Implementation Manager: Social Work Research & Public Service - UTK

The Implementation Manager provides day-to-day operational leadership for Tennessee Kinship Connect, Tennessee's replication of the evidence-based Ohio Kinship and Adoption Navigator Program (OhioKAN). Reporting to the Applied Research Manager, the position leads the six-month Planning Phase and 30-month Implementation Phase; coordinates SWORPS, DCS, Kinnect, kinship caregivers, implementation sites, and community partners; and ensures approved plans, workforce supports, fidelity monitoring, performance reporting, continuous quality improvement, and sustainability activities are completed on time. 

This is a grant-funded position and is contingent upon the continued funding of the grant. 

Responsibilities

Project and Grant Implementation: 

• Develop, manage, and control the integrated work plan, milestones, risks, and deliverables for the Planning and Implementation Phases.
• Lead the development, review, and submission of planning documentation to secure Children’s Bureau approval; manage revisions through approval.
• Manage day-to-day operations across selected sites and ensure alignment with the NOFO, award terms, and approved narrative.
• Own the performance reporting cycle; set timelines, validate inputs, and deliver accurate semiannual reports and other Children's Bureau requests.

Partnerships, Governance, and Site Readiness: 

• Lead cross-partner implementation coordination; align stakeholders on deliverables, timelines, and decision points, and negotiate resolution of conflicts.
• Establish governance and communication processes; coordinate meetings, workgroups, and shared-learning activities.
• Support site selection, organizational readiness assessments, and execution/maintenance of at least 10 partnership agreements or MOUs.
• Strengthen referral pathways and cross-system coordination while incorporating caregiver and stakeholder feedback.

Workforce, Operations, and Technology: 

• Implement and manage coaching/supervision support processes; monitor participation and address readiness gaps for Navigators.
• Lead development and maintenance of the Tennessee Kinship Connect Program Manual, eligibility criteria, referral workflows, and service protocols.
• Coordinate technology-supported referral, case documentation, data, and communication infrastructure.
• Monitor workforce readiness and arrange technical assistance with Kinnect and Children's Bureau providers.

Fidelty, Performance, and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI):

• Partner with the Evaluator and Kinnect to operationalize fidelity tools, document approved adaptations, and monitor service delivery.
• Track implementation benchmarks, enrollment, service utilization, follow-up, partner engagement, and milestone achievement.
• Chair quarterly CQI reviews; develop corrective action plans, assign owners and deadlines, and drive closure with documented outcomes.
• Escalate implementation barriers and monitor completion of improvement actions.

Sustainability, Communication, and Dissemination:

• Lead sustainability planning and integration efforts; develop the sustainability road map and drive execution of assigned work streams with Tennessee's child welfare and kinship-support infrastructure.
• Prepare implementation briefings, manuals, lessons learned, presentations, and dissemination products for varied audiences.
• Support required meetings, site visits, outreach activities, and future replication or expansion planning.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Education and/or Experience: 
  • Master’s degree in social work, public administration, public health, human services, education, organizational leadership, or related field. 
  • At least three years of progressively responsible experience managing complex human-services, child-welfare, prevention, or evidence-based program implementation, including multi-agency coordination, work plan management, and performance reporting. 
  • An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered.
• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: 
  • Knowledge of child welfare, kinship care, evidence-based program replication, implementation science, and fidelity concepts. 
  • Knowledge of federal grant deliverables, performance reporting, partnership agreements, and CQI principles. 
  • Skill in project management, workplan and risk management, facilitation, documentation, and cross-agency communication. 
  • Skill in translating program models and data into practical workflows, training supports, and corrective actions. 
  • Ability to coordinate with diverse partners and caregivers, manage competing deadlines, and lead work across multiple sites. 
  • Ability to exercise sound judgment, protect confidential information, and communicate clearly in writing and presentations.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-based visa status.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience: 

  • Experience with federal grants; Kinship Navigator or child-welfare initiatives; evidence-based model replication; fidelity, CQI, organizational readiness, workforce development, data systems, and regional or statewide implementation.

• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: 

  • Knowledge of Title IV-E Kinship Navigator Programs, OhioKAN, Tennessee child welfare/Relative Caregiver Program systems, implementation readiness, data dashboards, and sustainability planning; skill in federal grant administration and change management.

Work Location 

This is a remote position. The successful candidate must reside in Tennessee and be able to work remotely from a Tennessee residence. Occasional travel throughout Tennessee may be required.

Compensation and Benefits 

• UT market range: MR11
• Anticipated hiring range: $70,000.00
• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions 

Applications will be reviewed as received and interviews can begin as soon as 7 days from posting.

Interested individuals should provide the following:

• Resume
• Cover Letter

About The College/Department/Division 

 The Social Work Office of Research and Public Service (SWORPS) is an applied research center of the University of Tennessee College of Social Work (CSW).  We are a dynamic and close-knit interdisciplinary team of individuals with a shared vision of thriving communities with equitable outcomes for all. We do that by building partnerships that leverage research, technology, and human connection to improve lives in Tennessee and beyond.

Over the past fifty years, SWORPS has worked with local nonprofits such as the United Way of Greater Knoxville, University of Tennessee departments and faculty researchers, state agencies such as the Tennessee Department of Human Services, and federal agencies like the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Our annual portfolio consists of 25-40 sponsored projects spanning a wealth of different content areas, but one common thread -each project contributes one more building block for thriving communities with equitable outcomes for all.

Learn more about SWORPS and some of our programs and resources by visiting our webpage: https://www.sworps.tennessee.edu/ 

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees—the Volunteers—who uphold the university’s tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service. 

UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory. 

The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.  

UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally. Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities. The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices to attract and retain top-tier talent, fostering a strong staff community and supporting a culture of involvement and engagement for everyone. 

The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as “Best Employer for New Graduates,” “One of America’s Best Large Employers,” and “Best Workplace for Women,” and has been designated as “Best Place for Working Parents” by Forbes Magazine.  

Apply today and join the Tennessee Volunteer community!