Program Manager - Practice & Program Service

DEPARTMENT OF CHILD SAFETY

The Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) is a social and human services agency whose mission is to successfully partner with families, caregivers, and the community to strengthen families, ensure safety, and achieve permanency for all Arizona’s children through prevention, services, and support.

Program Manager - Practice & Program Service

Job Location:

OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY

3003 N Central Ave Phoenix, AZ 85012

Posting Details

Salary: $37.9808 HRLY / $79,000.06 Salary

Grade: 23

Closing Date: February 2, 2026

Job Summary

Under the direction of the Program Administrator of Practice Improvement, this position manages a team that explores, designs, installs, monitors, and supports quality and fidelity of modern DCS case management practices and contracted service programs, using best practices in change and implementation to achieve desirable child and family safety, permanency and well-being outcomes, including racial equity. This team includes service coordinators, child safety practice experts, child permanency practice experts, and program development specialists.

In-state travel is required.

Job Duties

• Provides leadership and project management to explore, design, install and sustain DCS practice models, contracted service programs and other initiatives as assigned, using change and implementation best practices. Monitors project statuses to evaluate progress towards objectives.
• Consults and collaborates with various areas of the Department to identify problem areas related to child welfare practice, model and program fidelity and impact, and outcome achievement. Consults and collaborates with other units within the Office of Accountability and with Field Operations regarding case management and practice models. Serves as a Department expert on practice models and direct service programs, including but not limited to SAFE AZ.
• Engages in collaborative problem-solving with child welfare system stakeholders inside and outside DCS to identify, design and install improvement initiatives. Meets with national experts, Procurement and agency leadership to assist in the development, implementation and review of scopes of work and program manuals for contracted services. Engages with youth and parents who have lived experience with child protection services and historically marginalized populations to co-design practice models and contracted services.
• Oversees and provides direct supervision and professional development to all staff in the Practice and Program Services Unit.
• Conducts literature reviews and attends educational events on current best practices in family engagement, the SAFE model, safety assessment, permanency and service planning, and evidence-based assessment and treatment programs for families with risk factors associated with child abuse and neglect. Monitors and interprets data relevant to child welfare practices. Manages and participates in the identification and development of goals, objectives, initiatives, and data plans.
• Conducts, or oversees the DCS Safety Practice Experts and Permanency Practice Experts conducting, Case Consultation Reviews of the Department's most complex child protection cases to provide coaching, education, or guidance to field operations staff and DCS Senior Leadership Team members. Oversees and provides coaching, education, or guidance to Practice Experts who provide observation and feedback to the Supervision Coach, Program Manager and Supervisors.
• Other duties as assigned an related to the position.
  
  

Knowledge Of

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs):

• Policy development and implementation Program development and implementation science
• Child welfare and related federal and state laws, rules and regulations
• Coordination and facilitation strategies
• Current child welfare principles and best practices
• Coaching in child welfare programs
• Evaluation methodologies
• Project management
• Change management
• Principles and practices in management and supervision
• Group dynamics
• Conflict resolution
• Principals of continuous quality improvement
• Software applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Vizio)
  
  

Skills In

• Public and community relations
• Quality assurance
• Evaluating programs
• Written and verbal communication
• Effective group facilitation
• Problem identification and resolution
• Organization
• Research, analyze and interpret data
• Establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships
• Collaborative problem solving
• Time Management
• Synthesizing and presenting information
  
  

Ability To

• Solve difficult or complex problems
• Research best practices
• Facilitate work groups
• Manage project plans
• Develop and give presentations
• Provide constructive feedback to staff
• Prioritize tasks
• Concentrate for long periods
• Be flexible and adapt to changing priorities
• Communicate complex material using various methods of communication
  
  

Selective Preference(s)

Bachelor's degree in related field of study. Master's Degree in Social Work or Public Administration preferred. Understanding of state and federal requirements.

Pre-Employment Requirements

Five (5) years experience in child welfare. Three (3) years of experience in program development, macro-practice social work or operational management of large and complex problems.

This position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job, then the following requirements apply. Any employee operating a motor vehicle on State business must possess and retain a current, valid class-appropriate driver’s license, complete all required training, and successfully pass all necessary driver’s license record checks. The license must be current, unexpired, and neither revoked nor suspended. Employees who drive on state business are subject to driver’s license record checks, must maintain acceptable driving records, and must complete all required driver training. An employee who operates a personally owned vehicle on state business shall maintain the statutorily required liability insurance (see Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R2-10-207.11)

The ability to secure and maintain clearance from the DCS Central Registry.

If this position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job to conduct State business, then the following requirements apply: Driver’s License Requirements.

All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

Benefits

The State of Arizona provides an excellent comprehensive benefits package including:

• Affordable medical, dental, life, and short-term disability insurance plans
• Top-ranked retirement and long-term disability plans
• 10 paid holidays per year
• Vacation time accrued at 4:00 hours bi-weekly for the first 3 years
• Sick time accrued at 3:42 hours bi-weekly
• Deferred compensation plan
• Wellness plans
  
  

By providing the option of a full-time or part-time remote work schedule, employees enjoy improved work/life balance, report higher job satisfaction, and are more productive. Remote work is a management option and not an employee entitlement or right. An agency may terminate a remote work agreement at its discretion.

Learn more about the Paid Parental Leave pilot program here. For a complete list of benefits provided by The State of Arizona, please visit our benefits page

Retirement

Positions in this classification participate in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS). Enrollment eligibility will become effective after 27 weeks of employment.

Contact Us

Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation such as a sign language interpreter or an alternative format by contacting 602-255-3141 or by email at ADA@AZDCS.GOV. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation. Should you have any further questions regarding the interview process you can reach out to a member of our recruitment team at 602-255-2903 or by email at recruiting@azdcs.gov. The State of Arizona is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer.