Friends of the Children

Friends of the Children – Lane County is a vibrant, active chapter of a 30-year-old national professional mentoring network, proven to disrupt generational poverty by providing paid, professional mentors that work with children throughout their childhood and wraparound services for their caregivers.  12+ years – no matter what.

Friends – Lane County is seeking a Family Engagement Services Team Lead who is both a fierce advocate and a skilled clinical thinker: someone who can build trust with caregivers while also leading needs assessments, service planning, and triage decisions for families facing high levels of risk. The right leader will ensure that every aspect of the organization’s mission is executed with full engagement of communities impacted by our work.

Are you looking to make a difference in the lives of children and families who need it most? 

As the Family Engagement Services Team Lead, you will lead a small, growing and mighty Family Engagement unit. You will be responsible for building and overseeing a structured process for assessing caregiver and family needs, creating clear, actionable service plans, and determining how to triage limited resources toward the highest-impact supports for the 80+ families served by our organization.

 Some of the things you would do in this role:

• Co-develop individual goals and service plans with caregivers that build protective factors and advance family stability, using data from assessments and Treatment Plans to prioritize next steps.

• Collaborate and strategize with parents to overcome barriers and successfully connect family with outside support systems and organizations

• Lead and refine a strengths-based family needs assessment process that looks across multiple domains (housing, mental health, safety, education, employment, social supports, etc.).
• Make and guide triage decisions: which needs are most urgent, what level of response is needed, and which partners or internal resources are best suited to respond.
• Partner closely with the Program Director to establish and maintain priority partnerships with community providers that can meet the most frequent and pressing needs identified through assessments.

The ideal candidate will have:

The ideal candidate is both relationship-driven and systems-minded, with proven experience moving from assessment to action.

•  At least a bachelor’s degree in mental health, social work, or related field, and/or comparable experience with at least 5 years in an appropriate behavioral health, child welfare, or family-serving setting.
• Demonstrated experience conducting structured needs assessments with families or clients, interpreting findings, and turning them into clear service plans.
• Experience leading triage or case review processes (for example, prioritizing referrals, determining level of care, or coordinating multidisciplinary responses).
• One to three years in a leadership or management role with supervisory responsibilities.
• Deep experience working with youth and caregivers who have experienced significant trauma, and strong grounding in trauma-informed, culturally responsive practice.
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) strongly preferred. Additional compensation will be considered for applicants that can pass CLSS written/verbal proficiency.  

What you'll experience:

• A collaborative, mission-driven workplace that respects work-life balance and offers ongoing professional development.
• A committed Program Director who will partner with you to grow a responsive, data-informed Family Engagement program.
• The chance to implement and innovate on an evidence-based model inside a supportive national network.
• The opportunity to directly influence how families are assessed, supported, and prioritized – and to see that work change trajectories for children and caregivers in Lane County.

What we have to offer:

• Salary: $55-65,000 annually based on experience in family services.
• Comprehensive Benefits Package including healthcare, dental, paid vacation, sick leave, and 401(k).
• Location: Eugene, Oregon, serving all of Lane County; some evening and non-traditional hours required

Intrigued? Want to know more? To learn more about the position’s responsibilities and qualifications, see below:

