Community Based TANF Program Specialist

son; Nebraska; On-site; USD 51,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Health & Human Services - Agency 25 seeks a DHHS Program Specialist to manage TANF programs, including daily operations, planning, monitoring, and evaluation. This statewide role may place you in Lincoln, NE, or other state offices as space allows.

The position involves developing policies, conducting QA analyses, and providing technical assistance to staff, clients, and partners to ensure service delivery standards are met and improvements are implemented.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent coursework in public administration, social/behavioral sciences, healthcare, human services or related field.
• Professional experience in human/social services or health care with planning or evaluation responsibilities may substitute for the education requirement.
• Knowledge of program management, budgeting, and reporting is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Research, review, analyze, and interpret federal and state regulations to inform policy.
• Explain and clarify operational practices, policies, and regulations to staff and partners.
• Assess program effectiveness and develop training materials.
• Develop resources and support to ensure efficient operation of TANF programs.
• Draft and implement policies, procedures, and program regulations as needed.
• Review invoices/reports and provide technical assistance to providers and staff.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Effective communication

Team collaboration

Critical thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Job description

The work we do matters!

Hiring Agency: Health & Human Services - Agency 25

Location: Statewide, NE

Hiring Rate: $24.862

Job Posting: JR2026-00029086 Community Based TANF Program Specialist (Open)

Applications No Longer Accepted On (If no date is displayed, job is posted as open until closed): 09-17-2026

Job Description

The Department of Health and Human Services is seeking a motivated individual to join our Office of Economic Assistance Team and fill the role of DHHS Program Specialist within the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. This position is to manage the day-to-day operational and technical functions of TANF programs. This role involves planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating TANF-funded programs and services, developing procedures, and implementing policies.

Under limited supervision, the specialist plans, implements, monitors, and evaluates program activities to ensure compliance with federal and state regulations. This role includes researching and developing program policies, conducting quality assurance analyses, and providing technical assistance to agency staff, clients, and service providers. Additionally, the specialist drafts policies and procedures, prepares reports, conducts training sessions, performs audits, and liaises with governmental and community organizations to promote program effectiveness and ensure service delivery standards are met. The position also involves assessing program effectiveness, developing improvement plans, and ensuring proper utilization of services through detailed data analysis and compliance checks.

***This position is being advertised statewide; however, the preferred office location is at the Nebraska State Office Building in Lincoln, Nebraska. For the right candidate, placement at another State office location may be considered based on available office space. ***

Examples of Work

Key duties include:

• Research, review, analyze, and interpret federal regulations and laws, state laws, and their administrative requirements to formulate appropriate policies, procedures, and interpretations.
• Explain, clarify, and interpret operational practices, policies, procedures, and federal and state regulations to agency staff, community organizations, and the public.
• Assess program effectiveness, identify training needs/requirements, and participate in developing training materials.
• Develop the necessary resources and administrative support to ensure the efficient operation and coordination of all programs, departmental divisions, and outside agencies.
• Draft, develop, and implement policy, procedure, agreements, and program regulations as needed.

Responsibilities also include reviewing invoices and reports, providing technical assistance, addressing technical questions, developing policies, assessing provider performance, compiling performance reports, and identifying and addressing training needs for providers.

Requirements/Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's degree, or equivalent coursework/training, in public administration, social/behavioral sciences, healthcare, human services or other program related field. Professional experience working in a human/social service or health care agency with responsibility for planning or evaluation services, programs or operational policies and practices may substitute in lieu of the educational requirement.

Preferred Qualifications

• A minimum of one year experience working with grants, budgets, subawards/contracts, and/or human service programs.
• Ability to analyze, develop, and organize materials.
• Work collaboratively in a team setting.
• Communicate effectively electronically, virtually, and in person.
• Exercise independent critical thinking skills.
• Knowledge in Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Word.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of: the principles and practices of public administration; procedure and policy development; methods and techniques of program planning; federal and state laws, rules, regulations and procedures pertaining to health and human services programs; public funds and budgeting methods; the principles and techniques of adult learning; quality assurance mechanisms; principles and techniques of planning, monitoring and evaluating human services programs and service delivery systems.

Skill in: interpreting and/or clarifying policy to interested groups; conducting formal presentations to provide education and share information.

Ability to: plan, organize and direct a major program; work collaboratively in a team setting; analyze, develop and organize materials; establish and maintain positive relationships with agency staff, service providers/contractors, community organizations and clients; communicate electronically, on paper or in person to promote, explain, discuss, advise and interact with interested groups on various program issues and problems; prepare and review technical documents such as summaries of state and federal regulations, action pla