Protective Services Specialist 3

State of Alaska; Anchorage (AK); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Insurance Benefits

Retirement Benefits

Paid Leave

Twelve paid holidays per year

Job summary

State of Alaska's Department of Family and Community Services, Office of Children's Services seeks a full-time Protective Service Specialist 3 in Anchorage or Wasilla. The role focuses on advanced case work, coaching staff, and promoting best practices in family engagement and service delivery.

The position emphasizes mentoring colleagues, delivering virtual and in-person training, and collaborating across statewide teams. A strong background in social services and state policy is required.

Qualifications

• Experience as an advanced-level case worker with knowledge of social work practices and principles.
• Familiarity with Federal and State laws, and office policies.
• Ability to coach and mentor new Protective Services Specialists and provide feedback.

Responsibilities

• Provide teaching and coaching to new Protective Service Specialists.
• Offer feedback to enhance professional competencies for staff.
• Model family engagement and agency practice; conduct coaching via virtual platforms and classroom settings.

Skills

Conflict Management

Developing Others

Self-Management

Analytical Thinking

Customer Service

Integrity/Honesty

Interpersonal Skills

Oral Communication

Writing

Technical Credibility

Job description

This position is open to current Department of Family and Community Services employees only. Please check the definition below to determine if you qualify.

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

Location: Anchorage or Wasilla, Alaska

What you will be doing

The individual in this position is an advanced-level case worker with considerable knowledge of social work practices and principles, Federal and State Laws, as well as policy and procedure of the Office of Children's Services. They will provide teaching and coaching to new Protective Services Specialists and give feedback to enhance professional competencies. The individual in this position will model and observe family engagement and agency practice, provide one on one coaching through virtual platforms, and teach in a classroom setting.

Our organization, mission and culture

The Office of Children's Services strives for a diverse and inclusive workforce where safety and wellbeing are paramount and employees at all levels promote a culture where everyone is valued, treated equitably, and treated respectfully.

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.

Everything we do is underpinned by our Core Values.

Benefits of joining our team

The Mentor Position provides opportunities for advancement in leadership and to enhance individual learning through teaching and coaching new Protective Services Specialists. Mentors have the opportunity to travel statewide, expanding their experience in practice model application.

• Insurance Benefits
• Retirement Benefits
• Paid Leave
• twelve paid holidays per year

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

Working environment you can expect

The Mentor Position is a statewide position that requires travel across Alaska. Travel typically lasts 3-5 days at a time and varies based on mentee assignments and where they are located. The Mentor team is a tight knit team that works collaboratively to help staff overcome barriers to understanding, resiliency, and skill development.

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

We are seeking a candidate with the following competencies:

1. Conflict Management: Encourages creative tension and differences of opinions. Anticipates and takes steps to prevent counter-productive confrontations. Manages and resolves conflicts and disagreements in a constructive manner.
2. Developing Others: Develops the ability of others to perform and contribute to the organization by providing ongoing feedback and by providing opportunities to learn through formal and informal methods.
3. 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.

Special Note

• This position requires a valid 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.
• 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.

A cover letter is NOT required for this position. Your complete application will be used to determine which applicants will advance to the interview phase of the recruitment and selection process.

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in:

• 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, 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.

At time of interview applicant is requested to submit:

• A copy of academic transcripts (unofficial are acceptable but must include the institution name/URL on documents provided) if required to meet minimum qualifications.
• A list of three (3) professional references including daytime telephone numbers and email address; at least two (2) of these must be from a current or former supervisor.
  • Professional is defined as a supervisor or an individual who has direct knowledge of your work performance.

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.

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 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.

If you are currently or previously been appointed to a flexibly staffed position please ensure your work experience within a flexibly staffed position indicates the actual dates employed at each level. Ensure your time and any subsequent flex promotion(s) are documented as a separate position. This is required as there are minimum qualifications that require experience at a particular level in which the lower level may not be considered. If this information is not accurately reflected in your application this may cause the processing of your application for consideration to be delayed.

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 as an employer sponsor.

The State of Alaska does not provide VISA Employer sponsorships.

RECRUITMENT SCOPE

Applicants must currently work in the Office of Children's Services department and hold permanent employment status. Permanent employment status is defined as holding permanent status in ANY job class in the current period of employment with no break in service (separation from State of Alaska employment) since the permanent status was earned.

EEO STATEMENT

The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities, who require accommodation, auxiliary aides 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.

Contact

Name: Talia Robinson, Social Services Program Officer

Phone: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]