Position Summary

The Adoption Recruitment Specialist plays a critical role in engaging with child welfare professionals and licensed foster families in Illinois. The Adoption Recruiter is responsible for identifying, recruiting, engaging, and referring adoptive families. This position is also responsible for maintaining strong relationships with child welfare professionals, recruiting child referrals, supporting them throughout the registration and intake process, and supporting child-specific recruitment initiatives.

Working closely with the Adoption Listing Service of Illinois, DCFS, private child welfare agencies, and prospective adoptive families, the Adoption Recruitment Specialist serves as a connector between waiting children and families seeking to provide permanency.

The ideal candidate is passionate about permanency, highly organized, relationship-oriented, technologically proficient, and committed to exceptional customer service. 

Let It Be Us is staffed from 9-5, Monday – Friday, and this position works within those hours.

Essential Responsibilities

Family Recruitment and Engagement

• Recruit prospective adoptive families through webinars, virtual events, community outreach,    participating in digital marketing initiatives, and in-person recruitment events.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for prospective adoptive families.
• Provide information, guidance, and support to families exploring adoption from foster care.
• Build and maintain relationships with both prospective and licensed adoptive families.
• Conduct follow-up communications and nurture prospective families through the recruitment process.

Child-Specific Recruitment, Diligent Recruitment and Referrals

• Review child-specific recruitment opportunities Collaborate with caseworkers, supervisors, adoption specialists, and agency partners regarding potential case referrals.
• Assist caseworkers with the Adoption Listing Service registration and intake process, providing information about the program and answering all questions along the way
• Support the goals of the Adoption Listing Service of Illinois and other permanency initiatives.
• Participate in child-specific and diligent recruitment efforts.

Database Management and Reporting

• Maintain accurate records within Let It Be Us proprietary databases and CRM systems.
• Track family inquiries, registrations, and recruitment activities.
• Generate monthly, quarterly, annual, and ad hoc reports.
• Ensure timely and accurate documentation of recruitment activities and outcomes.
• Monitor performance metrics and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

Collaboration and Partnership Development

• Work closely with Let It Be Us team members to achieve organizational goals.
• Develop and maintain positive working relationships with DCFS, private child welfare agencies, CASA programs, foster parent organizations, and community partners.
• Participate in team meetings, strategic planning discussions, and program development initiatives.
• Foster a culture of transparency, collaboration, communication, and accountability.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree or Bachelor’s degree in Social Work or related human services field.
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience in one or more of the following: child welfare case management, diligent recruitment, foster care, adoption, family recruitment, foster care licensing, permanency services. 
• Knowledge of the Illinois child welfare system, including DCFS and private child welfare agencies.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience utilizing CRM systems, databases, and digital communication platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships with families, agency partners, and stakeholders.
• Must be able to drive to meet with staff, agencies, clients. 
• Must have own vehicle and cell phone.

Competencies

Successful candidates will demonstrate:

• Passion for permanency and improving outcomes for children and youth
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Excellent customer service and responsiveness
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a team
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment
• Ability to create structure and manage multiple priorities simultaneously
• Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities
• High level of professionalism, integrity, and confidentiality
• Proficiency with technology, including databases, CRM platforms, Google Workspace, Zoom, Microsoft Office, and virtual communication tools

Benefits

Let It Be Us offers a competitive compensation and benefits package for full-time employees, including medical insurance contributions, dental, vision, disability coverage, paid holidays, paid time off, retirement plan participation, and professional development opportunities.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Let It Be Us is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to creating an inclusive workplace and providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

To Apply

Please send resume and cover letter to Susan McConnell at susanmcconnell@letitbeus.org.