Protective Services Specialist 1/2/3 Craig or Juneau

State of Alaska; Alaska; Hybride; USD 55 000 - 80 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Insurance Benefits

Retirement Benefits

Paid Leave

Twelve paid holidays per year

Résumé du poste

The State of Alaska is seeking a Protective Services Specialist at levels 1–3 to protect children in need across Craig and Juneau field offices. The role involves investigations, plan development, and collaboration with families, tribes, and partners in Southeast Alaska.

Travel is required, with field office placements in Craig or Juneau and flexible scheduling to cover two weeks in the office and two weeks in the field. This role supports critical child protection work in remote communities.

Qualifications

• Analytical thinking to address problems and opportunities.
• Problem solving under pressure with sound judgment.
• Deliver high‑quality customer service and solutions.
• Act with integrity and honesty in all interactions.
• Maintain strong interpersonal relationships and empathy.
• Communicate clearly, orally and in writing.
• Demonstrate technical credibility in applying KSAs to cases.

Responsabilités

• Investigate reports of child abuse/neglect and assess safety.
• Develop intervention plans with families and stakeholders.
• Coordinate with Tribal/Community Partners and service providers.
• Prepare reports for court and maintain required documentation.
• Travel to Craig or Juneau field offices as needed.

Connaissances

Analytical Thinking

Problem Solving

Customer Service

Integrity/Honesty

Interpersonal Skills

Oral Communication

Writing

Technical Credibility

Description du poste

Come join the State of Alaska!

This job class uses Competency Based minimum qualifications (MQs). Please read the Competency Based MQ instructions below to learn more.

The Department of Family and Community Services, Office of Children's Services (OCS) is recruiting for full-time Protective Services Specialist 1/2/3.

in Craig or Juneau Alaska.

The position is open to Alaska Residents Only.

What You Will Be Doing

As a Protective Services Specialist (PSS), you will be responsible for Child Protection Services in the Family Services unit, the Investigations & Assessment unit, or as Generalist covering both. This position is based out of the Craig Field Office or Juneau Field Office. The Southeast Regional Field Offices consist of Juneau, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Sitka, and Craig.

If working in the Craig Field Office, incumbents would only travel as needed for coverage primarily to Craig and other communities throughout Southeast Alaska and to the Southeast Regional Field Office locations.

If working in the Juneau Field Office, incumbents in this position will typically work two weeks in the office (50%) and spend two weeks traveling (50%) each month. Travel from Craig or Juneau could range from a day trip to a full week or longer and may involve small aircraft or other forms of transportation.

Successful applicants will start at a level 1, 2 or 3 depending on experience and qualifications. This case carrying position has a wide range of duties, including investigating reports of child abuse and/or neglect, preparing plans for intervention by soliciting the cooperation of the family and others, and gathering information about family dynamics/functionality. The Protective Services Specialist will develop plans to ensure child safety while assisting parents in addressing their diminished protective factors, place children out of the home with a relative or licensed foster home when necessary, provide ongoing and/or in‑home services to families, write and submit reports to the Court, work closely with Tribal/Community Partners, frequent face‑to‑face and telephonic contact with parents and caregivers of children in custody and make referrals to other service providers and agencies.

For more information: OCS Practice Model

Mission and Values/Culture:

The Mission of the Office of Children's Services is: Ensuring the safety, permanency and well‑being of children by strengthening families, engaging communities, and partnering with Tribes.

The Office of Children's Services is dedicated to a diverse and inclusive workforce where safety and wellbeing are paramount. Employees all contribute to building a culture where everyone is valued, treated equitably, and treated respectfully.

Everything we do is underpinned by our Core Values.

Benefits of Joining Our Team

Your first twelve months in the agency are probationary and considered a training period, with formal virtual training, on‑the‑job training with your supervisor, and with other colleagues.

While this is a field‑based position that involves working in the community, part‑time telework within the duty station is an option upon eligibility.

Full‑time benefits of this position include but are not limited to: Insurance Benefits; Retirement Benefits; Paid Leave; and twelve paid holidays per year. Please see the benefits tab on this posting for more information.

The Working Environment You Can Expect

This position is region‑wide and covers Family Services and Initial Investigations or Generalist as needed, typical in remote Southeast Alaska locations. The Southeast Regional Field Offices consist of Juneau, Ketchikan, Petersburg, Sitka, and Craig.

This position is based out of the Craig Field Office or Juneau Field Office. Please select location preference in the supplemental questions of this job posting.

The Craig Field Office is located on beautiful Prince of Wales Island in the village of Craig, Alaska. Prince of Wales is a world‑class hunting and fishing location, with hundreds of miles of roads through stunning scenery where wildlife abounds. A vibrant culture adds to the richness of life on Prince of Wales.

The Juneau Field Office is located in the heart of the Mendenhall Valley, conveniently located near shops, restaurants and the bus line.

Child protection work requires working in small villages, often located significant distances apart in isolated communities. Protective Services Specialists need to be adept at engagement in both Initial Assessment and Family Services work with families served.

The work we perform is critical and significantly impacts the communities we serve. As a result, the Office of Children’s Services (OCS) requires staff to work after hours and on‑call, work in the evenings and weekends as well as weekdays, so overtime is also an expectation when deemed necessary. OCS staff are considered essential, so are expected to work during pandemic and other natural disasters.

The typical workweek may include some caseworker visits at school or in resource family homes, virtual and in‑person court attendance, and mostly working independently in an office setting.

Our teams are based around having a strong work ethic and high ethical standards, believing in treating all people with dignity and respect, as well as being self‑motivated, organized and honest. We are all about getting the job done while still contributing to a positive, upbeat work environment.

