STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Health Program Assistant 1 (35 Hour)

Hybrid

Recruitment #230828-4404HC-001

Introduction



The State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health is hiring!

The State of Connecticut, Department of Public Health (DPH) is seeking a qualified individual to join our team as a Health Program Assistant 1. Reporting directly to the Director of the Office of Public Health Workforce Development (PHWD), this role will be responsible for connecting and collaborating with internal and external partners to serve as a point of contact related to project management for PHWD. See below for additional information on this great opportunity!

This newly established position will be supported by funds received by the Department through the CDC Strengthening U.S. Public Health Infrastructure, Workforce, and Data Systems Grant.    

POSITION HIGHLIGHTS:
There may be opportunities for an alternate work schedule and working remotely in accordance with State policies.

WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING:
  • Working with PHWD program leads and the Office of Support Services to develop, review, execute, and manage sub-grantee contracts and grant deliverables.
  • Working with the PHWD Director to develop an ongoing hiring plan for PHWD and with the Office of Support Services and DPH HR to submit requests for position establishment, recruiting, hiring, and on-boarding.
  • Overseeing procurement activities for PHWD and managing grant budget expenditures related to procurement of equipment, supplies, and services. 
  • Working with internal staff and external partners to assist with the coordination of stakeholder meetings and programs, including the CT DPH Public Health Internship/Fellowship session activities in-line with the academic year calendar.
  • Supporting the Training and Development Manager to develop methodologies and organize activities for peer-connect groups consisting of training cohorts and new employee groups from DPH, local health departments, and non-profit public health agencies.
  • Developing, editing, and delivering communications to local health departments, partner agencies, and other stakeholders regarding planned and ongoing PHWD activities.
MORE ABOUT THE AGENCY AND FACILITIES:

The Mission of the Department of Public Health (DPH) is to protect and improve the health and safety of the people of Connecticut by:

  • Assuring the conditions in which people can be healthy
  • Preventing disease, injury, and disability
  • Promoting the equal enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, which is a human right and a priority of the state.

DPH accomplishes this through the implementation of its Strategic Plan which outlines the actions that DPH is taking to accomplish its Mission.

Public Health Workforce Development programs at DPH have the following functions:

  • Monitor public health and health care workforce issues, and work with State agencies, legislative groups, and other organizations to address them 
  • Provide professional development and continuing education opportunities that enhance worker competency, through collaboration with academic and community partners
  • Promote online learning opportunities and enhance distance learning technology.
  • Work with organizations to expand, train and sustain Connecticut's public health workforce pipeline.

Selection Plan

In order to be considered for this job opening, you must be a current State of CT employee, who has worked for the state for at least six (6) months of full-time service or full-time equivalent service, absent any applicable collective bargaining language, and meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.

To Apply:
  • In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
  • In order to receive educational credits toward qualification for this job posting, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the recruiter listed on this job posting.
  • You must specify your qualifications on your application. You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application for this posting to the JobAps system.
  • In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.
  • All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
  • This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules.
Important Next Step Information for After You Apply:
  • Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
  • This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
  • 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, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
  • The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
  • Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position.
  • Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State Employees which is available at www.ct.gov/ethics.
Connect With Us:
  • Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process.
  • Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account. If you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment please contact Joseph K. Fried at Joseph.Fried@ct.gov, 860-924-7053.
FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:
Please visit our 'Applicant Tips on How to Apply' page.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In a state health program or project this class is accountable for assisting in the compilation and interpretation of fiscal and programmatic data and statistics, development and implementation of program plans, grant management and monitoring.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

Subject duties vary considerably depending on nature of program and current stage in its life cycle;typical examples of duties performed at this level include:
  • Assists in preparation of sections of state health plans;
  • Gathers fiscal, programmatic, census or other kinds of needed data from federal, state and other sources;
  • Compiles statistics and may do some less complex calculations and interpretations;
  • Assists in reviews of program grant requests and monitors fiscal and programmatic performance of grants using agency regulations and guidelines;
  • Assists in preparation of program objectives and evaluation of program results;
  • May serve a task force or committee;
  • May answer general informational questions for the public and prepare information for distribution;
  • May serve as a liaison between program or project and specific people or organizations for purpose of keeping information flowing;
  • May assist in epidemiologic investigations;
  • Performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

  • Knowledge of
    • purposes, plans, objectives and programs of public health agencies including changing patterns of preventive medicine and environmental health;
    • state and community organizations and programs involved in health field;
  • Skills
    • oral and written communication skills;
    • interpersonal skills;
  • Ability to conduct independent research, develop and gather data.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Five (5) years of experience in a professional capacity in a health organization.

NOTE: A health organization is defined as a large multi-dimensional agency with responsibility for administering health programs.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

  • College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
  • A Master's degree in public health, health education, hospital administration or public administration or other closely related field may be substituted for the General Experience.
  • For state employees one (1) year as a Health Services Worker and a Bachelor's degree or three (3) years as a Health Services Worker may be substituted for the General Experience.
  • Successful completion of a Connecticut Careers Trainee program approved by the Department of Administrative Services may be substituted for the General Experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Experience utilizing Connecticut state administrative systems (i.e., Core-CT, UKG, eDAR, etc.) for activities related to grants and contracts management, purchasing, hiring, fiscal management and/or budgeting.
  • Prior credited coursework in Communications from an accredited institution of higher education.
  • Experience composing, editing, and/or distributing communication materials and messaging specific to public health
  • Prior employment experience at a state or local health department
  • Bilingual in English/Spanish

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

Conclusion

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.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes.  As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.