The Legal Aid Society’s Criminal Defense Practice is seeking an Assistant Social Work Supervisor for its Pre-Arraignment Project and Early Intervention Team.  The Assistant Social Work Supervisor will have an active role in evaluating the current social work practice and developing new protocols, practices, and strategies to respond to the changing needs of our clients and communities. This role supports the Social Work Supervisor, plays a crucial role in maintaining high standards of service delivery and fostering a collaborative team environment. The ideal candidate will have experience in interdisciplinary practice, working with vulnerable populations, supervisory responsibilities and substantive experience in working with adults in the criminal justice system.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Supervision and Support

• Provide individual supervision to social workers, paralegal case handlers, and community liaison staff across the Pre-Arraignment Project and Early Intervention teams.
• Provide office and case coverage and support in emergencies, as directed by the Social Work Supervisor
• Oversee staff development by identifying professional growth opportunities and assisting in training

Practice and Staff Development

• Collaborate with the Social Work Supervisor to implement innovative approaches to meet client needs, ensuring high standards of care
• Assist in monitoring staff practices, caseloads, and workflows to ensure efficiency in service delivery
• Conduct case reviews, provide performance evaluations, and offer guidance to staff

Stakeholder Collaboration and Policy Implementation

• Work with internal and external stakeholders to foster collaboration, promote best practices and ensure high-quality client service delivery
• Assist in the development and implementation of procedures and policies to streamline operations and improve client outcomes
• Assist in developing and implementing crisis intervention strategies

Team Management and Coordination

• Schedule staff hours, assign tasks, approve time off, and manage staffing changes
• Lead the resolution of employee conflicts and address union concerns with guidance from HR
• Participate in supervisory and management meetings, representing the unit in external meetings and conferences, promoting best-case practices and advocating for quality client services
• Contribute to staffing and staffing and personnel decisions to ensure the alignment of team capabilities with project needs
• Identify and implement department/unit management and accountability practices to improve performance
• Lead organizational and culture change for the unit
• Supervise direct reports in setting performance standards, provide routine feedback as well as coaching/counseling, and issue disciplinary action as needed

Professional Development and other duties as assigned

• Participate in the provision of in-service training sessions and case consultations to enhance the professional skills and knowledge of the team
• Demonstrate affirmative behaviors that support an inclusive work environment
• Carry out other duties as assigned by the Social Work Supervisor or leadership
• Other duties as assigned

TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS

Required qualifications: 

• Master’s degree in social work (MSW) from an accredited institution
• Minimum of 5 years of professional social work experience, including some supervisory or leadership experience
• Valid New York State Social Work license (e.g., LMSW, LCSW) required

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience working with individuals facing mental health challenges, substance abuse, and involvement with the criminal justice system
• Strong commitment to interdisciplinary decision-making and practice
• Strong commitment to interdisciplinary practice and decision-making
• Demonstrated experience in working with individuals facing mental health challenges, substance abuse, and involvement with the criminal justice system
• Prior experience 2-3 years in a supervisory role with responsibilities including staff oversight, development, and evaluation
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and adapt to a dynamic work environment
• Strong leadership and supervisory skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication abilities
• Knowledge of social work principles, practices, and ethical standards
• Proficiency in case management and quality assurance

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Please submit these documents as a single combined PDF when you apply via the LAS (Legal Aid Society) Recruitment Portal.

• Cover Letter
• Resume

SALARY TRANSPARENCY

The posting reflects the range of potential salaries for the role. The specific salary offers will be dependent on candidate qualifications, including collectively bargained salary steps for unionized roles.

Salary Range/ Salary: $95,000 – $104,000

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The leadership of The Legal Aid Society believes in attracting and retaining exceptional talent committed to serving our clients. We offer a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability, and life insurance, and more. Salaries for our unionized jobs are governed by our Collective Bargaining Agreement. Please visit our Careers page for additional information. Salary and benefits information will be available to applicants, when and if an offer is made.

Click here to read more about the benefits of working at The Legal Aid Society 

HIGHER EDUCATION AND LOAN FORGIVENESS

The Legal Aid Society is a qualified employer for the purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This position allows an employee to take advantage of PSLF and other State and Federal loan forgiveness programs.

Additionally, employees who are New York residents may be eligible for assistance from New York state to assist with loan repayments, depending on years of practice. To learn more, click the links below.

studentaid.gov 

hesc.ny.gov/loan-forgiveness-programs 

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

The leadership of The Legal Aid Society is committed to a work culture of zealous advocacy, respect, diversity and inclusion, client-oriented defense, access to justice and excellent representation. We are dedicated to building a strong professional relationship with each of our clients, to understanding their diverse circumstances, and to meeting their needs. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all of us.

WORK AUTHORIZATION

All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship for a work visa or permit. We are currently unable to sponsor employment visas or permits. (However, for citizens of Canada and Mexico, LAS will provide a letter documenting employment status that is needed to obtain a TN visa.)

HOW TO APPLY

All applications must be completed online. We do not accept paper submissions. Please visit our Careers Page to review all current job postings, and instructions on the application process. For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting, please email 

jo**************@le*******.org











.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer, The Legal Aid Society prohibits discriminatory employment actions against and treatment of its employees and applicants for employment based on actual or perceived race or color, size (including bone structure, body size, height, shape, and weight), religion or creed, alienage or citizenship status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity (one’s internal deeply-held sense of one’s gender which may be the same or different from one’s sex assigned at birth); gender expression (the representation of gender as expressed through, for example, one’s name, choice of pronouns, clothing, haircut, behavior, voice, or body characteristics; gender expression may not conform to traditional gender-based stereotypes assigned to specific gender identities), disability, marital status, relationship and family structure (including domestic partnerships, polyamorous families and individuals, chosen family, platonic co-parents, and multigenerational families), genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, arrest or pre-employment conviction record, credit history, unemployment status, caregiver status, salary history, or any other characteristic protected by law.