Adoption Case Manager - Temporary Position

Description

Temporary position.

DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

The Programs and Services Department reaches more than 1 million children and individuals with family strengthening services and about 100 children are placed with international adoptive families each year. Managed by U.S. and in-country staff, these programs and services are carried out in close cooperation with partner agencies, orphanages and other child service providers, government child welfare agencies, local and regional officials, funding agencies, and others. This department continuously evaluates opportunities to expand or deepen program services, while maintaining high standards of quality and transparency for sustainable development and child welfare impact.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Assures objectives are met by maintaining child and family case-related administrative processes for assigned countries. Carry out services for the adoption programs from approved application to placement including welcoming families into program, reviewing family dossiers; and reviewing child adoption materials. Updates electronic database, folders and records of clients on a daily basis; monitors case progress. Maintains regular communication with US-based and overseas staff and partners to obtain case information and facilitate adoption process.

The position involves daily ongoing monitoring of case progress, ongoing communication and consultation with social work staff at Holt, cooperating agencies and overseas partners, USCIS, and Central Adoption Authorities. The Adoption Case Manager, under supervision of the Director of Adoption Services, ensures services delivered reflect the highest standard of social work practice.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Ensures children are placed in nurturing families by reviewing various child and family case materials related to adoption processes, communicating about case information with Holt adoption team, Holt state offices, cooperating agencies, direct social workers, and with international partner entities, and external providers as appropriate.

2. Manages families in process by coordinating transfer of files from inquiry department. Provides families with access to and updates the content of the online handbook. Provides minimal quarterly contact for families. Assists in preparation and sends monthly country updates and newsletters. Schedules and assists with family virtual calls as requested. Provides timely communication to families in process regarding program news and process changes.

3. Ensures accuracy of adoption documents by examining and offering edits to key dossier documents including the adoption home study, psychological evaluation, and by communicating needed corrections or revisions to families, overseas staff, and adoption entities in assigned country programs. Assists all families with their dossier process through providing guidance and reviewing documents for accuracy, answering questions, and providing instructions, examining documents, communicating needed corrections or revisions, maintaining and updating family files and updating database as needed. Answers questions about the USCIS / i-800a or i600a and/or i800 and i600 processes.

4. Tracks progress of families in process by maintaining accurate records and ensures families in process remain eligible for adoption services. Confirms approval and expiration dates and informs families on upcoming expiration dates. Provides instructions on home study and USCIS updates. Ensures overseas partners have accurate information on families' status.

5. Assures access to and organization of records by coordinating, maintaining and accurately updating family, child, and database files on a daily basis. Develops and maintains systems to track and organize child and family case information. Maintains and provides adoption statistics and assists in reporting as needed. Ensures case files are updated in Holt's database at all times.

6. Contributes to successful placement of children by reviewing child and family information for appropriateness for adoption, supports supervisor and Adoption staff in the review of child adoption information and matching, initiating special needs funding (SNAF grant) as appropriate and assisting with external grant applications when appropriate and communicating about external grant opportunities.

7. Coordinates and manages country caseloads by ensuring families move through each phase of the adoption process, reviews documents for accuracy, communicates needed corrections or revisions, notarizes documents, calculates costs of certification/authentication for family, mailing documents to and from necessary state office and Consulates, and ensures timely completion of dossier. Monitors the completion of documents in order to meet dossier deadlines. Advances families through the adoption process by working with Holt's Database and other systems in place.

8. Establishes and maintains communication flow from overseas programs to families by keeping in contact with overseas staff and/or international partner organizations regarding each case's progress and updating agencies/family, problem-solving with the adoption coordinators and director, international and U.S. agencies regarding all case challenges and delays that surface during the adoption process.

9. Coordinates payment tracking of family adoption fees according to relevant fee schedules, and answers questions about fees. Assists Adoption Coordinator when necessary to determine fees for invoicing. Tracks family payments and confirms family has paid all outstanding Holt fees prior to coordinating and arranging travel and/or placement services.

10. Conducts file audits when necessary to ensure all documents are securely saved in child and family file. Closes files according to Holt procedures when necessary. Maintains compliance with all accreditation standards for adoption files.

