DCS CASE MANAGER 1* - 09152026-81004
About the role
Overview: This classification is responsible for professional case management work of routine difficulty, and performs related work as required. This is the trainee/entry level class in the DCS Case Manager job series. An employee in this class learns to perform a variety of case management duties for children under State supervision, in State custody, or at risk of State custody, and their families. This class differs from DCS Case Manager 2* in that an incumbent of the latter is fully trained and functions at the working level. An applicant appointed to this flexibly staffed class will be reclassified to the next higher class in the series after successful completion of a mandatory one-year training period; inadequate or marginal performance during the training period will result in automatic demotion or termination.
Locations: Positions are available in multiple cities across Tennessee including Nashville, Knoxville, Murfreesboro, Tullahoma, Manchester, Oak Ridge, Winchester, Shelbyville, LaFollette, Franklin, Clarksville, Chattanooga, Mt. Juliet, Maryville, Columbia, Sevierville, Morristown, Johnson City, Carthage, Cleveland, Athens, Kingsport, Lenoir, Sweetwater, Oneida, Rutledge, Greeneville, Ripley, Ashland City, Jackson, Memphis.
Opening: 09/15/2026 12:00AM CT; Closing: 09/28/2026 11:59PM CT.
Responsibilities
- Determines if abuse or neglect has occurred, who the abuser is, the level of risk or harm to the child, determines the need for a safety plan, makes recommendations regarding permanency, monitors adoptive and foster families, recruits foster parents, conducts home visits, and coordinates/observes visitation.
- Maintains documentation for case files and other required documentation.
- Prepares for, participates and testifies in court proceedings.
- Conducts interviews with alleged child victims, individuals reporting alleged abuse or child neglect, child's family, and collateral contacts; gathers required information such as school records, demographic information, medical exam/psychological information, etc., identifies supports for children and families, administers client drug screens; and conducts required assessments/assessments of home.
- Conducts face-to-face visits with children, resource families, providers, kinship homes, and other relevant entities.
- Works flexible hours including weekends, holidays, and after hours.
- Schedules appointments, meetings, visitation with children on caseload.
- Transports children to various appointments safely, assists children in preparing for placement, and sitting with children who are awaiting placement.
- Communicates effectively and timely with others, engages with children and families to build trustful relationships, encourages clients to overcome barriers and achieve permanency, explains parental rights and other relevant documents to families, responds timely to families, providers, co-workers and supervision.
- Convenes and identifies members for Child and Family Team Meetings to work collaboratively with all Child and Family Team Meeting participants. Develops action steps and goals to be accomplished by the Team.
- Works within communities by making referrals to service providers on behalf of clients; collaborates with law enforcement officials and multi-disciplinary teams; trains foster parents, adoptive parents and community.