Statewide Human Resources Program Manager (Benefits & Leaves)

The State of Connecticut is centralizing its Human Resources function with the following goals:

• Support Connecticut's Growth - To serve our citizens, businesses, state agencies and other branches of government by providing the highest quality services at the lowest possible cost.
  
• Drive Continuous Innovation - To increase the efficiency and effectiveness of state government using best practices from the public and private sectors.
  
• Provide Rewarding Careers - To attract and retain a workforce of hardworking, dedicated public servants committed to leading our phenomenal state forward.
  

The Role
Are you a dedicated and hardworking Human Resources professional with a passion for managing statewide employee benefits and leaves programs? Do you have what it takes to deliver practical, timely solutions to complex management challenges?

The Department of Administrative Services (DAS) has an exciting anticipated opportunity for a Statewide Human Resources Program Manager in Hartford, CT to manage service delivery teams within the Benefits and Leaves functional area!

Reporting directly to the Human Resources Administrator, this role will be responsible for managing service delivery teams primarily responsible for providing assistance to employees in areas such as benefit enrollment, leaves (e.g., family, medical, military), retirement and insurance plans, tax-deferred products, and tuition reimbursement. The teams will be organized by groups of agencies to optimize agency familiarity, grow relationships and improve efficiency.

Given that this functional area will be newly established, the exact compliment of benefits and leaves administered shall be reviewed and recommended by leadership.

*If necessary, the incumbent’s salary will be adjusted to reflect their current MP pay plan.

In order to be considered for this job opening, you must be a current State of CT employee, who has permanent state status* and meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening.  You must specify your qualifications on your application.

*For employees in the classified service, permanent status is obtained after successful completion of a working test period.  For employees in the unclassified service, permanent status is obtained after serving in a position for at least six months (full-time or full-time equivalent).

Please ensure that your application is complete and you have included a resume within the "Resume Tab" of your application.

Note: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, college transcripts, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.

Questions about these required documents or any other phase of this recruitment should be directed to the hiring agency's human resources office: Raisa Capellan at Raisa.Capellan@ct.gov.

In the Department of Administrative Services, this class is accountable for managing human resource programs having statewide impact.

Directs staff and operations of a human resources program having statewide impact; ensures standards and related policies and procedures are communicated to state agencies and consistently followed; advises and counsels agency officials in areas of assigned responsibility; plans, coordinates and manages program strategies and policies; develops program goals, objectives, procedures and work plans; develops or assists in the development of statewide policies and procedures; interprets and administers pertinent laws; selects, trains, manages and evaluates staff; assists in preparation of program budget; sets priorities and schedules projects to ensure that objectives are met; analyzes applications of policies and their statewide impact; analyzes technical human resource problems and recommends effective solutions in areas of assigned responsibility; provides consultation and training to State agencies on recruitment, selection, classification and business rules; maintains contacts with individuals both within and outside of program who might impact on program activities; ensures consistency of policies and procedures and uniform interpretation of policies and procedures; serves as state's representative and advocate at grievance and arbitration hearings in assigned area of responsibility; manages the processing of workers' compensation claims; manages or participates in design or delivery of statewide Human Resources certificate programs to ensure agency Human Resources staff are knowledgeable of rules and regulations; manages areas such as leaves (e.g., family, medical, military), benefits and tuition reimbursement; may supervise as assigned the analysis and development of job classification and personnel assessment instruments to ensure compliance with professional standards and State and Federal requirements; may participate in development of policies and implementation strategies for Human Resources information systems; may perform or supervise statewide audits of human resources information systems; may provide expert testimony; performs related duties as required.

Considerable knowledge of public personnel administration; considerable knowledge of relevant federal and state statutes, regulations, policies and procedures; considerable knowledge of the principles of job analysis, classification, and job evaluation; considerable knowledge of personnel assessment, recruitment and selection principles and procedures; considerable knowledge of classification grievance and arbitration practices and procedures; considerable knowledge of workers' compensation; considerable knowledge of employee leaves; knowledge of labor relations; knowledge of and ability to apply management principles and techniques; knowledge of and ability to use statewide human resource information systems; knowledge of statistics; knowledge of employee and labor relations; considerable oral and written communication skills; considerable interpersonal skills; negotiation and conflict resolution skills; considerable ability to conduct large scale classification, organizational and validation studies; considerable ability to develop and implement statewide human resources policies and procedures; considerable ability to interpret and apply statutes, contracts and regulations; ability to provide consultation and training to state agency human resources staff; supervisory ability.

Ten (10) years of professional experience in human resources management.

Two (2) years of the General Experience must have been at the full advanced working level, in the specific human resources management functional area pertinent to the position (e.g. Talent Solutions, Human Resources Policy and Information Systems, Benefits and Leaves, and Workers’ Compensation).

For state employees, this is interpreted at or above the level of Principal Human Resources Specialist, Human Resources Generalist 3 or Agency Labor Relations Specialist.

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 human resources management, labor relations, business administration, public administration or other closely related field may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.
3. A law degree may be substituted for two (2) additional years of the General Experience.

The successful candidate will possess:

• An undergraduate degree or higher in business administration, human resources management, public administration or closely related field.
  
• Experience in human resources compliance.
  
• Experience administering employee benefits and leaves programs.
  
• Experience formulating and implementing operational plans successfully.
  
• Experience making business decisions and problem solving in a fast paced environment.
  
• Experience adapting behavior and work methods in response to new information, changing conditions or unexpected obstacles.
  
• Experience developing and maintaining partnerships within DAS’ Statewide Human Resources Division and across state agencies.

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.