For information on the Craig or Juneau community (including schools, hospitals, housing) please review Alaska Community Profiles.

Who We Are Looking For

• Stress Tolerance: Deals calmly and effectively with high stress situations (for example, tight deadlines, hostile individuals, emergency situations, dangerous situations).
• Self‑Management: Sets well‑defined and realistic personal goals; displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner; works with minimal supervision; is motivated to achieve; demonstrates responsible behavior.
• Teamwork: Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.

Competency Based Minimum Qualifications Instructions

This job class uses competency based minimum qualifications. Please ensure your application (through work history, volunteer experience (duties summary), training, education, licenses, certifications, etc.) supports how you have gained the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors (competencies) and that you possess the minimum required competencies for the job class.

Competency Description

The competency description(s) listed below have been designed to promote a common understanding of the essential elements of the job class. They highlight the more general and customary knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), tasks, and behaviors used to describe the competency. They typically list expectations, as opposed to specific tasks, and are to be used only as parameters and guidelines. A competency’s description is not intended to exclusively define every KSA, task, and behavior needed to successfully meet the competency, but rather to provide the manager/agency with a broad reference of options as to how an applicant can meet the job expectation.

• Analytical Thinking/Problem Solving: Uses a logical, systematic, and sequential approach to address problems or opportunities or manage a situation by drawing on one’s knowledge and experience base and calling on other references and resources as necessary.
• Customer Service: Anticipates and meets the needs of both internal and external customers. Delivers high‑quality products and services; is committed to continuous improvement.
• Integrity/Honesty: Behaves in an honest, fair, and ethical manner. Shows consistency in words and actions. Models high standards of ethics.
• Interpersonal Skills:Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.
• Oral Communication: Makes clear and convincing oral presentations. Listens effectively; clarifies information as needed.
• Writing: Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience.
• Technical Credibility: Understands and appropriately applies principles, procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise.

equivalent to those typically gained by Training in a social science, behavioral science, health science, guidance and counseling, or a closely related field and/or progressively responsible professional experience providing assistance, information or referrals to the general public related to social services, health care, or legal services; in child, adult, family, or group case management, licensing, or probation services; or providing care or services to delinquent juveniles.

“Typically gained by” means the prevalent, usual method of gaining the competencies expected for entry into the job.

“Training” and “education” in this guidance are synonyms for the process of acquiring knowledge and skills through instruction. It includes instruction through formal and informal methods (such as classroom, on‑line, self‑study, and on‑the‑job), from accredited and unaccredited sources, and long‑duration (such as a post‑secondary degree) and short‑duration (such as a seminar) programs.

“Progressively responsible” means indicating growth and/or advancement in complexity, difficulty, or level of responsibility.

“Professional experience” means work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession’s principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the power or right to decide or act according to one’s own judgment.

Special Note

Some positions require a valid Alaska driver's license and/or a background investigation including fingerprinting. These requirements will be indicated at the time of recruitment.

• This position is flexibly staffed. The level of the job offer will be based on the selected candidate’s credibly possessed and proven competencies. If hired at the lower level, you will be promoted to the higher level after completing the training and demonstrating competency in the work performance.
• This position requires a valid Real ID Alaska driver’s license.
• Additionally, while the Division does have vehicles assigned to it, they may not always be available for staff use. Mileage reimbursement is available when a personal vehicle is used for work‑related matters. Current automotive insurance must be in place prior to use of a personal vehicle while conducting business on behalf of the State.
• Relocation reimbursement costs may be provided by the State of Alaska.
• For positions in this job class, a child protective history check will be performed per AS 12.62.160 and/or 13 AAC 68.315 including a background and fingerprint check.
• The successful candidate may be required to attend multiple training courses normally located in Anchorage.

Education

To verify education being used to meet the required minimum qualifications, you must fill in the Education section of the application. If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the number of units completed. Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials being used to meet the minimum qualifications for a position and are required with each application. (Unofficial are okay, please ensure that the institution/URL name is listed on the transcripts). Transcripts can be attached at the time of application, provided at the time of interview or if not provided, transcripts will be required prior to appointment.

LEGAL EMPLOYMENT: The State’s online recruitment system, Workplace Alaska, requires applicants to certify that they have a legal right to accept employment in the United States. It is the responsibility of the employee to maintain the appropriate documentation to accept or continue legal employment. The State of Alaska does not function in the role of an employer sponsor.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements, if applicable. If utilizing this education you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs; or an accredited U.S. state university reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the state university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Omission of required documentation listed will result in an incomplete application, and you will not receive further consideration.

WORK EXPERIENCE

When using work experience not already documented in your application, please provide the employer’s name, your job title, dates of employment, and whether full‑or part‑time. Applications will be reviewed to determine if the responses are supported, and minimum qualifications are clearly met. Work experience needed to meet the minimum qualifications must be documented in the application. If the application does not support minimum qualifications, the applicant may not advance to the interview and selection phase of the recruitment. A resume will not be used to determine that minimum qualifications have been met for the position in which you are applying.

RECRUITMENT SCOPE

This position is open to Alaska Residents only. Please check our residency definition to determine if you qualify.

NOTICE

The State of Alaska does not provide VISA Employer sponsorships.

EEO STATEMENT

The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Individuals with disabilities, who require accommodation, auxiliary aids or services, or alternative communication formats, please call 1‑800‑587‑4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1‑800‑770‑8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at: P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811‑0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.

For specific information in reference to the position please contact the hiring manager:

Name: Laureen Larsen

Title: Talent Acquisitions Specialist

Phone: (907) 334‑2457

Email: [e-mail]