SOCIAL WORK SUPERVISOR 3 SECURED FACILITIES
Secured Facilities
Career Family: SOCIAL WORK SUPERVISOR
Social Work Supervisor 3 Secured Facilities sits in the competitive class of New Jersey's state civil service, so reaching it runs through testing and an eligible list instead of a straight hire.
The requirements come down to a master's degree and 2 years of relevant experience. Pay on the FY2027 schedule runs $72,896 to $106,798, and state payroll currently lists about 12 people in the title, most of them at Health and Senior Services.
How to apply
-
Exam
This is an application to sit an exam and be placed on an eligible list for this title, not an application for a specific job. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. There may be no current vacancy behind it, and the list it produces may not be certified for months or years.
-
Exam
Open to permanent employees in the competitive division who hold a qualifying lower title in the same unit. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. Like the open competitive exam, this places you on a list; it is not itself a job offer.
-
Agency posting
Department of Health posts its own vacancies directly, often before (or instead of) any civil service exam announcement. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.
-
Agency posting
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs's employment page may require a click-through to see specific openings. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.
Pay ladder: Social Work Supervisor series
- Social Work Supervisor 3 Geriatrics — $72,896 – $106,798
- Social Work Supervisor 2 Medical — $79,844 – $117,228
- Social Work Supervisor 1, Psychiatric — $87,507 – $128,719
Its top salary lands around the 56th percentile of all NJ civil service titles that publish a range.
Rungs are ordered by FY2027 pay. NJ level numbers are not always sequential, so ordering follows salary rather than the title number.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 12 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $99,911. The agencies employing the most are:
- Health and Senior Services (9)
- Juvenile Justice Commission (2)
- Military and Veterans Affairs (1)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator.
Definition
Under the direction of Social Work Supervisor 2 or other supervisory staff member, has charge of a social work program in an adult or juvenile correctional institution or other agency: does other related work. NOTE: The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.
Examples of work
Confers with appropriate supervisory officials concerning policy and procedures. Under the direction of a Social Work Supervisor 2 Secured Facilities is responsible for supervision of subordinate staff in their work with inmates in an adult or juvenile secured facility in a community based program. Supervises the social work operations and functional programs in an adult or juvenile secured facility, and has responsibility for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting and disciplining of staff employees. Confers with Social Work Supervisor 2 Secured Facilities in helping to develop methods and procedures for a work program designed for continuous development of social work staff. Assists in planning and conducting periodic staff conferences to develop and maintain consistent professional standards. Confers with Social Work Supervisor 2 Secured Facilities and assists in the organization of in-service training for social work staff in an adult or juvenile secured facility. Gives talks to community groups on the subject of treatment in Secured Facilities and promotes constructive relationships with interested parties. Keeps current with new developments in the field of social work in Secured Facilities. Supervises social work staff in utilization of community resources in pursuing social re-integration of ex-offenders into the community. Supervises activities and procedures of Social Work staff, and assists in coordinating other non-institutional programs that identify, assesses and recommends treatment for substance abuse on the part of the inmate. Prepares correspondence. Prepares and supervises the preparation of clear, technically sound and informative statistical and other reports of a social work nature, to include findings, conclusions and recommendations that affect treatment plans of inmates or ex-offenders. Supervises intake procedures of inmates in an adult or juvenile secured facility and ex-offenders in a community-based program as well as the proper development of treatment plans. Participates as a member of the institutional classification committee in order to identify inmate needs and recommend appropriate treatment programs as well as other assignments which will foster positive institutional adjustment. Assists in research and assessment of certain eligible candidates proposed for community based programs of an adult or juvenile secured facility. Maintains records and files. May be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office or related units.
Education
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree in social work.
Experience
Two (2) years of experience in the delivery of social services to social offenders, one (1) year of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity in the administration of a social service program for social offenders. NOTE: A graduate field placement in social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education may be substituted for one (1) year of the non-supervisory experience indicated.
License
Appointee will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
Knowledge of the purposes, standards and procedures used in social work and ability to apply them in a correctional setting. This is to include psychological rehabilitation, physical welfare, institutional adjustment and social/civil adjustments relating to inmate incarceration as well as pre-release and post-release re-entry programs. Knowledge of current theories existing in the field of psychology. Knowledge of the symptoms and behavior patterns that indicate substance abuse as well as the usual treatment modalities which is appropriate. Knowledge of purpose, standards and practice regarding programs in the field of Secured Facilities. Knowledge of the administrative and related problems encountered in applying the concepts, methods and procedures of present day social work and psychology to inmates confined in a correctional institution or to ex-offenders in a community based setting. Ability to understand the standards, purposes and procedures of an adult or juvenile secured facilityas they apply in specific situations. Ability to analyze, comprehend and interpret and apply established rules, regulations, standards and policies of an adult or juvenile secured facility to specific cases either in an institutional or community based setting especially with regard to substance abuse. Ability to assist in supervising a social work program to include psychological rehabilitation, physical welfare, institutional adjustment and social/civil adjustment as well as pre-release re-entry and post-release programs for incarcerated inmates or ex- offenders in a community based setting. Ability to give suitable assignments and instructions to individuals and groups and supervise the performance of their work. Ability to instruct correctional social work staff in the utilization of other institutional and community resources in the adjustment of inmates as well as follow-up procedures and the maintenance of cooperative community relationships. Ability to assist in development of programs which will support professional enrichment of staff and maintain consistent standards of service. Ability to compile factual data and write articles for publication in professional journals and other departmental publications which deal with treatment problems in Secured Facilities. Ability to establish programs in a community based Secured Facilities agency and provide resources for social re-integration of ex-offenders into the community. Ability to supervise the preparation of technical correspondence. Ability to supervise the maintenance of files. Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office or related units. Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication. Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.