Salary Range - $52,000-$55,000 ($25.00-28.56 per hour)

FLSA Status - full time, exempt

Location – remote (must reside in Texas)

 

Background: The Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services (TACFS) is Texas’ leading network of mission-driven organizations that have embraced the call to serve vulnerable children, youth and families in their communities.  TACFS members across Texas work to prevent and address child trauma through services including prevention and early intervention, family preservation, residential/foster care services, adoption, post-adoption, youth runaway and transition services, mental health, education, substance abuse and other programs designed to promote safety and reduce risk for children, youth and families.

Our mission is to work collectively to support and strengthen children, youth and families in communities across Texas. TACFS’ vision is to build a vibrant, strong, and unified network of child, youth- and family-serving community providers providing high-quality services across Texas.

The TACFS team proudly encompasses the values of being: Collaborative, Forward-thinking, Honest Brokers, Inclusive, Reliable, Solutions-Focused, Thoughtful

The organization was established in 1975, but we are continuously evolving and changing in response to the dynamic nature of the work we do.  Our overall strategic aim is to support our members so they can do what they do best…care for children and families.

Reporting: Our Program Specialist will work under the direction of the Director of System Advancement and will work collaboratively with staff at partner organizations and additional Youth Villages staff. Additionally, the Program Specialist will work collaboratively with others on the TACFS team, TACFS CEO, TACFS Board, membership organizations, and other key state and national partners. 

 

Key Responsibilities: This role will collaborate with Youth Villages to lead their initiatives in Texas. This includes the statewide planning and implementation of LifeSet, a comprehensive support model designed for transition-age youth. The position will also involve evaluating the challenges and obstacles associated with Extended Foster Care, a voluntary program for youth adults after they age out of foster care. 

 

This position will support our efforts in advancing the following primary goals:

 

  • All Texas youth and young adults have strong connections and supports to plan for their transitions and beyond, with high quality placements and wraparound supports that are personalized and youth-guided.
  • Understand why young adults do not enroll in extended foster care and employ a youth-led approach to proposing programmatic changes and advocating for legislative transformations that will improve the experiences and outcomes for young adults aging out of foster care.

 

Roles and Responsibilities:

  • Offer input and partnership on the defining the scope of work with the project team to ensure comprehensive understanding and alignment.
  • Collect data through various methods, including creating an annotated bibliography, performing a literature review, organizing focus groups with providers and youth with lived experience, and scanning publicly available data.
  • Provide generalist support on data analysis, and written assessments that address the defined questions in scope of work and highlight any additional key findings.
  • Present at community events, workshops, and training sessions to raise awareness about the foster care system and challenges faced by foster youth.
  • Facilitate participation of lived experience in communities and promote best practices for engagement.
  • Build relationships with other organizations serving foster youth, advocating for collaborative efforts to address systemic issues and improve outcomes.
  • Foster cross-systems collaboration from various organizations beyond the child welfare system, including workforce, behavioral health, education, law enforcement, juvenile justice, and housing.
  • Collaborate with the TACFS legislative team and other key partners to lead any advocacy efforts recommended by the advisory groups.
  • Support/lead other initiatives and projects as they arise, such as, but not limited to, workforce development initiatives and youth engagement best practices. 
  • Other duties as assigned. 

 

Required Qualifications: 

  • Youth lived experience with the child welfare system.
  • Ability and interest in working with transition age foster youth ages 13-23.
  • Adaptable, goal oriented and a “quick study” who can work independently and in a group setting.
  • Enjoys developing strong working relationships with various internal/external individuals and groups and working collaboratively to effect change.
  • Demonstrated ability to read published materials and synthesize key findings.
  • Demonstrated understanding of the importance of youth voice and youth/adult partnerships.
  • Demonstrated understanding of the state’s complex foster care system, including transitional living services and independent living programs and Extended Foster Care programs and services.

 

Preferred Qualifications: 

  • Four-year degree in social work, public health, public policy, education, or a related field is preferred. 
  • Demonstrated success leading projects, initiatives, or collaborations.
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including demonstrated competency in group facilitation and public speaking.
  • Detail-oriented with project management skills and demonstrated ability to coordinate work and projects with various parties.

 

 

This is a full-time position, with a flexible, accommodating work environment and some travel required. All Travel related expenses will be covered by employer. The position works remotely but must reside in Texas. Some nights and weekends are required to attend meetings and events. This is a grant-funded position. TACFS offers a competitive benefits package and has an unlimited paid time off policy.

TACFS values our employees and aims to provide compensation and benefits commensurate

with experience. TACFS is an equal opportunity employer. TACFS does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, business need and available funding.