Overview

La Crosse County Human Services is seeking a dedicated and dynamic Youth Justice Supervisor who demonstrates strong leadership, professional excellence, and an unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of children and families. In this role, you will provide guidance, mentorship, and oversight to social workers and social service specialists who serve children and families involved in the juvenile justice system.

As a Youth Justice Supervisor, you will play a pivotal role in shaping high-quality service delivery that reflects the department’s core values of trust, respect, and service. You will lead with compassion and accountability—supporting staff growth, fostering collaboration, and ensuring that services align with best practices, state standards, and agency expectations. Working in partnership with the Justice Support Services Section leadership team, you will help strengthen outcomes for children and families while promoting innovation, continuous learning, and trauma-informed care across the section.

FLSA: Exempt This is a salaried, professional, and supervisory position in the Justice Support Services Section of the Human Services Department. This position is designed for a highly motivated, creative, collaborative, and compassionate individual who has good communication skills and can effectively lead a team. The primary responsibility of this position is the direct supervision of social workers and paraprofessional staff who provide services and supports to children and families who are in the youth justice system. This position ensures that service provision meets program, agency and state expectations and is consistent with the overarching child welfare and juvenile justice goals of ensuring child safety, permanence, and well-being.

Essential Leadership Functions

Act with Integrity and Build Trust

• Demonstrate mutual respect, humility, and honesty in all interactions
• Speak up appropriately, even when expressing unpopular viewpoints
• Actively listen and remain open-minded to diverse perspectives

Drive for Results

• Set clear goals and objectives to motivate self and others to achieve outcomes
• Seek new opportunities to improve processes and drive sustainable results
• Hold self and others accountable through consistent evaluation and monitoring

Develop Talent and Effective Teams

• Foster a collaborative environment that encourages knowledge sharing and growth
• Provide mentorship and support to help self and others reach full potential
• Recognize and leverage diverse strengths within self and team

Lead with Vision and Strategy

• Understand and communicate a compelling vision that aligns with organizational goals
• Develop and execute comprehensive strategies to achieve long-term objectives
• Connect daily work to the bigger picture, inspiring self and others to contribute meaningfully

Lead with Paradoxical, Critical, and Agile Thinking

• Navigate complex situations by considering multiple perspectives
• Adapt quickly to changes and uncertainties in the work environment
• Make critical decisions using analytical skills, experience, and input from others

Build and Maintain Effective Relationships

• Communicate and collaborate effectively with stakeholders across the organization
• Influence others through coaching, consulting, and team-minded thinking
• Develop and sustain partnerships that create positive outcomes for all stakeholders

Cultivate Community Engagement and Provide Excellent Service

• Understand and address the needs and concerns of the community
• Incorporate community perspectives into decision-making processes
• Drive initiatives that create positive impacts beyond the organization

Demonstrate Emotional Intelligence

• Show self-awareness and manage emotions effectively in challenging situations
• Seek and respond constructively to feedback, even in the face of setbacks
• Balance empathy with accountability when leading self and working with others

Essential Job Functions:

Provides supervision and administrative direction for assigned social workers who provide intake, assessment, case planning and case management, and on- going direct services to children and families referred to the juvenile justice system. Ensures staff effectively employ a strength-based, trauma informed, and culturally responsive approach utilizing evidence-based and best practices.

Responsible for hiring, supervision, training, motivation, evaluation, providing consistent performance feedback and scheduling of work of Youth Justice personnel.

Provides ongoing consultation to staff on cases and the need for agency and community services appropriate for that population and to ensure continuity and the effectiveness of services in conformity with state laws and mandates and with agency policy and procedures.

Reviews and approves assessments, case plans, and other required reports and documentation to ensure fidelity to validated risk and needs tools, timeliness, and alignment with the current agency policy, state standards, evidence-based and best practices.

Monitors the budget performance and evaluates unit program outcome data using outcome-based performance measures and continuous quality improvement principles.

Prepares required statistics and reports for the Health and Human Services Board, committees and other agency units as requested.

Prepares grant proposals and other funding requests to be submitted to local, state and federal funding resources.

Participates in review and development of agency program, policy, and procedures. Serves as agency representative on community committees and service-related activities.

Works collaboratively to develop and enhance Youth Justice case practice though internal teaming within Human Services and effective external partnering with courts, schools, community organizations and service providers.

Related Job Functions

Will be required to work evenings and/or weekends.

This job description is not intended to encompass every job duty or responsibility but is only illustrative. This position is required to perform other duties as may be assigned or required.

Will be required to be on-call as part of a rotating schedule. Must be available for consult after hours, weekends and holidays.

Physical demands: Large percentage of time is spent sitting at desk, talking and hearing, using near and far vision. There will be some time spent going with staff out in the field to attend home visits, team meetings, court hearings, etc. to provide support to staff and observe their work to give feedback on performance. Uses telephones, copy machines, computer. Stands, walks, reaches, handles papers and documents throughout the day. At times it is necessary to transport/carry a child, stoop, kneel, bend/twist and move throughout the downtown campus. There is the threat of physical attack or injury from clients in unusual situations. Drives vehicle on occasion.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Sets clear goals and objectives.

Demonstrates effective problem-solving skills and is solution focused. Comprehensive knowledge of social work principles and methods in the field of juvenile justice, family dynamics, individual and group behavior. Considerable knowledge of laws, standards and mandates relating to youth justice services, and the legislative intent of Chapter 938.

Thorough knowledge of current social and economic problems and the way in which these problems affect families and individuals including knowledge and understanding of the impact of disproportionate contact for BIPOC youth and families.

Knowledge and proven experience in effective interventions including trauma informed practice, motivational interviewing, and other evidence- based practices.

Comprehensive knowledge of community agencies and health resources and ways in which these resources may be available to people in need.

Ability to plan, organize and coordinate a variety of service delivery systems, to achieve program objectives most effectively.

Ability to direct and supervise the work of others.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

Ability to stimulate staff growth and development and to give effective casework consultation.

Ability to compute and analyze statistical information.

Ability to present concise oral and written reports.

Ability to monitor and manage program budgets.

Ability to facilitate effective meetings and engage others in the process of collaboration and effective teamwork.

Training, Experience and Other Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in public administration, Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, or a related field, required.

At least two years of leadership experience, including a preference for staff supervision and program management within a human service or a related area.

May consider other relevant combinations of education and experience that provide equivalent knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Valid driver's license and reliable transportation for countywide travel, where applicable.

Background check in accordance with Wisconsin Caregiver Law.