State of Connecticut Executive Branch

Social Services Program Assistance Specialist (4784SH)

$36.10-$45.98 Hourly / $2,887.25-$3,678.17 BiWeekly /
$75,357.00-$96,000.00 Yearly

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In the Department of Social Services this class is accountable for acting as a working lead in a small unit or performing as a technical specialist in program and/or agency monitoring and/or evaluation.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Works under the limited supervision of a Social Services Program Assistance Supervisor or other employee of higher grade.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

May lead lower level employees as assigned.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

  • Performs specialized duties related to programmatic review and implementation; 
  • Offers recommendations to management on policies and procedures regarding divisional and program activities; 
  • Prepares highly technical reports on activities; 
  • Performs related duties as required.
GRANTS MANAGEMENT: 
  • Administers program in a small unit while performing most complex technical work; 
  • Leads and trains staff to ensure work is performed in efficient and timely manner; 
  • Oversees review and processing of applications for assistance; 
  • Reviews recommendations made by staff based on monitoring of programs; 
  • Identifies problem areas and develops strategies to improve effectiveness; 
  • Provides technical assistance to staff and/or individuals, private non-profit organizations and local and state government agencies in program and/or grants management activities; 
  • Coordinates program activities with other units and community, regional, state, federal and private agencies involved with social services programs.
PROGRAM AND/OR AGENCY MONITORING AND EVALUATION: 
  • Participates in small agency or whole agency evaluations as member of a team or team leader; 
  • Performs most complex technical work involving evaluation research to determine effectiveness and/or impact of program or programs; 
  • Determines feasibility of program evaluation; 
  • Conducts evaluability assessment through identification of users and use of program, collecting information on intended program activities, objectives, goals and assumed causal relationships and synthesizing information into a rhetorical program model; 
  • Conducts formative research through monitoring implementation of program activities to determine effectiveness in reaching target population and providing services intended in program design; 
  • Develops recommendations for program operators, users and evaluators on corrective action; 
  • Measures effectiveness through use of cost benefit and cost effectiveness analysis techniques; 
  • Assesses program impact by examining and analyzing causal relationships between intervention inputs and program outcomes; 
  • May have lead responsibility over an evaluation team.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

  • Considerable knowledge of program development and monitoring functions and/or evaluation principles and methodologies; 
  • Knowledge of
    • grant preparation and administration; 
    • accounting and budgeting principles and practices; 
  • Considerable
    • interpersonal skills;
    • oral and written communication skills; 
  • Considerable ability to develop effective and evaluable program designs; 
  • Ability to
    • read, interpret and administer regulations and guidelines; 
    • develop policies, procedures, forms and complex technical instruments to meet needs of division; 
  • Supervisory ability.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Seven (7) years of experience in program development and monitoring, grants management, program planning or program evaluation including providing information and technical assistance to local and governmental agencies regarding program design and administration.

NOTE: Program refers to a set of activities designed to provide needed resources to a community, consisting of planning, budgeting, grants administration, monitoring, technical assistance, evaluation and liaison activities among others.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

  • College education may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
  • A Master's degree in planning, public administration or other closely related area may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.
  • For state employees one (1) year of experience as a Social Services Program Assistance Technician 2 may be substituted for the General Experience.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

JOB CLASS DESIGNATION

Classified/Competitive

OCCUPATIONAL GROUP

(33)-Social Services

BARGAINING UNIT

(12)-SOCIAL SERV (P-2)

EEO

(2)-Professional

SALARY INFORMATION

SH 23

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.

CANCELLATION CLAUSE

This replaces the existing specification for the class of Social Services Program Assistance Specialist in Salary Group SH 23 approved effective July 31, 2009. (Revised to modernize format and add Acknowledgement section) Final No. 23-143

EFFECTIVE DATE

06/15/2023
CLASS: 4784SH; EST: 9/29/1972; REV: 6/21/2023;