Salary : $72,276.22 - $90,345.28 Annually
Location : Hickory, NC
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 02350
Department: Social Services
Opening Date: 06/26/2026
Closing Date: 7/10/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
New as of 01/01/2026:
Your well-being matters from the start - benefited new hires are eligible for up to 40 hours of advanced annual leave and 40 hours of advanced sick leave.
Position Description
Catawba County Social Services is seeking a dedicated and experienced Social Work Supervisor to lead our Foster Care team. In this role, you will provide direct supervision and coaching to foster care social workers and visitation coaches, guiding a team committed to child safety, family preservation, and achieving timely, meaningful permanency for children in the agency's care. This position plays a critical role in ensuring that children and families receive trauma-informed, high-quality services while navigating the complex legal and programmatic demands of child welfare.
If you are a seasoned child welfare professional with strong leadership skills and a passion for supporting both your team and the families you serve, we encourage you to apply. Catawba County Social Services offers a collaborative work environment, opportunities for continued professional growth, and the chance to make a lasting impact in the lives of children and families in our community.
Trainees, those with Master's or Bachelor's degrees in other areas of human services but do not have the required experience, may be considered.
Trainee salary starts at $68,824.61.
Responsibilities
- Provide individual, group, and team supervisory consultation to foster care social workers and visitation coaches to support professional development and maintain high standards of practice
- Review and monitor case records for timeliness, accuracy, and compliance with legal and programmatic mandates, including court reports, documentation, and service delivery requirements
- Guide staff in developing and implementing permanency plans within required timeframes, including concurrent planning, relative placement assessment, TPR, relinquishment, and adoption referral processes
- Consult with staff on placement resources, visitation arrangements, independent living planning, and coordination of services for children's physical, mental, educational, and recreational needs
- Identify staff training needs and plan, conduct, or arrange development opportunities in social work practice, risk assessment, case management, and related areas
- Coordinate team activities with other units, departments, and community partners, and actively participate on committees, task forces, and councils at the local and state level
- Manage statistical data, facilitate team meetings, oversee service systems for efficiency and effectiveness, and ensure maximum revenue capture from applicable funding sources
- Supervise BSW and MSW field placements and participate in interviewing and onboarding of new staff
- Manage the agency's Recovery Court caseload and serve as on-site supervisor every other week
- Coordinate care and logistics for children in emergency or temporary placements, including transportation, supplies, medication administration, and documentation
- Conduct performance evaluations, recommend personnel actions, and carry out disciplinary processes as appropriate
- Serve as primary on-call Monday through Thursday; rotate weekend and holiday on-call coverage
Qualifications
- Master's degree from an accredited school of social work with Child Welfare Collaborative and 1 year of social work experience; OR
- Master's degree from an accredited school of social work and 2 years of social work experience; OR
- Master's degree in counseling or human services field and 3 years of social work experience, OR
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited school of social work with Child Welfare Collaborative and 2 years of social work experience; OR
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited school of social work and 3 years of social work experience; OR
- Bachelor's degree in a human services field and 4 years of social work experience; OR
- Bachelor's degree in a non-human services field and 5 years of social work experience
Additional Requirements
- Valid Driver's License with a safe driving record (Driving is an essential function of this position)
- Must be available for primary on-call coverage Monday through Thursday and rotating weekend (average one weekend every 8 weeks) and holiday on-call with the other Permanency Planning Social Work Supervisors
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain professional relationships with community partners, stakeholders, juvenile court, schools, and mental health providers
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare accurate court reports, case documentation, and professional correspondence
- Sound interviewing, assessment, and intervention skills with the ability to apply critical analysis to risk factors and child welfare decisions
- Ability to train, coach, and develop professional staff while fostering a culture of growth and accountability
- Effective time management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and on-call responsibilities simultaneously
- Ability to work collaboratively and courteously across teams, departments, and external agencies
- Commitment to trauma-informed practice and culturally responsive service delivery
- This position requires lifting up to 40 pounds to carry children and belongings.
Preferences:
- Prior supervisory experience in a child welfare or public social services setting
- Experience with foster care, permanency planning, or adoption services
- Familiarity with juvenile court processes and community partner collaboration
- Experience providing trauma-informed supervision and practice
As of 7/1/2025:
You will find that Catawba County has one of the best benefits packages around. Our Human Resources staff are dedicated to keeping in touch with trends in benefits on both a local and national level, listening to employees' suggestions regarding benefits, and continually reviewing to ensure our benefits package is of good quality and meets the needs of both our employees and our organization.
