Entry Level Aclu Social Work Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $64,230.40 - $76,793.60 Annually
Location : Cabarrus County, NC
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: FY26-01407
Department: SOCIAL WORK SERVICES - DSS
Opening Date: 07/10/2026
Closing Date: 10/11/2026 11:59 PM Eastern
Description
Applicants are encouraged to apply early. The application review process will take place immediately and continue until the position is filled. This recruitment may close any time after the first review or when a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received.
Hiring range for this position is $64,230.40 - $76,793.60. Initial placement for new employees is customarily at entry level through 35% percentile. Pay grade for this position is 23.
General Definition of Work:
Performs difficult level responsible supervisory work in the guidance, coordination, and delivery of social work programs and services of a Child Welfare Division within the Department of Social Services department. Work is circumscribed by federal, state, and county constraints, but within those constraints the employee exercises independent judgment and initiative. Work is performed under the regular supervision of a Social Work Program Administrator or Manager. Supervision is exercised over professional and support staff, predominantly at the levels of Social Worker III and Social Worker-Investigative/Assessment, Treatment (SW-IAT) and Permanency Planning.
Examples of Duties
Essential Functions:

• Planning, directing, supervising, and participating in the delivery of social work programs and services.
• Reviewing casework, holding conferences, and assisting social workers in resolving difficult case situations.
• Making case decisions and judgments that impact the life and safety of children, the elderly or disabled adults.
• Interpreting and providing guidance on regulations and procedures.
• Providing on-the-job training for staff and making arrangements for staff to receive formal training.
• Preparing, reviewing and maintaining detailed and complex records, files, reports, and confidentiality.
• Oversee case planning, assessments, and documentation to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal guidelines.
• Oversees the development of case plans.
• Supervise the licensing process for foster/adoptive parents ensuring meet safety and regulatory standards.
• Ensure the best interest of children are represented in all placement and legal decisions.

The Licensing & Placement Supervisor provides administrative and supervision to the Licensing & Placement Unit while overseeing foster home recruitment, licensing, placement coordination, and foster parent engagement. This position is responsible for ensuring compliance with state licensing regulations and agency policies; coordinating foster parent recruitment, training, and retention efforts; facilitating daily placement staffing and placement preservation activities; monitoring licensing and respite processes; and supporting quality assurance initiatives. The supervisor collaborates with internal and external partners to improve placement stability, increase placement resources, and ensure timely, appropriate placements for children in DSS custody while providing leadership, coaching, and operational oversight to assigned staff.
(These are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work performed. The omission of specific duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)
Typical Tasks:

• Responsible for supervising, training, and evaluating staff and has substantial influence in hiring and other employment decisions.
• Analyzes situations and determines appropriate courses of action immediately or in short time spans and often under very stressful conditions.
• Assigns cases to staff and maintains workload balance.
• Implements changes in work procedures to meet program demands and presents recommendations to management which impact programmatic goals, objectives, and policies.
• Provides input to management on administrative and budget issues. • Ensures that policies and procedures are followed.
• Identifies and develops community resources for activities, education, training, and supportive service areas; explains program policy to community agency providers and maintains ongoing consultation with community resources.
• Develops public awareness, support, and endorsement for assigned programs through presentations to civic, public, and private organizations.
• May perform social worker III or SW-IAT functions and may carry a small caseload.
• May travel to homes, schools, health facilities, and other service agencies. May transport clients
• Performs related tasks as required to potentially include but not limited to emergency shelter operations.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:Thorough knowledge of social work principles, techniques and practices and their applications to specific casework, group work, and community problems; of federal and state laws, policies and procedures, program rules and quality assurance standards; of behavioral and socioeconomic problems and their treatment; and of organizations and resources in the community. Knowledge of methods and principles of casework supervision and training. Knowledge of medical terminology and disease processes and/or intellectual disability development programs and behavior management techniques. Knowledge of internal and external audits related to child welfare case management and placement practices. Working knowledge of office equipment and computers and applicable software applications. Ability to supervise, train, or orient lower-level social workers and other staff. Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely and to plan and execute work effectively; to testify as an expert witness; to employ advanced case management interview techniques to establish a supportive relationship and involve families in the initial assessment for the need of services; to quickly assess the risks and safety of the client environment during daylight hours, after dark and in high crime areas; to analyze and assess safety issues in relation to risk factors; to analyze tense family situations and make decisions about removing children and protecting elderly and disabled adults when the decision has to be made with limited direct information and limited access to consultation; and to interact and motivate a resistant involuntary client. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients and their families, a variety of medical and psychological professionals, law enforcement, court officials, attorneys, community agencies and the general public; and to attend work regularly.
Management Preferences: (Strongly Preferred)

• Completion of NC Child Welfare Pre-Service Training (required)
• Completion of NC Child Welfare Collaborative Training
• Masters' in Social Work
• Experience working in a (DSS) Child Welfare or Child Protective Services Dept in the State of NC.

Minimum Education / Experience requirements
Education and Experience:

• Master's Degree in social work and 2 years directly related experience or;
• Master's Degree in a human services field and 3 years directly related experience or;
• Bachelor's Degree in social work and 3 years directly related experience or;
• Bachelor's Degree in a human services field and 4 years of directly related experience or;
• Bachelor's Degree and 5 years directly related experience.
• Degree must be from an appropriately accredited college or university.
• Directly related experience is defined as human services experience in the areas of case management, assessment and referral, supportive counseling, intervention, psycho-social therapy and treatment planning. Half credit will be given for years of experience in income maintenance casework up to a maximum of one year credit.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted.

Some county job postings indicate that you can qualify with an "equivalent combination of education and experience." If this language is included in the job description, it means you may qualify through either education, your years of directly related experience, or a combination of both.
If you have indicated that you have earned a certificate, diploma, or degree from a technical school, college, or university, please note that Cabarrus County will verify your educational credentials. Official transcripts must clearly show the specific credential awarded to ensure accurate validation.
Special Requirements: Position may require possession of an appropriate driver's license valid in the State of North Carolina. Position is a safety sensitive position as defined by the Drug Free Workplace Policy. Position requires on-call duty rotation. Employees are responsible for supervising approximately five to twelve professional employees. Work supervised is predominately at the level of Social Worker III and SW-IAT
Physical Requirements: This is normally light work requiring the exertion of up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects; some work may require the exertion of 50 pounds of force occasionally, up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects; work may require climbing stairs for home visits, kneeling, standing and/or walking while interviewing various parties; reaching and fingering, grasping, and repetitive motions; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word, and conveying detailed or important instructions to others accurately or loudly; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels, and to receive detailed information through oral communications and/or make fine distinctions in sound; visual acuity is required for preparing and analyzing written or computer data, operation of office machines, determining accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of work, and observing general surroundings and activities; the worker is subject to contact with irate clients and/or family members; homes that may be poorly maintained or unsafe living conditions. The worker may be exposed to blood borne pathogens and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment.
Supplemental Information
Supplemental and Contact Information:
Cabarrus County selects applicants for employment based on job-related knowledge, skills, and abilities without regard to race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, disability, political affiliation or political influence.
Degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions. Transcripts, degree evaluations and cover letters may be uploaded with your application. Applicants who obtained their education outside of the United States and its territories are expected to assume responsibility for having their academic degrees validated as equivalent to a degree conferred by a regionally accredited college or university in the United States.
Please be sure to complete the application in full. Resumes may be uploaded with your application, but will not be accepted in lieu of a fully completed application and will not be considered for qualifying credit. "See Resume" or "See Attachment" will NOT be accepted.
If multiple applications are submitted to an individual position, only the most recent application received prior to the posting closing date will be accepted. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM on the closing date.
Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide information regarding the status of your application over the phone. To check the status of your application, please log in to your account. Processing applications will take an average of 6 - 8 weeks due to the high volume of applications received. It is not necessary to contact the Human Resources Office to check the status of an application. Upon the closing date, applications are "Under Review" and will be screened by Human Resources for the most qualified applicants.
For technical issues with your applications, please call the NEOGOV Help Line at 855-524-5627. If there are any questions about this posting other than your application status, please contact HR at 704-920-2200.

• Earned vacation & sick leave
• 11-12 paid holidays per year
• Floating Holiday
• Paid Personal Day
• Bereavement Leave
• Paid Parental Bonding Leave

• Participation in the Local Government Employees Retirement System
  • Mandatory 6% employee contribution

• 5% employer-paid contribution to NC401K, with no employee match required
  • Employees have the option to contribute additional monies to the NC401K plan or to a 457 retirement savings plan

• Health Insurance plans
  • Consumer driven plan including a health savings account
  • PPO Plan
  • Optional dependent coverage - employee/s