Director of Children and Family Support Services

Send your resume and cover letter to: Cerlyn Cantave

Job Type: Full-time

Reports To: Chief Program Officer

FLSA Status: Exempt

Department: Children and Family Support Services

Who We Are: East Boston Social Centers is a multi-service agency and community center that cultivates community, belonging, and joy. Founded in 1918 to welcome and support immigrant families, East Boston Social Centers continues to proudly embrace “welcome” in all we do. Our core services range across educational, social, and recreational programs to support the diverse community of East Boston and our neighbors of all ages. For over a century, our programs and services have welcomed neighbors of all ages, interests, and backgrounds through our doors.

“When all give, all gain”;  This is so much more than a motto at East Boston Social Centers.  We seek to ensure all have an opportunity to give and to gain, and recognize the critical importance of being a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace and organization, where all belong.  We actively seek and encourage a diverse and inclusive workforce that is reflective of our communities. We are strengthened by this vitality and wealth of life experiences.  If you are encouraged by an opportunity to do your best work in an environment where your contributions are valued, come join us.

Position Summary:

The Director of Children and Family Support Services is a key leadership position responsible for both direct therapeutic engagement with children and families as the agency’s social worker, and for providing strategic direction and daily management for a team of support professionals. This leader ensures high-quality, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed services are delivered across Early Learners Program, OST School-Age program, and Teen programs, empowering children and families enrolled in our programs to thrive and access needed resources.

Core Responsibilities:

I. Therapeutic Leadership & Direct Social Work Service

  • Serve as the lead social worker, providing direct therapeutic support to children and families, including psychosocial assessments, short-term counseling, crisis intervention, and connection to community resources.

  • Maintain a focused caseload of children and/or families with higher-level or complex needs, delivering evidence-based, trauma-informed interventions.

  • Develop individualized support plans, facilitate family meetings, and collaborate closely with parents, caregivers, educators, and external providers.

  • Uphold best practices in confidentiality, documentation, and ethical social work standards.

  • Lead or facilitate multidisciplinary case conferences, bringing a clinical lens to service planning and intervention.

II. Departmental Leadership & Team Management

  • Provide vision, daily supervision, and support to the Family Navigator, Inclusion Specialist, and Behavioral Specialist, fostering a collaborative, high-performing, and accountable team culture.

  • Oversee and coordinate all family support services delivered across Early Learners, School- Age, and Teen programs, ensuring equitable workload distribution and consistent service coverage.

  • Set clear expectations and measurable goals for team members; provide regular coaching, constructive feedback, and professional development opportunities.

  • Lead regular team meetings, promote staff engagement, and encourage innovation in service delivery.

  • Model professionalism, flexibility, and ethical leadership, setting the standard for clinical and operational excellence.

III. Family & Staff Engagement

  • Lead family engagement efforts to promote active involvement in their child’s development and program life.

  • Provide ongoing consultation, training, and support to program staff on topics such as family engagement, behavioral needs, inclusion, and trauma-informed care.

  • Communicate proactively with Program Directors and agency leadership on family needs, program quality, and staff professional development.

IV. Administration, Compliance & Program Development

  • Oversee all aspects of referrals, intake, case management, and documentation for family support services, ensuring compliance with agency policies, contractual obligations, and funder requirements.

  • Be the primary contact for referrals from the Department of Children and Families

  • Regularly review, update, and improve protocols, workflows, and policies for integrated family support across all programs.

  • Conduct site visits to each program area, monitor quality of service delivery, and ensure consistent best practices.

  • Collect, analyze, and report data on program outcomes to drive continuous quality improvement.

  • Prepare reports for senior leadership, funders, and stakeholders as required.

V. Community Partnerships & Advocacy

  • Cultivate and maintain strong partnerships with local schools, DCF, mental health agencies, healthcare providers, and other community resources to expand support options for families.

  • Act as an advocate for children and families, facilitating access to public benefits and community supports as needed.

  • Represent the department and agency in community meetings, interagency collaborations, and public forums.

Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in Social Work (MSW) and current Massachusetts clinical license (LCSW, LICSW) required. A successful candidate in the process of receiving licensure within an agreed-upon timeframe would also be acceptable.

  • At least 5 years of progressive experience in child and family services, including both clinical/therapeutic and supervisory/managerial roles.

  • Demonstrated expertise in trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and strengths-based social work practice.

  • Experience supervising and developing professional staff; strong skills in team building, coaching, and performance management.

  • Familiarity with DCF, public schools, early intervention, and community-based service systems.

  • Demonstrates excellent communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

  • Ability to build rapport and collaborate effectively with children, families, staff, and diverse community partners.

  • Proficient in documentation, data tracking, and reporting systems.

  • Bilingual/bicultural candidates and individuals with lived experience are strongly encouraged to apply

Compensation and Benefits

Compensation is between $80,00-$95,000. We offer comprehensive benefits including health and dental insurance, a 403b retirement plan, Paid Time Off (vacation, sick and personal days), long-term disability, child care assistance, and more.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

  • This job operates in a professional office environment and uses standard office equipment.

  • The noise level in this environment is moderate.

  • This job regularly requires the employee to sit, walk and stand as well as use hands repetitively to handle or operate standard office equipment.

To Apply:

Please send a cover letter and resume to Cerlyn Cantave, Director of People and Inclusion at ccantave@ebsoc.org.                                                                                                                                                           

East Boston Social Centers provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.