Social Services Program Consultant 3 (Strategic Planning & Policy Specialist)

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Job Title:  

Agency:

Department of Human Services

Job Requisition ID:

Shift:

Compensation Details:

Job Description:

Stronger Families for a Stronger Georgia. The Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) is a dynamic state agency responsible for delivering a wide range of services to Georgia's most vulnerable populations. Our mission is to strengthen Georgia by providing individuals and families access to services that promote self-sufficiency, independence, and protect Georgia's vulnerable children and adults.  

What we offer.  Enjoy a generous benefits package that includes a flexible work schedule, unique training opportunities, employee retirement plan, 401(k) plan and 457 plan, 13 paid holidays, vacation & sick leave, medical, dental, vision, long/short-term care, life insurance, and employee discount programs; in addition to telework opportunities depending upon the position.  

Start your career in public service. The Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS), Division of Aging Services (DAS), Adult Protective Services (APS) is seeking candidates for the position of Social Services Program Consultant 3. The incumbent for this position will be assigned to the office closest to their area of residence. Statewide, and sometimes overnight, travel is to be expected to meet the business unit needs.

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Job Description:   Under the broad supervision of the DAS Policy Section Manager, manages and facilitates the Division’s strategic planning processes, state plans, monitors goals and objectives, documents performance achievements and/or deficiencies and reports results to Division leadership. This position manages the Division Quality Improvement efforts and strategic planning, working closely with the Program Integrity (PI), Business Operations (Bus Ops), and Programmatic staff to ensure alignment with the Division’s Mission & Vision.                             

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Aging State Plan: leads the design, implementation and statewide strategic planning required under the Older Americans Act; leads comprehensive multi-year needs assessments and authors the State Plan on Aging based on required ACL guidance; coordinates IFF review every 10 years with PI.
•  Manage any contracts for state plan or IFF hearings and consultation.
• Monitors state plan goals and objectives and assurances; documents performance and reports to Division leadership on a regular basis.
• Serves on the Comprehensive Monitoring team. Assists with the APS State Plan development and monitoring.
• Quality Improvement: works with program staff to develop SMART goals; provides ongoing review, analysis, and interpretation of appropriate national trends including research & data on aging programs and comprehensive review of ACL guidance & other state plans develops and implements.
• With Division leadership, develops and deploys a systematic method for quality initiatives such as Baldrige’s seven quality tools.
• Tracks opportunities for improvement, budget/planning initiatives and provides quarterly DAS Management team updates.
• Strategic Planning: Coordinates Division strategic planning with the Department and PI, coordinates Measurement Analysis Plans and reviews with Division leadership and program staff.
• Regular collaboration with Program Integrity and Program owners to /monitor progress; assures the Dashboard (currently in Achieve-IT) is kept up to date.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with state agencies, tribal organizations, Area Agencies on Aging and community groups to ensure broad engagement in needs assessments and plan development.
• Team collaboration: participates in weekly Policy, Program Integrity and Business Operations joint meetings.
• Documentation: Writes procedures for the DAS Administrative Manual as needed or directed, specifically DAS Data System (DDS) User Guides, and coordinates with staff on DDS Learning Management System modules.
• Uses Helpdesk tickets, Thursday DAS/AAA meetings, as a basis for revised or new manual material.
• Data System: Track DDS Change requests and update Management Team on a regular basis regarding number of change requests, status, barriers, number completed, etc.
• Regularly updates DDS users on enhancements, releases, etc.
• Uses information to inform policy/procedure review by DAS program owners.

Core Competencies:

• Excellent Customer services skills
• Ability to work in a very fast-paced environment while effectively and accurately managing multiple projects simultaneously under tight deadlines
• Ability to develop clear, concise, accurate and professional written materials
• Ability to work independently with limited direction

Additional Notes: Willing to research, learn and apply the components of the Older Americans Act, DHS policies and the DAS Data System (Area Plan, AAA Reimbursements, data entry, reports, etc.) May require site visits to AAAs and providers/contractors around the state

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in a related field from an accredited college or university

And

 Four (4) years of professional job-related experience which includes one (1) year in a lead worker, team leader, or supervisory role;

OR

Two (2) years of experience at the lower level Social Svcs Prgm Consultant 2 (SSP041) or position equivalent.

Preferred Skills/Qualifications:Preference will be given to candidates who, in addition to meeting the minimum qualifications, demonstrate some or all the following skills/experience:

• Experience with Older Americans Act/Home and Community Based Services programs at either the state, Area Agency on Aging, or provider level

OR

• Experience with Quality Improvement initiatives, such as Baldrige, Six Sigma, etc., project management skills or performance or fiscal auditing

AND

• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (WORD, EXCEL, PowerPoint, Teams, etc.)

Additional Information:

For more detailed information about the Georgia Department Human Services visit https://dhs.georgia.gov

Employment Information:

• DHS is an equal opportunity employer.
• Current state employees are subject to State Personnel Board (SPB) Rules regarding salary.
• If you require accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), email the request by the closing date of this announcement to:

  hrhelpline@dhs.ga.gov

  .
• The candidate selected for this position may be subject to pre-employment drug screening, education verification, reference, motor vehicle records, and criminal background checks.
• DHS accepts educational credential recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and/or the US Department of Education (DOE).
• DHS will contact educational institutions to verify degree(s), diploma, licensure, etc.
• As an employee of DHS, in the event of an identified emergency you may be required, as a term and condition of employment, to assist in meeting the emergency responsibilities of the department.

Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide information on application status by phone or e-mail. All qualified applicants will be considered but may not necessarily receive an interview. Selected applicants will be contacted by the hiring official for next steps in the selection process. Only applicants who are selected and interviewed will receive notification.

This position is subject to close at any time once a satisfactory applicant pool has been identified.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

The State of Georgia does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, or other protected categories in employment or the provision of services. Qualified applicants may request reasonable accommodation when needed during the application and/or screening process by contacting the appropriate agency Human Resources department. 

Minimum Qualifications:

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

The State of Georgia does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, or other protected categories in employment or the provision of services.
Qualified applicants may request reasonable accommodation when needed during the application and/or screening process by contacting the appropriate agency Human Resources department.