Social Services Program Specialist

The Department of Social Services is recruiting for four (4) Social Services Program Specialists within the Information Technology Division, Monday - Friday, 40 hour work week. We are looking for the business analyst's to work as liaisons among stakeholders to elicit, analyze, communicate, prioritize, clarify, validate and document requirements for changes to business processes and information systems in support of project objectives and scope.

Candidates selected for interview must provide the following at the time of interview:

State Employees:              

•Two (2) most recent service ratings

•Two (2) previous years of attendance reports

Non State Employees:

•Two (2) letters of professional reference from a current and/or previous supervisor

•Resume

Failure to provide the required documents listed above at the time of interview will eliminate you from the recruitment process. Should you have questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Meiko Chandler at Meiko.chandler@ct.gov or (860)-424-5819.

In the Department of Social Services, this class is accountable for providing complex functional and technical support to a unit engaged in support of the of the Eligibility Processing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) business functions.

Oversees and validates systems operational procedures, schedule and results reporting; assists in incident investigation, project planning and status updates; participates in the Change Request process from initiation through implementation including approval from the Change Control Board (CCB); participates in project Business System Design (BSD) session; leads test team activities such as developing test plans, validating test results, tracking defects and implementing correction plans; validates that the requirements traceability matrixes (RTM) are developed, maintained and completed; performs application security management role; monitors and escalates project IT concerns to DSS management; assists IT developers by interpreting business requirements into technical requirements; develops, reviews and monitors operational procedures; participates in project Technical Detail Design (TDD) sessions to ensure they are completed, accurate and validated against the Business System Design; assists in application help desk support for user systems; works closely with IT, business partners, system integrators and other state agencies; acts as project coordinator for small IT projects that do not have permanent project managers; coordinates and disseminates communications to DSS and business partners concerning DSS application systems; participates in the release management and CCB functions assuring that IT technical updates are planned, scheduled and implemented in a timely manner; participates in the Information Technology Systems Project Management Office and project tracking groups; perform related duties as required.

Considerable knowledge of benefit modules and how they are integrated; considerable knowledge of and the ability to map business processes; considerable knowledge of programming logic, validation testing, script writing and other troubleshooting software; considerable knowledge of and ability to interpret and apply relevant agency policies and procedures as well as state/federal laws, statutes and regulations; knowledge of community organizations and social services agencies; considerable analytical and problem solving skills; considerable interpersonal skills; considerable oral and written communication skills; considerable presentation and training skills; considerable ability to plan, organize and coordinate complex business processes; considerable ability to handle multiple projects; considerable ability to gather and communicate technical information to the appropriate sources; considerable ability to utilize Enterprise Resource Planning systems; supervisory ability.

Nine (9) years of professional experience in a social services program, determination of client eligibility for public assistance or technical business support.

1. One (1) year of the General Experience must have been in a supervisory capacity in the provision of Eligibility Processing Enterprise Resource Planning business functions. For State employees, this is interpreted at the level of Social Services Supervising Analyst.
2. Three (3) years of the General Experience must have been in a professional capacity independently performing a full range of tasks in the provision of Eligibility Processing Enterprise Resource Planning business functions. For State employees, this is interpreted at the level of Social Services Analyst.

1. College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equaling one half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
2. A Master's degree in a closely related area may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.

• Experience working as a business analyst or comparable experience. This would include working with the business and Information Technology, representing the business.

• Desired experience includes documenting business processes, workflows and requirements for projects and process improvement efforts.

• Strong analytical, problem solving, decision making and conceptual thinking skills, as well as the ability to explain difficult concepts to non-technical users.

• Experience serving as a liaison between stakeholders, users and project team members ensuring solutions meet business needs and requirements.

• Ability to use critical thinking to influence stakeholders and work closely with them to determine acceptable solutions.

• Strong communication, interpersonal skills with all levels of internal and external audiences.

• Strong planning, organizational, time management skills and ability to work independently.

• Competency in Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, and Outlook.

1. Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.
2. Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator’s license.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.