State of Connecticut Executive Branch

In the Department of Children and Families this class is accountable for directing the development, implementation and evaluation of staff development and training and related program activities.

Directs Academy for Workforce Development training staff and all staff development activities of training staff in regional offices.

• Directs staff and operations of the Academy for Workforce Development and training staff and related activities in regional offices;
• Provides leadership and policy direction for program activities; 
• Trains and develops expert program staff of various disciplines to perform full time training and staff development activities; 
• Ensures conformance of training program to national standards and/or legal mandates; 
• Assists Deputy Commissioners in integrating Training Academy activities in management and operation of department;
• Prepares short, intermediate and long term training plans in consultation with department staff as part of department strategic planning; 
• Monitors reports on accomplishments and evaluates results;  
• Serves as non-voting member of Training Academy Advisory Board; 
• Develops and manages Training Academy budget;
• Coordinates departmental education programs with components of higher education and represents Academy to related education and social service programs;
• Provides leadership in developing and implementing grants to provide supplemental funding for Training Academy activities and other related special program activities; 
• Approves staff development contracts;
• Leads the recruitment and hiring of staff, including outreach, interview and selection;
• Performs related duties as required.

• Considerable knowledge of
  • training methods and adult education principles and techniques;
  • principles, practices and issues related to child protective services, child abuse and neglect, assessment of risk and case management for families with children at risk; 
• Knowledge of
  • and ability to apply management principles and practices;
  • national child welfare curricula; 
  • management, supervisory and support staff skills development;
  • children's services including mental health, juvenile justice and child welfare; 
• Considerable
  • interpersonal skills; 
  • oral and written communication skills;
  • leadership skills; 
• Ability to
  • utilize formal program evaluation methodologies; 
  • analyze and respond completely and persuasively to request for proposals, grant applications and other documents required to secure outside funding.

A Master's degree in social work or a closely related field and five (5) years of experience in providing services in a human services agency and two (2) years of experience teaching in a school or department of social work, child welfare or human services or as a training instructor in a public or private social welfare agency.

Two (2) years of the General Experience must have been in a managerial capacity with primary responsibility for staff training and development.

NOTE: Managerial capacity is defined as full time responsibility for formulating program goals and objectives, developing and implementing program procedures, initiating program policies and developing and monitoring a budget. The emphasis of the position is on management activities including but not limited to planning, organizing, directing and controlling resources.

A Doctoral degree in child welfare, education, public administration, social work or a closely related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.

NOTE: Closely related fields are: child welfare, applied sociology, social and/or human services, clinical psychology, child development, counseling, human development and family relations, human service, marriage and family therapy.