About Job

This job posting expires at 11:59PM on July 20, 2025. No applications can be submitted after 11:59PM on July 20, 2025.

Job Title: Licensing Social Worker

Department: Social Services - Child Welfare

External Hiring Range: $25.77 - $30.54

Compensation Grade: 2007

Pay Range: $25.77 - $37.16

Posted Internally and Externally

Purpose of the position: The purpose of this position is to recruit potential foster parents/resource families for children and youth in foster care who are in need of permanent homes and to coordinate compliance of all technical aspects of foster home licensing under the guidelines provided by the State Department of Social Services.

Minimum Education, Training and/or Experience (required at time of hire):

Bachelor's degree in social work (BSW) from an appropriately accredited institution; bachelor's degree in a human services field from an appropriately accredited institution and one (1) year of directly related experience; or bachelor's degree from an appropriately accredited institution and two (2) years of directly related experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Additional Training and Experience: English/Spanish bi-lingual speakers preferred. Certificate of completion of the NCDHHS Pre-service Training: Child Welfare in North Carolina is preferred. Certificate of train-the-trainer for MAPP-TIPPS, Deciding Together, Caring For Our Own or NTDC preferred.

Essential Functions of the position:

Recruit, train, license and retain resource families for the purpose of supporting children in foster care.
Maintain a caseload of ICPC families and work within the state and federal guidelines and procedures for the Interstate Compact system including but not limited to; training, licensing, monthly contacts, out of state requests, or other duties.
Attend and/or facilitate meetings for families being served as needed to maintain open communication between the resource family, assigned social worker, and other community supports/systems involved with the family unit.
Provide training, individual and group support, and partnerships with community programs to meet tangible resource needs.
Maintain current knowledge of resources available from public and private agencies to assist clients with problems and work closely to facilitate connection to such services.
Report any concerns of abuse or neglect to supervisor immediately.
Demonstrate a commitment to culturally competent practice.
Perform other related duties as assigned for any of the following SW II roles: Intake SW, Prevention SW, Reunification Specialist, Licensing SW, Placement SW, Adoption Assistance SW, Neutral Facilitator, Court Liaison and Family Finding Social Worker
Perform other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

Ability to use effective and organized communication skills across agency divisions and community.
Ability to engage in public speaking efficiently as it pertains to training, public awareness or other events/programming as assigned.
Knowledge of social work principles, techniques and practices and their application; knowledge and understanding of laws, regulations, policies, and procedures that affect Protective Services.
Ability to use highly specialized interviewing skills to assess risk and voluntarily engage clients in a situation that may be emotionally charged and stressful to those involved.
Knowledge of casework principles, crisis intervention, and impacts of family structure dynamics on individuals.
Skill in working with other professionals from different disciplines who may view client/problems differently.
Ability to meet a client where they are and work with them to achieve their goal and support a client’s right to self-determination.
Ability to be flexible and maintain a calm exterior in the face of crisis, change and/or stress.
Ability to orchestrate community services and to create resources where none are readily available.
Ability to identify and prioritize problems under stress.
Skill in crisis interviewing and counseling to allow worker to take charge, diffuse and manage the crisis.
Ability to accurately observe human behavior and environmental condition, processing collected data in order to effectively recommend and implement a sound course of action in a minimal period of time, relying on self as a major resource, while operating in an isolated and stressful environment; and acting appropriately and effectively on the acquired information.

In order to uphold internal pay parity and equity, salaries are non-negotiable for new and current Buncombe County employees. All new employees are paid according to their years of relevant education and experience above minimum requirements for the position and employees have the opportunity to obtain pay increases via cost of living increases and promotions.

Buncombe County Government realizes the importance of a diverse professional workforce and the need to foster a responsive and innovative organizational culture, one that fully engages all of our employees, honoring and building on each employee's unique experiences, opinions, and perspective.

It is the policy of Buncombe County to provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all persons regardless of race, natural hair or hairstyles, ethnicity, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin or ancestry, marital or familial status, pregnancy, veteran status, religious belief or non-belief, age, or disability or any other legally protected class under federal or NC State law. EEO practices and employment decisions regarding recruitment, hiring, assignment, promotion and compensation shall not be based on any of these protected classes. In addition, the County expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment or discrimination.