11. Monitors and assists with child/family's adjustment after placement by processing post placement and/or post adoption reports, maintains communication with and alerts Director of Adoption Services and Vice President of Adoption Services and partners when families experience adjustment or placement difficulties. Assists family and social worker in supporting agencies/families with finalization, naturalization, and communication with sending country in consultation with Holt Adoption Team and Direct Social Worker as needed.

12. Maintains knowledge and understanding of country and international partner organization's adoption policies/processes and political/social situations by maintaining regular contact through various platforms of communication, including but not limited to, email, WhatsApp, Line, Zoom and virtual meetings, phone calls, and letters. Meets and consults regularly with overseas partners, supervisor and Holt Adoption Team members as well as other US Adoption Service Providers.

13. Contributes to team effort by exhibiting cooperative and effective work relationships, such as, responding positively to challenges, assignments, inter and intra departmental requests; seeing beyond own tasks to help fulfill the organizational goals, especially to support the director, adoption coordinators, and country program staff.

14. Contributes to a positive, productive work environment by meeting attendance and punctuality guidelines and pre-arranging time off with appropriate notice; being aware of and following established company policies; treating all people with dignity and respect; exhibiting good listening and comprehension skills including giving and welcoming feedback.

IMPACT OF RESULTS: Social work evaluation and services are delivered to children and families to ensure their successful adjustment to one another. Maintains positive working relationship with adoption staff, overseas partners and contributes to efficient adoption processing. Requires continual consultation, planning and attention to details to achieve results.

SUCCESS FACTORS:

This position maintains timely communication and support to adoptive families. Develops and maintains effective relationships with Holt Adoption Staff and Cooperating Agencies. Works effectively with colleagues and family. Presents case material in an organized manner. Promotes understanding of adoption related issues through speaking and writing.

Requirements

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE (MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS):

Bachelor's degree in social work or related field, with 1 year of experience in international or domestic adoption or child welfare preferred. A combination of education, work experience and extensive volunteer experience in similar work setting may be considered to replace international adoption experience. Knowledge of adoption procedures, child development and family dynamics. Must have proven experience in adoption services and processes. Ability to understand, carefully review case adoption home studies, psychological and medical evaluations, and child adoption files. Knowledge of family and group dynamics and adoption practices. Cross cultural knowledge, sensitivity and competencies. Ability to quickly respond, organize, and track case communications. Excellent writing and computer skills and experience in office software, communication apps, and database required. Requires high level of reading comprehension, assessment, detailed editing and reporting skill.

INFORMATION PROCESSING:

Maintains information distribution between overseas and domestic operations. Manages information between Holt and offices or cooperating agencies. Ensures services delivered reflect the highest standard of social work practice. Organizes and monitors systems of information related to adoption processing through filing, tickler systems and formatting for broader consumption. Communicates through effective writing skills. Ability to organize and analyze incoming letters, documents and reports in coordination with various processes and deadlines.

SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY:

Develops and monitors work to meet objectives, anticipate and address challenges, and improve / maintain existing case management systems. Works independently and professionally while exercising good judgment, courtesy and tact in contact with team, families, cooperating agency social workers and other constituents. Provides continual assessment and planning necessary for efficient service delivery to families. Takes initiative in assigned duties, prioritizes tasks using organized and effective processes. Monitors and maintains efficiency of administrative systems/procedures used by overseas staff/partners, program coordinators and director. Assesses seriousness/urgency of situations and directs to supervisor as appropriate and as needed.

INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION:

Establishes and maintains effective relationships with multiple and varied agency personnel including people of different cultures. Works well with branch offices, cooperating agencies particularly in communicating on adoption processing and case management. Ability to problem solve while maintaining a respectful stance. Ability to work well with other employees and to effectively participate in a working group format related to assigned programs. Provides regular verbal and written feedback to director and senior executive.

IMPACT OF RESULTS: Supports program to achieve country-specific objectives. Maximizes opportunities for successful child placement by assuring compliance with country regulations in adoption assessment and documentation. Understanding and communicating accurate child and family information with the various team members, partners and adoptive families. Provides supervisor with support to effectively monitor and facilitate the adoption programs and to achieve the country objectives.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: None

DESCRIBE CONTROLS: Supervision provided by Director of Adoption Services.