Program Specialist III, IV, V - Environmental Services Unit

Hawaii State Department of Education; Hawaii; On-site; USD 69,000 - 84,000; Full time

Job summary

Hawaii State Department of Education seeks a Program Specialist V to develop, establish, and ensure compliance with IPM policy under State and Federal laws, and to provide technical guidance and training to Department staff and stakeholders.

The position leads program planning, development, and evaluation, supervises staff, and coordinates environmental services to safeguard healthy learning environments and address pests and related concerns across schools.

Qualifications

• Basic Education Requirement: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a Bachelor's degree.
• Experience substitutions may be allowed for advanced degrees; ability to write clear reports and interpret complex material.
• For Program Specialist V, significant specialized and supervisory experience is expected as described in the specification.

Responsibilities

• Supervises a professional staff and participates in program planning and development activities.
• Implements policies and procedures to assure efficient and effective staff work.
• Makes assignments of projects and special studies to staff.
• Evaluates subordinate’s work productivity in relation to the agency’s standards of performance.
• Provides consultation, direction and advice to subordinates on program planning and development methods, non-routine or complex assignments or to clarify established guidelines.
• Conducts studies and analyses of major, unprecedented or controversial issues regarding the agency services and operations.
• Formulates and recommends major new policies, program goals or objectives.
• Determines goals and objectives and establishes priorities for the program in accordance with federal and State requirements.
• Develops new program plans to meet constantly changing federal requirements and legislative mandates.
• Evaluates consumer needs and concerns and makes recommendations for development of new programs and/or functions for the agency.
• Researches advancements in the field and develops new methodologies and interprets new concepts to enhance agency programs and services.

Skills

IPM expertise

Policy development

Staff training

Environmental compliance

Analytical reasoning

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Job description

The authorized level of the position is Program Specialist V. Applications are being accepted down to the Program Specialist III in the event of recruiting difficulties.

This position is located in the Office of Facilities and Operations/Environmental Services Unit (ESU). The function of the ESU is to plan, coordinate, organize, direct and control a variety of engineering and environmental services to ensure compliance with applicable environmental laws, rules and regulations concerning asbestos, lead, water and air quality, and soil contamination, among others. The Unit evaluates and responds to school environmental concerns, provides training, and assists with mitigating environmental problems, as well as proactively implementing preventive measures to ensure healthy and safe learning and working environments. The primary purpose of this position is to serve as the Department's Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program expert to develop, establish, and ensure compliance with Board-approved IPM policy as well as State and Federal statutes and regulations; and to provide technical guidance and training to Department staff and other stakeholders.

Salary Range: All new external applicants will be placed on the initial step of the salary range. However, placement above the initial step of the salary range will be based on special characteristics and critical needs of the position, an applicant's exceptional qualifications, the availability of funds, and other relevant factors. Such appointments require prior approval. Hawaii State Department of Education employees will be placed on the salary range in accordance with Department regulations.

Program Specialist III, SR-20: $5,107.00 - $6,221.00 per month

Program Specialist IV, SR-22: $5,527.00 - $6,728.00 per month

Program Specialist V, SR-24: $6,221.00 - $7,568.00 per month

1. Supervises a professional staff and participates in program planning and development activities.
2. Implements policies and procedures to assure efficient and effective staff work.
3. Makes assignments of projects and special studies to staff.
4. Evaluates subordinate’s work productivity in relation to the agency’s standards of performance.
5. Provides consultation, direction and advice to subordinates on program planning and development methods, non-routine or complex assignments or to clarify established guidelines.
6. Conducts studies and analyses of major, unprecedented or controversial issues regarding the agency services and operations.
7. Formulates and recommends major new policies, program goals or objectives.
8. Determines goals and objectives and establishes priorities for the program in accordance with federal and State requirements.
9. Develops new program plans to meet constantly changing federal requirements and legislative mandates.
10. Evaluates consumer needs and concerns and makes recommendations for development of new programs and/or functions for the agency.
11. Researches advancements in the field and develops new methodologies and interprets new concepts to enhance agency programs and services.

Basic Education Requirement: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a Bachelor’s degree.

Excess work experience as described under the Specialized Experience below or any other responsible administrative, professional or analytical work experience which provided knowledge, skills and abilities comparable to those acquired in four years of successful study while completing a college or university curriculum leading to a baccalaureate degree may be substituted on a year-for-year basis. To be acceptable, the experience must have been of such scope, level and quality as to assure the possession of comparable knowledge, skills and abilities. The education or experience background must also demonstrate the ability to write clear and comprehensive reports and other documents; read and interpret complex written material; and solve complex problems logically and systematically.

