STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Social Services Program Assistance Technician 2

Hybrid

Recruitment #241202-4781SH-001

Introduction


Do you have six (6) years of experience in grant administration including experience in program development and monitoring or program monitoring and evaluation?  If so, we invite you to apply to join our team today!

The State of Connecticut, Department of Social Services (DSS) – is accepting applications for one (1) full-time Social Services Program Assistance Technician 2 position in the Division of Program Oversight and Grant Administration (POGA) in Hartford, CT.


This position offers the incumbent a unique and challenging opportunity within the Division of Program Oversight and Grant Administration (POGA). While working with limited supervision, the incumbent will be required to work independently and within teams to complete assignments. In addition, they will be responsible for making presentations to community providers, sister state agencies and DSS colleagues.

Position Highlights: PCN 119961

  • Hybrid
  • Full-time | 40 Hours per week
  • Monday – Friday | 8:00 am – 4:30 pm

In your role as a Social Services Program Assistance Technician 2, you will have the opportunity to:

  • Grants Management;
  • Program Monitoring and Evaluation;
  • Technical Assistance and Monitoring;
  • For a more comprehensive list of duties please click here.

What we can offer you:

  • View our new State Employee Benefits Overview page!
  • Professional growth and paid professional development opportunities.
  • A healthy work-life balance to all employees!
  • The opportunity to work for a Forbes top company: ‘Forbes’ State of Connecticut Ranked one of the best Employers of 2023 – State of CT receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule.
  • The State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer, meaning you may be eligible to have qualifying student loans forgiven after 10 years of service.  Click here for more information.

About the Department of Social Services:

The State of Connecticut, Department of Social Services (DSS) delivers and funds a wide range of programs and services as Connecticut’s multi-faceted health and human services agency.  DSS services about 1 million residents of all ages in all 169 Connecticut cities and towns.  We support the basic needs of children, families, older and other adults, including persons with disabilities.  Services are delivered through 12 field offices, central administration, online and phone access options.  Follow us on twitter @ctdss and see what we are all about!

Selection Plan

FOR ASSISTANCE WITH APPLYING:

Please read or watch our Applicant Tips on How to Apply!


To Apply:

  • In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on this job opening.  You must specify your qualifications on your application.
  • For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
  • The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
  • These positions will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion, and merit employment rules.  Applications to this recruitment will be used to meet collective bargaining requirements.  Once any collective bargaining requirements have been met, all other applications may be considered.
  • Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience most closely meets the preferred qualifications, so please ensure that your application is complete and details your experience as outlined in this job posting.  Please note: You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application into the JobAps system.
  • The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
  • Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.

Important Next Step Information for After You Apply:

  • Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
  • This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
  • At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications as indicated to apply for this position.
  • All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
  • Due to the large volume of applications received, the Department of Administrative Services is unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process. Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account.
  • Revised Master Application Tutorial: Click Here.
  • Read through this helpful link to prepare for your interview.

Connect With Us:

  • If you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Rocky Young at rocky.young@ct.gov and reference the recruitment number. 
  • Follow the State of Connecticut on LinkedIn.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In the Department of Social Services this class is accountable for independently performing a full range of tasks in monitoring a large, complex program or group of programs to ensure that program guidelines are followed and requirements met OR for providing technical assistance to agencies in program development and monitoring programs to determine and ensure their effectiveness.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

GRANTS MANAGEMENT: 
  • Interprets and explains regulations, guidelines and procedures of numerous and varied Social Services public assistance programs; 
  • Develops materials for and conducts workshops on program administration for agency operators; 
  • May review contract proposals for accuracy and content.
PROGRAM MONITORING AND EVALUATION: 
  • Determines feasibility of a 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 this 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; 
  • Prepares highly technical reports on findings; 
  • Develops recommendations for program operators, users and evaluators on corrective action.
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND MONITORING: 
  • Conducts inspections, interviews and field visits to determine if program requirements are being met; 
  • Provides technical assistance to client agencies in program development and compliance; 
  • Conducts investigations necessary to ensure that records are kept properly and funds are properly expended; 
  • May review and process applications.
ALL AREAS: 
  • May develop guidelines, procedures, forms and instruments relevant to division operations and goals; 
  • May lead or train employees of lower level; 
  • Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

  • Knowledge of
    • program development and monitoring functions; 
    • process followed to determine program compliance; 
    • program evaluation concepts and methodology; 
    • formal research methodology; 
    • grant preparation and administration; 
    • formal statistical methodology; 
    • accounting and budgeting principles; 
  • Considerable
    • interpersonal skills;
    • oral and written communication skills;
  • Ability to
    • read and interpret regulations and guidelines; 
    • perform basic mathematical computations; 
    • work independently or as part of a team.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Six (6) years of experience in grant administration including program development and monitoring or program monitoring and evaluation.

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 1 may be substituted for the General Experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Preference will be given to candidates who possess:
  • Experience in grant administration including writing grants and contracts.
  • Experience communicating in writing and verbally to diverse populations and skill levels.
  • Experience providing training and technical support to nonprofits and community-based providers.
  • Experience interpreting and applying statutes, regulations, policies and procedures in the development of Guidance and contract language.
  • Experience in program monitoring and evaluation; as well as preparation of reports outlining findings and recommended corrective actions.
  • Experience interpreting financial reports/documents and making recommendation on payments to be made.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.

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.