Human Services Specialist II-County Administration, Human Rights

Howard County Government; Annapolis (MD); On-site; USD 68,000 - 93,000; Full time

Job summary

Howard County Government seeks a dedicated individual for community outreach, focusing on promoting human rights and equity. This position involves developing programs, evaluating community needs, and collaborating with various agencies. Ideal candidates will possess strong analytical, communication, and organizational skills.

Benefits

Competitive Compensation

Medical Benefits

Retirement Plans

Wellness Programs

Diverse and Inclusive Workplace

Qualifications

• One year related experience in community outreach or human services.
• Knowledge of civil rights laws and community relations.
• Ability to develop and implement educational programs.

Responsibilities

• Support outreach programs for the Office of Human Rights & Equity.
• Conduct community training on civil rights laws.
• Evaluate community needs and demographics.

Skills

Community Outreach

Public Speaking

Analytical Thinking

Conflict Resolution

Cultural Awareness

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Howard County:
Conveniently located in the heart of central Maryland between Baltimore and Washington, Howard County offers the charm of a historic past mixed with the excitement of a cosmopolitan community.

Howard County Government:
Howard County Government is a leader in innovation, best practices and sustainability. It is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live and work in the country. In 2024, Howard County Government received a record-breaking 63 Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo) – the most awards in the state of Maryland, and the fifth highest in the nation, as compared to more than 3000 counties. NACo Achievement Awards are the premier national honor to recognize innovative and transformative programs that provide new services for county residents, improve existing programs, upgrade working conditions, and enhance citizen participation and public policy making.

What are we looking for?
We are looking for outstanding individuals to join our team and contribute to excellence in Howard County operations.

What you'll like most about working at Howard County Government:

• We are committed to workplace excellence in every area of County government.
• We have a highly talented, diverse, and inclusive workplace. Your input will not only be heard, but it will be encouraged!
• We offer competitive compensation and great benefits including medical, retirement, and wellness programs.
• As a member of the Howard County Government team, you'll be helping drive our culture and directly impact what makes us an amazing place to work.

POSITION SUMMARY:
Support the community relations mission of the Office of Human Rights & Equity(hereinafter OHRE) in developing and implementing plans, educational programs, and events to address and combat discrimination and to promote better human relations in Howard County. Will work closely with the Equity &Restorative Practices Unit and report directly to the OHRE Administrator.

STARTING SALARY HIRING RANGE:$32.95 - $44.64$68,542 - $92,485

CLASS DESCRIPTION:
Performs intermediate professional level human services work, which may include supervisory responsibility, under general supervision from an administrative or technical superior. Work includes administering human service programs or providing specialized health and human services targeted to a special population; assists in formulating policies and developing goals and objectives; and providing a full range of counseling and referral services. Work may also include identifying and investigating complaints of unfair and deceptive practices and violations of local and State laws; and administering criminal justice and alternative sentencing programs.

Include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.

Outreach to the community for all activities relating to the mission and purpose of the Office of Human Rights and Equity (OHRE).

Initiate, develop and implement outreach programs, activities and trainings relating to the mission and purpose of the Office of Human Rights & Equity(OHRE) including but not limited to, education regarding services of OHRE, multi-cultural appreciation and celebratory events, cultural diversity, human relations, community involvement, and events centered around the promotion and advancement of all residents of the county

Evaluate community needs and demographic, social, and programmatic trends to provide education and training.

Assist in the development, implementation and evaluation of outreach activities and public education for the Office of Human Rights and Equity (OHRE).

Stay current with best practices related to discriminatory practices at local, state and national level.

Contribute to the goals and priorities for the outreach unit within the context of OHRE and the Department’s goals and priorities.

Ensure innovation in program planning and service delivery.

Coach and Mentor interns within OHRE.

Provide input to OHRE Leadership during the development of the budget, along with applying and overseeing grants.

Ensure compliance with requirements set by an external funding sources including reporting and audit requests.

Monitor progress towards meeting goals and objectives of the Outreach program.

Provide monthly, annual and other requested reports and data on outreach activities.

Develop external communications and partnerships and coordinate services with related agencies.

Build relationships with human and civil rights advocacy groups, community groups, and government agencies.

Prepare press releases for events and programming, as necessary.

Coordination of conferences, workshops, fairs, and other events related to the mission of the Office.

Distribute literature to the community.

Design, produce, set up and staff booths/tables at community events.

Staff and Support all activities of an assigned workgroup or commission.

Prepare artwork and photography for use on web pages, publications, and social media outlets.

Design, develop and update the content of the OHRE’s website and social media outlets.

Design brochures, fliers and other promotional items.

Develop ideas for both external and internal media campaigns, including promotional displays.

Demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills over the phone, in person, through e-mail or other written correspondence.

Work with the Outreach Branch Chief and Administrator in developing the OHRE annual report.

Coordinate and participate in outreach team meetings, prepare all necessary reports and agendas for the meeting.

Participate in all other relevant meetings and hearings, as assigned.

Liaison with Howard County Police Department (HCPD) on hate-bias incidents and crimes in Howard County. Conduct training for incoming and current police officers on hate bias incidents.

Provide training to the Howard County residents, businesses, housing providers, etc. in the area of understanding and adhering to relevant civil rights laws as well as community and human relations.

Liaison with other human and civil rights agencies to provide and coordinate relevant trainings on human and civil rights laws.

Maintain confidentiality of cases, intake and/or investigative matters of the office.

May need to work weekends or nights in order to conduct outreach activities and support a workgroup or commission.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
This position does not have supervisory responsibilities.Bachelor's Degree and one (1) year related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

PREFERRED EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
Knowledge and experience in community outreach and coordination of conferences, trainings and meetings, etc.

Training in Mediation, Conflict Resolution and/or Restorative Justice highly encouraged.

Public speaking and/or advocacy work.

Knowledge of cultural awareness, diversity and inclusiveness work.

Demonstrated ability to be a collaborative problem solver and self-starter; one who takes initiative and who can work with minimal supervision.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills including training, facilitation and dispute resolution skills.

Must be a deep listener who appreciates and understands diverse perspectives, values intellectual exchange and respectful disagreement.

Understanding of federal, state, and local equal employment opportunity laws and regulations.

Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Experience developing and administering budgets for a unit.

Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information and records in accordance with state and federal laws and professional ethics; ability to manage and distribute information appropriately.

Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.

Skilled at prioritizing multiple projects while functioning efficiently with multiple interruptions.

Ability to participate as a team member.

Ability to interact with the public in a pleasant way and handle multiple tasks at the same time.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.

LANGUAGE SKILLS, MATHEMATICAL SKILLS, AND REASONING ABILITY:
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages. May need to analyze or calculate simple statistical reports as a part of the legal analysis.

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, analyze information and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of legal and technical instructions and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

Possession of a valid driver's license.