Social Services Associate (PCN 063389)

This position is open to Alaska Residents only.
Please check our residency definition to determine if you qualify.

The Department of Family and Community Services,
Office of Children's Services (OCS) is
recruiting for full-time Social Services Associate located in
Fairbanks, Alaska.

What you will be doing
This Social Services Associate (SSA) position is assigned to the Fairbanks Permanency Unit you and serves as an integral part of the permanency process for youth in care. The support is primarily in para-professional, administrative duties. These support services include but are not limited to timely and accurate documentation and tracking of information regarding cases at various stages of the adoption and guardianship process, collecting necessary documents from a variety of sources and compiling thorough adoption/guardianship packets, frequent communication with OCS staff, Tribal representatives, adoption/guardianship attorneys, resource families, legal parties, etc. This is a fast-paced work environment that requires the ability to track multiple things at the same time.

Our organization, mission and cultureThe 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.
Benefits of joining our teamThe 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. 
Working environment you can expect
The Fairbanks Field Office serves the Fairbanks area, North Pole, as well as surrounding communities. The Office of Children’s Services requires staff to work after hours and on-call. Overtime is also an expectation when deemed necessary. OCS staff are considered essential, so are expected to work during pandemic and other natural disasters.

For information on the Fairbanks community (including schools, hospitals, housing) please review the Alaska Community Profiles.

We are seeking a candidate with the following competencies:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Adaptability: Adjusts planned work by gathering relevant information and applying critical thinking to address multiple demands and competing priorities in a changing environment.

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.

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.

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