Available benefits include:
Health Care
- Health: For a small bi-weekly premium, employees may choose between a traditional (co-pay) health plan and a high deductible health plan coupled with a Health Savings Account (HSA). Coverage may also be purchased for spouse, child(ren), or family.
- Dental Insurance: At no cost to full-time employees, the County covers preventive, routine, and non-routine care. Coverage for the same benefits may also be purchased for spouse, child(ren), and family. In addition, a $2,000 benefit toward orthodontia coverage is provided for children up to age 19.
- Vision Care: Coverage is available, at group rates, for employee and dependents,with 2 plan options to choose from.
- Supplemental critical care and accident insurance plans: These optional coverage plans are available at a nominal cost.
- Flexible Spending Accounts: Pre-tax accounts that can be used to pay for qualified out-of-pocket medical, dental, and vision expenses.
Employee Wellness
- Employee Health Clinic (EHC): An employee medical clinic, available to all County employees, which operates 40 hours a week. Services provided include acute care, first aid, evaluation and care for workers' compensation injuries, pre-employment screenings, health education, and behavioral health referrals. Services are offered both in person and through telehealth. Acute care is available to employee's children ages 3-17, regardless of health insurance coverage, and for employee's adult children (ages 18-26) or employee's spouse if covered on the county's health insurance.
- Wellness: The County recognizes the importance of our health and well-being. We maintain a very proactive and effective Wellness Program, including reimbursement and discounts for gym membership, incentives for physical activity, on-site nutrition counseling, free exercise opportunities, wellness education, and more.
- Employee Assistance Program: Counseling services are available to all County employees and immediate family members in the home. Services are provided in a private and confidential setting (in-person or virtually). The County provides coverage for the first six visits.
Work Life Balance
- Annual Leave:Full-time employees earn from 10-24 days annually based on years of service. Service credit from other NC and Local Governments in the retirement system may be transferred to the County.
- To help new employees settle in, up to 40 hours of annual leave is advanced upon hire, with first-year accruals adjusted to align with established annual limits.
- Sick Leave:Full-time employees earn one day (8 hours) of sick leave per month. Sick leave from other NC and Local Governments in the retirement system may be transferred to the County.
- New hires are advanced up to 40 hours of sick leave, with first-year accruals adjusted to align with established annual limits.
- Holiday Leave: Throughout the year, 11 days of paid leave are provided in recognition of holidays.
- Flexible work schedules.
- Time off for activities that support our local schools.
- Continuing educational assistance.
- Discount tickets to recreational venues.
- Employee appreciation days/activities.
- Tax-free flexible spending account to pay for dependent care.
Financial Security
- Local Governmental Employees Retirement System: For employees assigned to work 20 hours per week or more in a benefitted position, participation in this program is automatic. Employees contribute 6% of their salary, which is tax-deferred. After (5) years of creditable service, you become fully vested in the retirement system. Employees may also take advantage of individual and group retirement counseling through the Human Resources department.
- 401K: The County provides a 2% contribution plus an additional 1% match (up to 3% total contribution by the County). Our sworn law enforcement officers receive a flat 5% contribution to their 401k.
- Other Tax Deferred Programs: Other tax-sheltering programs are available through IRS Code 125 (Cafeteria Plan), and a 457 supplemental retirement plan (Deferred Compensation).
- Longevity Pay: After 5 years of creditable service, employees receive an annual longevity payment that is paid every year thereafter. This lump sum payment rewards employees for their length of service to Catawba County. The amount is based on years of service.
- Life Insurance: Death benefit equal to one times the employee's annual salary, with a minimum coverage amount of $25,000. Optional supplemental life insurance coverage is also available for both employee and dependents through payroll deduction at group rates.
- Short Term Disability: Available at no cost to employees, benefits are available after a 55-day waiting period.
- Long Term Disability: Available through payroll deduction at group rates.
- Eligibility for membership and financial services at State Employees Credit Union (SECU)/Local Government Federal Credit Union (LGFCU).
01
What skills and abilities will you bring to the supervisory team and to direct social work staff in this role?
02
Check the box that indicates your status in regard to the North Carolina Social Work Collaborative initiative.
- I am a NC Social Work Collaborative Scholar
- I have completed the NC Social Work Collaborative Waiver
- I have not completed any of the NC Social Work Collaborative programs.
Required Question