Program Specialist VII

Job Description:
Program Specialist VII

The Senior Program Specialist VII is part of the Foster Care Litigation (FCL) Compliance team. This position provides key research, reporting, quality assurance and process oversight for the FCL team and reports to the FCL Director for Project Management. This position works under limited supervision, with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment and provides highly advanced (senior-level) consultative services and technical assistance work. This position is responsible for gathering information from DFPS program areas, preparing a variety of reports, and providing quality assurance over the information that is transmitted from the DFPS Foster Care Litigation Compliance team to the Court and Court Monitors related to Foster Care Litigation. This position works closely with DFPS program staff to develop uniformity in processes needed to ensure all information and reports are timely, accurate, and responsive to requests made by Court Monitors. Work involves planning, developing, and monitoring of research projects and providing consultative services and technical assistance to program staff, Court Monitors, government agencies, community organizations, or the general public.

Daily activities include collecting, organizing, analyzing, and preparing material in response to various requests for information that are internal and external to DFPS and may include other state and federal agencies. The position communicates with agency leaders, staff, the community, and professional groups to coordinate, improve, and collaborate on various projects and initiatives. This position conducts quality assurance activities over all information being transmitted from DFPS and establishes processes and key measurement tools for determining progress in meeting goals and reporting the coordination and evaluation of FCL team activities.

This position is regularly assigned short and long-term projects and will take an active role in ensuring that timelines are met, that reports are accurate, consistent and uniform, and that all information transmitted to the Court Monitors has undergone a thorough quality assurance review. Attends work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency leave policy and division policies and procedures.
Essential Job Functions:
EJF 1. Researches, reviews, and performs quality assurance on information and recurring reports submitted on behalf of DFPS to the Court Monitors.
•Oversees the collection, organization, analysis, and consolidation of information and reports gathered to be submitted to the Court Monitors and conducts preliminary quality assurance activities over reports.
oReports include, but are not limited to, recurring daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, biannual, and annual reports.
•Oversees monitoring efforts to ensure communications, responses, and reports are accurate, complete and issued within required statutory or other established timeframes.
•Manages the development and preparation of reports, information, communications, correspondence and responses to requests for information, ensuring quality, consistency, technical and program accuracy, and timeliness.
•Serves as the point of contact for gathering information from DFPS staff.
•Ensures compliance with program policies and procedures, statutes, rules, and deadlines and takes corrective action(s) as needed.
•Conducts research and information gathering activities at the direction of the FCL Director for Project Management.
•Manages and coordinates the completion of specialized research projects, reports, and issue papers.
•May facilitate the development and completion of studies, analyses, assessments and evaluations of legislative and other program initiatives and activities and develops written findings and recommendations.

EJF 2. Assists FCL Program Specialists in working with DFPS program leaders and staff to ensure information submitted to the FCL division for transmission to the Court Monitors is accurate, complete, and responsive to the request.
•Consults with state office management and DFPS state office program and policy staff to provide guidance, technical assistance to ensure information provided in response to Court Monitor requests is relevant and responsive.
•Evaluates the quality of information and deliverables received and provides feedback to FCL division leadership.
•Prepares high quality written communications, reports, updates, summaries, and other documents as assigned or as needed.
•Develops and implements effective techniques for evaluating the content of program information and provides guidance to DFPS staff in the development and integration of new methods and procedures.
•Assists management with developing program policies, procedures, standards, and manuals and planning program activities in accordance with program objective and goals.

EJF 3. Manages day-to-day monitoring activities over the FCL Compliance Division Mailbox and develops tools to streamline requests.
•Monitors incoming communications to the FCL Compliance Division Mailbox.
•Collaborates with FCL Program Specialists to determine assignability and next steps.
•Communicates all incoming requests to the FCL team.
•Identifies and escalates priority requests to FCL division leadership.
•Develops and implements strategies for streamlining collecting, organizing, and monitoring the status of requests.
•Develops special project monitoring tools, communication plans and performance measures to ensure project milestones and deadlines are met.

EJF 4. Oversees development of responses to data requests, report development and preparation.
At the direction of FCL Division Leadership, performs other duties or tasks as assigned. These activities may include, but are not limited to:
•Monitoring and reporting on other activities.
•Drafting job guides, policies and procedures, presentations or other internal communications.
•Creating informational binders for agency leadership in preparation for presentations or hearings.
•Preparing administrative reports and studies.

Attends work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency leave policy and performs other duties as assigned. Knowledge Skills Abilities:
Knowledge of government organization and administration.
Knowledge of DFPS major program areas.
Knowledge of the Texas legislative process.
Knowledge of public administration and project management techniques; of statistical analysis processes; of research and analytical techniques; or of program management processes and techniques.
Ability to identify potential issues and outliers in large volumes of information and understand root causes.
Ability to apply independent judgment in making critical decisions.
Ability to communicate effectively.
Ability to gather, consolidate, analyze, and draw accurate and logical conclusions about large volumes of information.
Skills in synthesizing, analyzing, and evaluating data and information.
Skills in interpersonal relationships, including the ability to work with people under pressure, negotiate among multiple parties, resolve conflicts, and establish and maintain effective working relationships with various level personnel in governmental entities.

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