Experience Requirements: Except for the substitutions provided for in this specification, applicants must have had progressively responsible experience of the kind and quality described in the statements below and in the amounts shown in the following table or any equivalent combination of training and experience:

• Program Specialist III – Specialized Experience: 1-1/2; Supervisory Experience: 0; Total Experience: 1-1/2
• Program Specialist IV – Specialized Experience: 2-1/2; Supervisory Experience: 0; Total Experience: 2-1/2
• Program Specialist V – Specialized Experience: 3-1/2; Supervisory Experience: *; Total Experience: 3-1/2

*Supervisory Aptitude: For some positions in the class, Program Specialist V, applicants must possess supervisory aptitude.

Specialized Experience: Progressively responsible professional experience in one or a combination of the following:

1. Progressively responsible professional experience which demonstrated the ability to conduct studies and analyses of programs or projects through active participation in the planning, coordination, development and/or evaluation of programs and/or program activities. The experience must have involved performing professional work concerned with program interrelationships, effectiveness or intra-program integration. It must further have demonstrated a high degree of analytical skill involving the ability to identify information needs, collect and analyze data, and identify problems and alternative solutions and their advantages and disadvantages and develop logical recommendations for a course of action and the ability to read, comprehend and interpret complex material such as State statutes and/or federal regulations and draft comprehensive reports of findings and conclusions.
2. Progressively responsible professional work experience in a pertinent field/program area which provided knowledge of principles and practices, current issues and concerns of the identified field/program area and State and federal agencies, community organizations and agencies, resources and services that interact with and have an impact on the agency’s programs and activities.

For Specialists V, applicants must possess experience independently performing the full range of program planning, development and evaluation activities for an agency’s program or program activities.

Selective Certification Experience Requirement: Of the required number of years of Specialized Experience for each level above, applicants must possess a minimum of one (1) year for the Program Specialist III, one and one-half (1 ½) years for the Program Specialist IV, and for the Program Specialist V, a minimum of two (2) years of work experience must be obtained in an applied program involving planning, coordinating, developing and evaluating pest management methods and/or related services and activities. Such experience may have been gained concurrently or separately in meeting the Specialized Experience requirement.

Supervisory Aptitude: For some positions in the class, Program Specialist V, applicants must possess supervisory aptitude. Supervisory aptitude is the demonstration of aptitude or potential for the performance of supervisory duties through successful completion of regular or special assignments which involve some supervisory responsibilities or aspects; by serving as a group or team leader or in similar work in which opportunities for demonstrating supervisory capabilities exist; by the completion of training courses in supervision accompanied by application of supervisory skills in work assignments; or by favorable appraisals by a supervisor indicating the possession of supervisory potential.

Driver 's License Requirement: Applicant must have a current, valid driver's license.

Lift and Carry Requirement: Applicants must be able to lift/carry objects weighing up to 50 pounds unassisted.

Substitutions Allowed: Possession of a Master's degree from an accredited college or university in business administration, public administration or a field pertinent to the agency’s programs and activities may be substituted for one year of the Specialized Experience.

Quality of Experience: Possession of the required number of years of experience will not in itself be accepted as proof of qualification for a position. The applicant's overall experience must have been of such scope and level of responsibility as to conclusively demonstrate that applicant has the ability to perform the duties of the position for which applicant is being considered.

Salary: The advertised salary is based on full-time employment and includes shortage and school year differentials, if applicable.

Requirements: Applicants must meet all the requirements for the position they are seeking as of the date of the application, unless otherwise specified. Unless specifically indicated, the required education and experience may not be gained concurrently. Calculation of experience is based on full-time, 40-hour workweeks. Part-time experience is pro-rated. Example: Twelve months of experience at 20 hours/week is equivalent to six months of experience, not one year. Also, hours worked in excess of 40 hours/week will not be credited. Example: Twelve months of experience at 60 hours/week is equivalent to one year of experience, not one and a half years.

Temporary Assignment: Claims of Temporary Assignment (TA) experience to meet the minimum qualification requirements must be verified and attached to the application using one of the options below:

1. A copy of the applicant’s TA History Report or equivalent system-generated report;
2. A signed letter from the applicant’s supervisor that includes the applicant’s name, his/her TA job title, the TA start and end dates (from mm/yy to mm/yy), his/her specific TA duties performed, and either the TA hours worked per week or total TA hours worked;
3. Copies of the applicant’s signed SF-10 Forms.

Documents: Attach all relevant supporting documents to your application. Documents that were attached to applications submitted before November 16, 2023 do not automatically attach or transfer to applications submitted on and after December 16, 2023. All submitted documents become the property of the Hawaii State Department of Education.

Information about Temporary Positions: Temporary positions may be extended year to year, dependent upon funding and departmental needs. Making yourself available for temporary positions increases your employment possibilities and may lead to permanent opportunities. A person hired for a temporary position may also become a temporary employee upon satisfactory completion of the initial probation period of at least six months. Once a temporary employee, you would be eligible to apply for promotion and transfer opportunities to permanent as well as other temporary positions. You may also enjoy other rights and benefits as afforded to an employee in a permanent position, with the exception of return rights and placement rights associated with a reduction-in-force.