The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work to be performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended as a comprehensive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Co-develop individual goals and service plans with caregivers that build protective factors and advance family stability, using data from assessments and Treatment Plans to prioritize next steps.
• Collaborate and strategize with parents to overcome barriers and successfully connect family with outside support systems and organizations
• Lead and refine a strengths-based family needs assessment process that looks across multiple domains (housing, mental health, safety, education, employment, social supports, etc.).
• Make and guide triage decisions: which needs are most urgent, what level of response is needed, and which partners or internal resources are best suited to respond.
• Help guide activities of the Family Engagement Team to meet benchmarks for direct service each week.
• Ensure that all caregiver contact, assessment, service planning, and referral activity is documented accurately and on time in the organization’s databases.
• Provide regular case consultation, as needed, to Family Engagement Specialists (FES), Professional mentors and members of the clinical team.
• Use data (database reports, caregiver surveys, outcomes) to identify emerging patterns in family needs and shape program priorities and partnerships.
• Provide informal parent skill-building by proactively reflecting on their positive practices and provide connections to more formal parent skill-building opportunities.
• Partner closely with the Program Director to establish and maintain priority partnerships with community providers that can meet the most frequent and pressing needs identified through assessments.
• Attend and actively participate in team meeting and staff functions.
• Safely Transport children/caregivers in personal vehicle or company vehicle as needed.
• Maintain confidential or sensitive information
• Provide information and support to the executive team on related activities.
• Fulfill other responsibilities as requested.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Lead, coach, and evaluate Family Engagement Specialists, modeling trauma-informed, culturally responsive practice.
• Plan and oversee caregiver groups such as Parent Cafés and KEEP, aligning topics with themes emerging from needs assessments.
• Lead communication efforts targeting the organization’s caregivers, including helping coordinate an annual family engagement event.
• Help ensure that all family records are up-to-date.
• Serve on the crisis response/on-call rotation and help design clear pathways for response and follow-up when families experience acute crises.

Essential Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to effectively conduct structured needs assessments with families or clients, interpreting findings, and turning them into clear service plans.
• Effectively lead triage or case review processes (for example, prioritizing referrals, determining level of care, or coordinating multidisciplinary responses).
• Ability to solve problems, work in a team environment, manage several issues concurrently, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced constantly changing work environment.
• Ability to maintain organization of caseloads and create detailed plans based upon needs.
• Comfort with data entry and database use; enthusiasm for using data to improve practice.
• Willingness to obtain or work toward a Qualified Mental Health Associate (QMHA) or Peer Support Specialist certification. 

Required Education and Experience:

• At least a bachelor’s degree in mental health, social work, or related field, and/or comparable experience with at least 5 years in an appropriate behavioral health, child welfare, or family-serving setting.
  • Preferred: Master’s degree in a mental health field and ability to meet QMHA/QMHP standards.
• One to three years in a leadership or management role with supervisory responsibilities.
• Deep experience working with youth and caregivers who have experienced significant trauma, and strong grounding in trauma-informed, culturally responsive practice.
• Knowledge of the child welfare system and community-based resources (housing, mental health, public benefits, workforce, etc.).
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) strongly preferred. Additional compensation will be considered for applicants that can pass CLSS written/verbal proficiency.  

Additional Job Requirements:

• Maintain current driver’s license, good driving record, and vehicle insurance; 
• Maintain First Aid/CPR certification; 
• Transport children/caregiver in a well maintained personal vehicle as needed; 
• No current condition that could result in loss of consciousness, impaired responsiveness, or otherwise impede safe driving.  

Working Hours:

This is a full-time, exempt position.  Due to the nature of the work, work hours are somewhat non-traditional and may include late afternoon and evening work and possibly weekends. We recognize that each employee’s working schedule will balance the various elements of a unique role, the needs of the individual children and families, and the Chapter’s schedule.  Employees are expected to exercise appropriate discretion in this regard. 

Benefits:

Friends of the Children – Lane County cares about the health and well-being of our employees We offer generous vacation and sick leave paid time off, paid holidays, a comprehensive medical benefits package, a 401(k)-retirement plan, and ongoing professional development opportunities.

Employees can add optional plans, at employee expense, which include medical coverage for dependents, a Flexible Spending Account, and supplemental life insurance.

Compensation:

$55,000 - $65,000 annually based on experience in family services.

Location: Eugene, Oregon. Serving all of Lane County

Cover Letter: Applications without cover letters will not be considered; please use this as an opportunity to convey why you wish to join Friends of the Children - Lane County in this position! 

Friends of the Children – Lane County is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to addressing discriminatory practices. The equal employment opportunity policy of Friends of the Children provides fair and equal opportunities for all employees and job applicants. Friends of the Children hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled.