Social Work Assistant Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

POSITION SUMMARY The Alliance for Children’s Rights seeks a dedicated Social Work Assistant for our Caregiver Support Initiative (CSI), providing administrative and programmatic support that helps ensure caregivers receive timely financial assistance and access to services. This position reports directly to the Associate Director of Social Services and works closely with the Social Work team to coordinate grant administration, program operations, data management, and caregiver support. This is a full-time, non-exempt position. ABOUT THE ALLIANCE The Alliance for Children’s Rights is a nonprofit organization that provides free, holistic, legal services and advocacy to youth and families impacted by child welfare and juvenile justice systems in Los Angeles County. Our lawyers, advocates, and social workers, together with hundreds of pro bono attorneys and community volunteers, work to ensure young people in foster care and guardianships can overcome barriers to stability and success and can access the education, healthcare, and financial supports they need. Since 1992, we have helped over 175,000 children and young adults. For more information, visit: www.allianceforchildrensrights.org. To advance our mission of stability, equity, and justice for young people, the Alliance also identifies systemic issues and barriers that impact our clients, and advocates for broad solutions through groundbreaking child welfare policy reform at the state and local levels. WHAT YOUR IMPACT WILL BE The Social Work Assistant serves as the primary point of contact for newly assigned caregivers, conducts initial program intake and needs assessments, supports grant processing, and assists with other necessary programmatic activities. The Social Work Assistant gathers information directly from caregivers, identifies immediate needs, and collaborates with program staff to determine the appropriate response pathway. Reporting to the Associate Director of Social Services, the Social Work Assistant will: Caregiver Intake & Program Support Serve as the primary point of contact for newly assigned caregivers and respond to program inquiries. Conduct initial intake interviews and complete program needs assessments. Gather required documentation and determine eligibility for program services. Maintain ongoing communication with caregivers regarding program participation and grant requests. Schedule appointments and coordinate follow-up with social work staff as needed. Maintain accurate electronic case files and client documentation. Grant Administration Coordinate initial aspects of direct grant processing. Collect and conduct preliminary review required supporting documentation as assigned. Prepare grant requests for review and approval by the Grants Social Worker/ Associate Director of Social Services. Maintain grant tracking logs and financial reconciliation records. Assist with grant reporting, documentation, and compliance requirements. Collaborate with the Bilingual Social Worker and Associate Director to ensure timely grant documentation. Program Operations Maintain current community resource information and referral materials. Support data collection, reporting, and quality improvement initiatives. Assist with program supply inventory and administrative projects. Support outreach activities and caregiver engagement efforts. Perform other duties as assigned. THE IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL POSSESS  Associate’s degree plus 5+ years of experience and/or Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Human Services, Sociology, Psychology, Public Administration, or a related field required. One to three years of experience in human services, nonprofit programs, social services, or program administration preferred. Experience coordinating grants, financial assistance, or public benefit programs preferred. Knowledge of the child welfare system preferred. Demonstrated commitment to social justice and equity. Bilingual Spanish/English preferred (or required if you intend this role to always support Spanish-speaking callers during intake). Demonstrated cultural humility and experience working with diverse populations. Strong organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail. EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS Excellent customer service and caregiver engagement skills. Strong organizational and project management abilities. Ability to manage multiple priorities while meeting deadlines. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Experience maintaining confidential client records. Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook, Word) and database systems. Experience with financial tracking, purchasing, or grant administration preferred. Ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment. Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work independently. This job description is of a general nature and is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties of the position. SALARY RANGE  This is a non-exempt, full-time paid position, with a target annual starting salary range of $55,000 up to $60,000 for the Social Work Assistant position. Final starting salary offered is contingent on years of relevant experience. A monthly bilingual pay differential of $167/month is offered to employees in this role who are Spanish speaking and pass the language assessments. Benefits include generous vacation and paid holidays; comprehensive health plans covering 100% of the employee cost of medical, dental and vision insurance; life insurance; flexible spending accounts for childcare and health expenses; generous retirement savings plan with company contributions to your 403(b) after one year of employment independent of employee contribution, and discounts on fitness memberships and other activities. Other CONSIDERATIONS This position will be based in our Los Angeles office, and the candidate must be based in the greater Los Angeles area. Except for in-person Alliance events, trainings, in-office meetings with clients, colleagues, or community partners, and to the extent that telework is allowed, this position may choose to work remotely from home. The employee may be required to return to full or part-time work at the office at any time at the employer’s discretion. VACCINATION REQUIREMENT  The Alliance is committed to prioritizing and safeguarding the health and wellbeing of our employees, their families, our clients, and members of our community against the COVID-19 coronavirus. In response to COVID-19 and the increased transmissibility with recent variants, and to support a safe environment for everyone, all new Alliance employees must provide original documentation confirming they are fully vaccinated, and/or evidence of an approved qualifying medical exemption or religious held belief exemption at the time of hire. NON-DISCRIMINATION The Alliance for Children’s Rights is committed to building and supporting an inclusive environment that values all staff members’ backgrounds and perspectives in our work. We welcome candidates with lived experiences that relate to the Alliance’s work and mission. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. We are an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, and prohibit discrimination against employees or applicants because of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, veteran status, or any other unlawful basis.  The Alliance for Children’s Rights will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if the Alliance is concerned about a conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting the Civil Rights Department Fair Chance Act webpage.