State of Maryland

A Social Service Administrator III is a managerial level of administrative social work within the Social Services Administration in the Maryland Department of Human Services.  Employees in this classification, in local departments, administer large and complex social service components or administer the operations of a decentralized center of the Baltimore City Department of Social Services.  Employees in this classification, in the Social Services Administration, direct a section responsible for policy development or field operations.  Employees in this classification that function as Administrators of social service components in a local department provide supervision to professional, paraprofessional, clerical and other support staff.  Employees providing administrative staff services may be required to supervise professional, paraprofessional, clerical and other support staff.

Employees in this classification receive managerial supervision from a higher level Social Service Administrator or other designated administrator.

Position allocation within the Social Service Administrator I-VI series is determined on the basis of relative job evaluation among similarly functioning positions.  The job evaluation factors include: qualifications; nature and purpose of personal contacts; nature of recommendations, commitments, decisions and conclusions; creative thought; responsibility for planning; responsibility for administration; and nature of supervision received.

Plans, develops, coordinates and evaluates social service and other programs and resources;

Develops, implements and monitors program policies, regulations, procedures and proposed legislation;

Interprets and explains State and federal policies, procedures, rules and regulations to agency staff;

Provides technical assistance and social work consultation on problematic cases;

Represents the agency at meetings with other public and private agencies and community groups;

Reviews case material to evaluate the quality of casework services rendered;

Monitors casework for adherence to State, federal and Social Services Administration programs, policies, procedures, rules and regulations;

Participates in the annual program planning and evaluation process;

Coordinates systems of service delivery within the agency and with other public and private agencies and community groups;

Supervises professional, paraprofessional, clerical and other support staff;

May act as a District Manager administering social and income maintenance services in a decentralized center of Baltimore City Department of Social Services;

May act as a division chief in Adult Services, Protective Services or other centralized services in Baltimore City Department of Social Services;

May act as a Division Chief or Assistant Director in a medium or large-sized local county department of social services;

May act as a Policy Section Chief or Manager within the Social Service Administration;

May act as the Chief of Field Operations for Social Services at the Social Services Administration;

May review agency policies and procedures and initiate changes where needed;

May develop plans in compliance with State and federal requirements;

May act as liaison with cooperating federal agencies;

May formulate plans for and implement public assistance and social service programs;

May assess training needs and arrange or provide training for current and future departmental staff;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of social work methodology;

Knowledge of State and federal laws, rules and regulations pertaining to public social service administration;

Knowledge of techniques, practices, procedures and problems of public social service administration;

Knowledge of public administration related to social services;

Knowledge of public personnel administration;

Skill in the development of budget and planning documents in the public sector;

Ability to assess and evaluate the public information needs of a center or division.

Ability to manage and assist in the direction and supervision of activities of assigned personnel;

Ability to plan, develop, coordinate, integrate and implement State and federal laws, policies and procedures, rules and regulations pertaining to public social services;

Ability to conduct public meetings;

Ability to establish and maintain professional working relationships with staff, other agencies and institutions and the general public;

Ability to evaluate existing services and to plan new services needed.

Education:   A Master's degree in social work from an accredited college or university approved by the Council on Social Work Education.

Experience: Seven years of professional experience in a social work capacity in a public or private agency or institution, four years must have been in an administrative, supervisory or consultative capacity.

Notes:

1. These requirements are established by the Social Service Administration by authority provided in Human Services Article 4-204 of the Annotated Code of Maryland and the Maryland Department of Budget and Management, Office of Personnel Services and Benefits does not have authority to accept substitutions or equivalents.

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience at a rank of Corporal/Petty Officer or higher as a commissioned officer in Social Work classifications or Social Work specialty codes in the Social Science, Psychology, and Welfare field of work on a year- for-year basis for the required experience and education.

1. Candidates for positions in this classification must be licensed by the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners.

2. Employees in this classification may be assigned duties which require the operation of a motor vehicle. Employees assigned such duties are required to possess a motor vehicle operator’s license valid in the State of Maryland.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Professional Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Professional Service positions.  Some positions in Professional Service classifications may be designated as Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.