CHILD WELFARE SOCIAL WORKER - FATHERHOOD ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR- 40001293

Join Durham County Government
Durham County Government is home to over 2,000 dedicated professionals working together to deliver essential services that strengthen and support our vibrant, diverse community. As the heart of a fast-growing region, we offer meaningful careers across a wide range of fields—giving you the opportunity to make a real impact where you live, work, grow, and play. Learn more at www.dconc.gov.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

Durham County is committed to strengthening families, promoting child well‑being, and advancing equity across our community. The Fatherhood Initiative Coordinator leads efforts to engage, support, and empower fathers as essential partners in their children’s lives. This position is responsible for developing, implementing, and coordinating father-focused programming that improves family stability and enhances outcomes for children and parents. The coordinator works collaboratively with county departments, community partners, and local organizations to create inclusive, culturally responsive, and evidence‑informed services that reflect the diverse needs of Durham County families. Work involves office responsibilities, community outreach, and occasional evening or weekend events to meet program and community needs.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The functions listed below are those that represent the majority of the time spent working in this position. Management may assign additional functions related to the type of work of the position as necessary.

• Design, implement, and manage a comprehensive Fatherhood Initiative that aligns with Durham County’s strategic priorities around family support, equity, and community engagement.

• Engage fathers through direct support, case management, outreach, and coaching to strengthen skills, increase involvement, and promote healthy family relationships. 

• Facilitate workshops, support groups, and educational sessions on topics such as, co‑parenting, financial stability, healthy relationships, employment readiness, and community resources. 

• Collaborate with Social Work Supervisors, social workers and case managers, as well as multidisciplinary teams to integrate father engagement strategies into child welfare and family support services. 

• Develop and maintain strong partnerships with community organizations, nonprofits, workforce development providers, schools, and faith‑based partners to expand supportive services for fathers. 

• Conduct targeted outreach to ensure fathers from historically underserved neighborhoods and populations have access to programming and resources.

• Coordinate community events and public awareness activities to promote responsible fatherhood and highlight Durham County’s commitment to family-centered services.

• Maintain accurate program data, prepare reports, and support evaluation initiatives to measure effectiveness and ensure compliance with county and funding requirements.

• Assist with strategic planning, and resource development to sustain and grow fatherhood-related programs. 

• Ensure that services are trauma‑informed, culturally competent, multilingual, (when necessary), and aligned with best practices in father engagement and child well‑being.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of family systems, child welfare practices and policies, community resources, and father engagement frameworks.

• Ability to build trusting relationships with fathers, families, and community partners with empathy, respect, and cultural humility.

• Strong facilitation skills with the ability to lead group sessions and workshops effectively.

• Excellent communication, problem‑solving, and project‑management skills.

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast‑paced, community‑focused environment.

• Commitment to service excellence that is consistent with Durham County values.

• Ability to maintain detailed documentation and utilize data to support program improvement and effectiveness.

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

Master’s degree from an accredited school of social work and one year of social work experience; or a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited school of social work and two years of social work or counseling experience; or Master’s degree in a counseling field and two years of social work or counseling experience; or a four-year degree in a human services field or related curriculum and three years of social work or counseling experience; or graduation from a four-year college or university and four years of experience in rehabilitation counseling, pastoral counseling or a related human service field providing experience in the techniques of casework, group work or community organization; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Requires a valid North Carolina driver’s license with an acceptable three-year driving record and a vehicle.
• Local travel within Durham County is required. 
• Experience working with fathers, families, or diverse communities.

AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT COMPLIANCE:

Durham County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires Durham County to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are encouraged to discuss ADA accommodations with management. 

BACKGROUND CHECK STATEMENT:

This position may be subject to a background check, which could include, but is not limited to, criminal history (employment-related and/or SBI fingerprint-based), credit history, motor vehicle records, educational verification, and checks of the sexual offender registry, depending on the specific requirements of the role. A conviction record does not automatically disqualify an applicant from employment consideration, unless otherwise required by applicable state law.