Director of Youth Services

Town of Suffield

Job Posting

Position: Director of Youth Services

Post Date: March 13, 2025

End Date: Open Until Filled

The Town of Suffield is a quintessential New England town with a longstanding pledge to preserving its historic architecture and agricultural roots. The many people who serve Suffield through town government as employees and volunteers alike remain committed to developing and fostering a strong sense of community among its residents.

The Town of Suffield is seeking a Director of Youth Services. This position is responsible for leading prevention efforts, the administration, development, and implementation of Youth Services programs that promote positive mental, emotional, and social development for youth and families. Provide advocacy and direct services to “at-risk” children, youth, and their families. Identifies the needs and refers clients to appropriate social or counseling professionals. Works with the First Selectman and Social Services Commission, schools, town departments, and various state and regional agencies. Provide case management for youth involved in the juvenile review board. Responsible for writing grant proposals as needed. Serves the residents of Suffield in a positive, customer-oriented manner that promotes a professional image for the Town government.

Hours:

This is a full-time thirty-five (35) hours per week position. Must be able to work flexible hours, including after-school programming, evenings, and weekends. Occasionally requires long hours beyond those scheduled hours, including monthly evening commission meetings, evening work, and weekend work as job duties demand; response to student and family emergencies for support. This position is at will.

Compensation and Benefits:

$68,000 – $74,000 annual salary commensurate with experience, benefits package to include: 13 Paid Holidays per Year • Paid Sick and Vacation Days • Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance • Supplemental Accidental, Hospitalization and Injury Insurance • Defined Contribution Plan with Town Match • Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and Life Insurance

Supervision Received:

Reports to the First Selectman and the Social Services Commission.

Supervision Exercised:

Supervises interns, volunteers, contractors, and vendors.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. In coordination with the First Selectman and Social Services Commission, continuously evaluate the needs of the community population in the municipality; design, implement, facilitate, and/or coordinate youth service programs and initiatives with the community and/or their family to meet those needs.
2. Foster and maintain relationships with youth and their families who may be considered “at-risk,” “in crisis,” or otherwise in need; provide a basic professional assessment of these individuals and make referrals and linkages to appropriate agencies, professionals, or officials as needed; foster a close working relationship with School Resource Officer to coordinate programming for the target population.
3. Compile and/or develop promotional and educational materials related to youth services, distribute within the community, and provide education and information as needed; coordinate educational opportunities and/or training on prevalent issues (effective parenting, substance abuse/prevention, appropriate discipline, domestic violence, mental health, gaming addictions, divorce, etc.), as needed.
4. Plans, prepares and coordinates activities, events and trips, including purchasing of supplies, scheduling instructors, speakers and entertainers for youth and family events.
5. Produces and distributes promotional materials such as press releases, flyers, posters and social media outreach.
6. Evaluates program success through direct observation, participation, feedback and enrollment levels. Provides recommendations for program changes and future programming.
7. Facilitate Suffield Youth Advisory Board at Middle School and High School. Provide opportunities for youth involvement in community policy and youth programming decisions.
8. Participate in the Juvenile Review Board; coordinate with Suffield Police Department to connect with the family of the JRB-referred youth; assist with intake and relevant background information to facilitate the JRB process; maintain contact with JRB-referred youth for follow-up and monitoring, as well as maintaining options for community service needs; conduct specific mental health/drug use assessments as needed.
9. Maintain effective communication; seek to develop and maintain professional relationships with youth, families, resources, town/school personnel, etc.
10. In consultation with the First Selectman and Social Services Commission, complete and submit grant application(s) related to youth services programming; maintain adequate and complete daily, monthly, and yearly statistical data for monthly reporting and outcome statistics as required.
11. In consultation with the First Selectman and Social Services Commission, provide input to plan and responsibly implement the annual youth services budget, including grant funds.
12. In consultation with the First Selectman and Social Services Commission, coordinate, monitor, and evaluate Youth Services programs, including developing and/or gathering promotional materials related to youth. Plan youth services needs assessment every 2-3 years.
13. Consult and counsel youth and/or families in crisis, referring them to appropriate agencies and professionals for assistance when necessary.
14. Provide and coordinate community education on children, youth, and family issues (e.g., classes and forums on substance abuse prevention, mental health awareness, effective parenting, discipline, etc.)
15. Work with Suffield’s Juvenile Review Board, as a member of the board, to identify community service projects for youth offenders; conduct specific mental health/ substance use assessments; counsel families and be a resource for police on cases involving Suffield youth.
16. In consultation with the Suffield Local Prevention Council and Suffield Public Schools, apply for applicable grants and assessments as needed; negotiates grants pertinent to Youth Services programming; keep records and make follow-up reports to funding agencies and Local Prevention Council. Chair and recruit new members of the Suffield local prevention council; attend quarterly meetings, collect and share data. Host meetings and create prevention awareness programs for the community.
17. Develop and lead positive youth development programs (e.g., social/emotional and coping skills).
18. Functions as the referral base for truancy cases from the Public Schools; collaborates with school and family to assist with needs.
19. Complete annual reports on administered programs during the year.
20. Creative marketing to utilize programs and events at the Community Services Center.
21. Collaborate with Town departments to promote youth and family activities.
22. Create and maintain a positive social media presence; advertise programs via social media.
23. Attend seminars and conferences to remain current on youth mental health/social and emotional learning developments and funding sources.
24. Maintain positive working relationships with local government officials, school officials, and the community regarding program offerings and coordination of services; promptly and cordially respond to inquiries and complaints about services and facilities.

