Field Liaison Advisor, School of Social Work

Field Liaison Advisor, School of Social Work

Main Campus - Boston, MA
R07575

Simmons School of Social Work (SSW) seeks to hire a Field Liaison Advisor to be a resource to agencies and Field Instructors, and to help students achieve their educational goals in the field and in the classroom. SSW offers degrees at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels (BSW, MSW, DSW & PhD). The MSW degree is offered through both our traditional campus-based/on ground program and via our innovative online platform, SocialWork@Simmons (SW@S). Field Education is the signature pedagogy of the MSW program. The On Ground Field Education Department oversees the placement and support of approximately 400 MSW students annually, and Field Liaison Advisors are integral to this success.

Simmons University is a small, highly collegial and dynamic university located in the heart of Boston's world-renowned Longwood Medical Area. Simmons is comprised of an undergraduate liberal arts education program for women and those who identify as women, plus professional graduate schools with masters and doctoral programs for all genders, presenting unique and rich opportunities for interdisciplinary research and collaboration. The School of Social Work is part of the College of Social Sciences, Policy, and Practice.

Field Liaison Advisors (“Field Liaisons” or “FLAs” - used interchangeably) provide field advising for up to fifteen students.

FLA responsibilities include:

Field Advising

• Check in/introductory phone call to Field Instructor in first few weeks of placement
  
• Individual meetings with advisees
  
  • Minimum of 3 times a year in person - 1 introductory and 1 at each field visit
    
  • A meeting with students prior to field visits - to occur in person or via Zoom.
    
  • Monthly email contact to check-in
    
  • Virtual meetings via Zoom twice each semester for first year students (group or individual format)
    
  • For the purpose of getting information to students efficiently set up and utilize email lists according to their status (Foundation Year, Advanced Year, Advanced Standing)
    
• One Field visit per semester with Field Instructor and student at agency
  
  • Field visits generally occur November-December and then March-April. Please note there are variations in this timeline for Advanced Standing students and for students in 16-hour per week placements.
    
  • Extra visits are scheduled if there are problems or concerns.
    
• Read, comment on, and return required written student assignments
  
• Assist with planning for Year II placement (for Year I students), including learning goals and resume review
  
• Make outreach to graduating students with offer of availability to discuss career plans
  
• In conjunction with the Field Director and Assistant Director of Field Education for Student Mediation and Support, convene Level 2 meetings to address field problems. The Field Instructor may be consulted or invited to attend the meeting.
  
• Learn and utilize Starfish to document specified student encounters and to access student academic information.
  

Academic Advising

• All FLAs are required to have a working knowledge of the MSW curriculum and the various program plans associated for the purpose of guiding students through academic questions and concerns. For example, students may have questions about course sequencing, need advising about continuing in a certificate program, or want input about course selections. Additionally, students will be expected to seek their advisors' involvement when academic concerns arise.
  

Liaison Availability

• Liaisons are expected to schedule meetings at the SSW or at an off-site location convenient to the student
  
• Confidentiality should always be considered when determining locations for off-site meetings
  
• The School prefers that advising meetings be scheduled at the SSW when possible. It is generally not advisable to have individual meetings with students at their internship sites. The School does not provide mileage reimbursement for meetings other than field visits.
  
• Liaisons should be easily accessible to students via Simmons email. Liaisons are expected to check both phone messages and email regularly and, in general, return messages within 24 hours, Monday-Friday.
  
• When making appointments with students, take into consideration that:
  
  • Students are in classes Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during the day. There are also classes held on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings.
    
  • Field days are as follows
    
    • Foundation Year (YR I): Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
      
    • Advanced Year (YR II): Monday, Thursday, and a variable 3rd day (depending on their class schedule and/or agency needs)
      
    • Students in 16-hour per week placements may have variable field days. There have been an increasing number of students with some variations in their placement days at the request of an agency. Please check with your advisees to verify their field schedule and to make sure this is reflected in their Learning Plan on IPT
      

Documentation

Although documentation is minimal, Field Advisors/Field Liaisons are asked to keep the following documentation:

• Placement planning: This documentation will occur in Starfish, our advising software program. For Year II placement purposes, the Field Education Department will need your informal assessment of your advisees. Use the student placement form as a guide in these discussions.
  
• Agency information/assessment:
  
  • Brief paragraph description on each agency/placement
    
  • Supplemental assessment of agency (only if requested)
    
• Level review meeting documentation (if one is held).
  
• References (as requested by students)
  
• A Field Visit Summary will be entered into Starfish at the conclusion of each field visit.
  

Reporting

All field liaisons will report to a designated Assistant Director of Field Education who collaborates with the Director of Field Education.

Requirements

All candidates must have:

• A Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from a CSWE accredited institution
  
• Licensure at the highest level in Massachusetts (LICSW) or be eligible for LICSW
  
• A minimum of 5 years of clinical experience, including experience as a field instructor (clinical supervisor)
  
• The ability to provide a copy of a current social work license and references as requested
  

Required Application Materials: To apply, please submit:

• cover letter
  
• curriculum vitae, and writing sample
  
• names and contact information of three professional references
  

Screening of applicants will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Instructions to Applicants: Please upload all applicable application materials (e.g. resume/cv, cover letter, writing sample, teaching philosophy, etc.) in the "Resume/CV" box on page 2 ("My Experience") of this application. Documents can be uploaded individually or as a combined document (e.g. PDF).

Simmons University is committed to inclusive excellence in all aspects of an individual's community experience. As a university committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, Simmons encourages applications from all under-represented groups. Simmons is committed to creating, developing, promoting, and enhancing inclusive hiring practices-at all levels, for all positions-ensuring diverse talent pools and the delivery of a consistent positive candidate experience. Simmons is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to continuing to develop a more diverse faculty, staff, student body, and curriculum.


To apply, visit https://simmons.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/Simmons-Careers/job/Main-Campus---Boston-MA/Field-Liaison-Advisor--School-of-Social-Work_R07575

Located in Boston’s historic Fenway area, Simmons College is a small, private, non-sectarian College which has educated students for enriching careers and purposeful lives since 1899. Working at Simmons means joining a collaborative, diverse and mission-driven community of educators and professionals.

We prepare students to be leaders for themselves, their communities and the world. Our faculty and staff members lead by example - sharing a commitment to excellence and putting the students first.