staff to ensure services are delivered accordingly. Monitor staff training needs, ensure staff attend required trainings, and schedule and offer training opportunities to improve knowledge of organizational expectations, policies, procedures, and child welfare practice. Use data to identify trends, review case actions for accuracy, and monitor documentation, supervisory activities, and case records within FamLink in accordance with agency standards and accountability requirements. Complete fair, thorough, and accurate performance assessments; maintain supervisory field files; and develop improvement plans as needed to support staff success. Initiate payments within FamLink for child placements and child and family services, as appropriate, and participate in in-house, multidisciplinary, and multi-agency case staffings. Provide coverage for assigned caseloads in the absence of a Social Service Specialist, as needed.

Required Qualifications:

Eight (8) years of paid social service experience

• AND 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Services discipline. OR A master's degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences or any master's degree which includes 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Services discipline AND Three (3) years of paid social service experience
• in planning, administering, developing, or delivery of public child welfare, social, health, or chemical dependency treatment programs. OR A bachelor's degree in social services, human services, behavioral sciences or any bachelor's degree which includes 30 semester or 45 quarter credits in a Social Services discipline AND Four (4) years of paid social service experience
• in planning, administering, developing, or delivery of public child welfare, social, health, or chemical dependency treatment programs.

OR One (1) year of experience as a Social Service Specialist 4. OR Two (2) years of experience as a Social Service Specialist 3. AND The ability to take action to learn and grow. The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

NOTE:

A two-year master's degree in one of the above fields that included a practicum may be substituted for one (1) year of paid social service experience.

• Paid social service experience must include at least One (1) year of assessing risk and safety to children and providing direct family-centered practice services.
• Degrees must be obtained from an accredited institution.

In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following: A Master's Degree in Social Work Previously demonstrated experience working with children and families. Previously demonstrated ability to effectively communicate and comprehend (through oral and written forms of communication) with management, peers, clients, community colleagues and the public. Previously demonstrated ability to comprehend, interpret, and apply current applicable laws, rules and policies on delivery of child protective and child welfare services within Washington State and deliver services accordingly. Previously demonstrated ability to partner effectively with community partners and professionals to develop and maintain resources teams to support children and families. Previously demonstrated ability to develop and maintain good working relationships with child's caregivers (parents, foster parents, relatives, kin or facility staff). Include caregivers in case planning process and provide support for meeting the child's unique needs. Previously demonstrated ability to evaluate, analyze and assess risk and safety in all cases, as defined by law, and best practice and implement appropriate procedures using the agency preferred risk and safety assessment tools. Practice and implement appropriate procedures using the agency preferred risk and safety assessment tools. Previous demonstrated ability to access and utilize agency's software programs. How do I apply? In addition to completing the online application, please attach the following: College/University Transcripts

• an unofficial copy is acceptable.

Cover Letter Resume Supplemental Information:

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is committed to Washington's children and youth growing up safe, healthy, and thriving. We invite all candidates to join us in our mission to create a diverse and equitable workplace that reflects the communities we serve. If you are excited about this role but you believe that your education and/or experience might not align perfectly with every qualification in the job posting, we encourage you to apply anyway. The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability. This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies. Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position. This position requires a minimum of at least two years of driving experience and a valid driver's license. The incumbent must successfully complete Supervisor Core Training (SCT) within one year of initial appointment. Degrees must be obtained from an accredited college or university whose accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or a foreign equivalent verified by a NACES-approved organization at naces.org. Foreign Equivalency certification must be attached to the application for degrees obtained outside the U.S. This position is included in the bargaining unit represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE).

For more information:

https://wfse.org/ Benefits eligibility for this position may be different than what's listed in the benefits tab of this recruitment announcement. For more information on employee benefits eligibility, visit : Public Employee Benefits Board (PEBB) . If you would like to request an accommodation throughout the application/interview process, contact DCYF Recruiter . If you're experiencing technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application, call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or email support@neogov.com . Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may call the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at360-664-1960. Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications and wish to claim Veteran's Preference MUST attach a copy of their

DD214, NGB

Form 22, or Predischarge Certification (issued not more than 120 days prior to End of Term of Service (ETS) by date of submission). If claiming preference based on Predischarge Certification, the individual will be required to provide their official discharge documentation, such as a DD Form 214, NGB Form 22, or equivalent, within 30 days after the date of discharge. Please blackout (redact) the social security number before attaching any documents. For additional information on Veterans' Preference and guidance on how to determine if you are eligible, click here . DCYF participates in the federal E-Verify program. The selected candidate must provide proof of identity and authorization to work in the United States, consistent with E-Verify requirements, on their first day of employment. 2025-05062