Other Job Functions:

1. Perform other related work as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education & Experience:

1. A Bachelor’s degree is required; a Master’s degree in Education, Counseling, or a related field with a focus on youth and family services is preferred.
2. Licensed Master Social Worker preferred.
3. A minimum of five (5) years of professional experience working with youth and family casework is required. Experience in a community or municipal setting is preferred.
4. Relevant experience may be considered as a substitute for educational requirements, subject to approval by the First Selectman.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

1. Experience with municipal government, including establishing productive working relationships with school personnel, police, and town agencies.
2. Experience in developing effective working relationships with youth and their families
3. Knowledge of child development, casework, group dynamics, methods of community organization, prevention, mental health promotion, and parenting skills.
4. Knowledge of and experience with grant writing and acquisition of funds.
5. Knowledge of and experience with budget administration.
6. Strong interpersonal skills, including competency in oral and written communication.
7. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with supervisors, associates, and citizens.
8. Ability to work independently and manage time.
9. Empathy and advocacy for youth and a sense of mission to serve the community. Ability to maintain confidentiality.
10. Experience with office management, including office technology.

Additional Eligibility Requirements:

1. Valid Driver’s License; obtain a Public Services License within six months of employment.

Tools and Equipment Used:

This job operates in a professional office environment with occasionally related fieldwork. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands here are representative of those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of the job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

While performing the essential functions of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, stand, walk; use hands and fingers; handle or operate objects, controls, or standard office equipment, reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and taste or smell.

The employee must regularly be able to safely lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment:

This job operates in a professional office environment with related fieldwork. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and fax machines.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may occasionally work in outside weather conditions. The employee may occasionally be exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, extreme cold, heat, and airborne particles. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet in the office and moderately quiet to noisy in the field.

General Guidelines:

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

Other Duties:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of functions, activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Functions, duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Travel:

Travel is primarily local from public schools, town buildings, and home visits as needed during the business day. However, some out-of-the-area travel and overnight may be expected for conferences and seminars.

EEOC Statement:

It is the policy of the Town of Suffield to provide equal employment opportunity to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, the Town of Suffield will provide reasonable accommodations that do not present an undue hardship for qualified individuals with disabilities.

How to Apply:

Applications can be found on the town website at suffieldct.gov/departments/hr.

Please submit an application and resume by email to sfoley@suffieldct.gov or by mail to Town of Suffield, Human Resources Department, Attention: Shannon Foley, 83 Mountain Rd, Suffield, CT 06078 by closing date of posting.

The Town of Suffield is an equal opportunity employer m/f/d/v.
The above posting is intended as a guide and is not a complete description of the position or process