Training and Education Specialist III

This Position is EXEMPT from the State of Delaware Merit System

Recruitment #050826-J65741-21800

Summary Statement

The Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) is an agency within the judicial branch, charged with safeguarding the welfare of Delaware’s children.  It accomplishes this mission through advocacy, collaboration, evaluation, and education with a vision of safe and resilient children with supportive families.  It has 30 full-time employees, six casual/seasonal employees, thirteen contractors and over 400 volunteers. OCA operates out of all three counties.  OCA’s Legal Services Division represents approximately 550 children that are experiencing foster care through Child Attorneys and Court Appointed Special Advocates.  OCA’s Office of the Investigation Coordinator (IC) monitors over 900 serious child abuse cases and leads the multidisciplinary team case reviews.  OCA’s Policy and Training Division provides intensive reviews of serious child abuse cases, manages youth in transition programs, coordinates child welfare trainings, generates child welfare data and staffs the Child Protection Accountability Commission (CPAC). Administrative support is provided to all divisions through leadership, managers, and support staff.  

OCA’s Policy and Training Division includes the Training Unit, which is responsible for accomplishing OCA’s statutory charge of accessing, developing, and providing quality training to the Division of Family Services, Deputy Attorneys General, Family Court, law-enforcement officers, the medical community, educators, day-care providers, and others on child protection issues [16 Del. C. § 931(b)(4)]. The Unit’s primary duties are as follows: developing and providing training to the state on the statutory, child abuse mandatory reporting obligations, including all child abuse training curricula under the Medical Practices Act; identifying, mantaining and developing all educational programming related to Erin’s Law and Adult Sexual Misconduct In Schools for school district and charter school employees, school administrators, school nurses, school counselors, students, and parents; researching and developing new online in-person, and virtual training programs and curricula; developing, coordinating and providing training regarding topics related to identifying, reporting, investigating, prosecuting and treating child abuse and neglect; organizing and providing train-the-trainer sessions to MDT members; providing regular, ongoing training on the Memorandum of Understanding for the MDT Response to Child Abuse & Neglect;; administering CPAC’s learning management system to support online learners, deliver online training programs and track attendance; planning and coordinating in-person and virtual training programs and the biennial Protecting Delaware's Children conference and annual ChildFirst Forensic Interview Training Program; collecting and evaluating data from online, in-person and virtual training programs; managing contracts of training specialists and administrators, and staffing the CPAC Training Committee and its 8 workgroups.

Preferred Qualification

Applicants who do not possess the preferred qualification will still be eligible to compete for this position if job requirements are met.

  1. Experience with Delaware’s child welfare laws, policies, and Delaware’s child welfare system.
  2. Experience with e-learning software (e.g., Articulate) and learning management systems.
  3. Proven track record in developing, implementing, and evaluating training programs.

Essential Functions

Essential functions are fundamental, core functions common to all positions in the class series and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job duties for any one position in the class. Since class specifications are descriptive and not restrictive, incumbents can complete job duties of similar kind not specifically listed here.
  1. Oversee OCA’s Training Unit and provide contract management and supervision to OCA’s Training Specialists, Communications Coordinator. 
  2. Research, develop, implement, review, and update online, in-person, and virtual training programs, curricula, and educational resources to ensure compliance with current laws, best practices, and statewide child welfare training needs
  3. Coordinate with state agencies, community and professional organizations, subject matter experts, and multidisciplinary partners to develop and enhance training programs, curricula, and educational initiatives. 
  4. Utilize CPAC’s e-learning software and technology platforms to design, develop, and maintain online training programs, webinars, and digital learning resources. 
  5. Administer and oversee CPAC’s learning management system to support online learners, manage course enrollment, deliver training programs, maintain records, and track attendance and completion data. 
  6. Plan, coordinate, and manage statewide in-person and virtual training programs, including the biennial Protecting Delaware’s Children Conference and the annual ChildFirst Forensic Interview Training Program. 
  7. Coordinate all conference and training logistics, including speaker recruitment, budget, venue coordination, registration management, continuing education approvals, training materials, and event execution. 
  8. Present and facilitate in-person and virtual training programs to multidisciplinary audiences, including child welfare professionals, law enforcement, medical providers, educators, attorneys, and community organizations. 
  9. Manage all Continuing Education for Medical Society of Delaware (CME) and Continuing Legal Education (CLE) requirements associated with trainings, including application processes, reporting, and compliance with licensing and professional standards. 
  10. Collect, analyze, and evaluate data from online, in-person, and virtual training programs to assess program effectiveness, identify trends, and support continuous quality improvement efforts. 
  11. Staff the CPAC Training Committee and its eight workgroups by coordinating meetings, preparing agendas and materials, tracking action items, and supporting implementation of committee initiatives and recommendations. 
  12. Assist the Chief Policy Advisor with coordination of CPAC meetings, workgroup meetings, retreats, and related initiatives, including preparation of meeting materials, minutes, presentations, and stakeholder communications. 
  13. Support additional CPAC committees and workgroups as assigned by the Chief Policy Advisor, including meeting coordination, facilitation, and follow-up on system improvement initiatives. 
  14. Build and maintain effective working relationships with diverse stakeholders, including government agencies, non-profit organizations, multidisciplinary professionals, advocacy organizations, and community partners. 
  15. Coordinate and monitor training CPAC scholarships, conference registrations, and grant-supported professional development opportunities for multidisciplinary partners and stakeholders throughout Delaware’s child welfare system.
  16. Assist with grant-related activities, including data collection, reporting requirements, training deliverables, and coordination of activities funded through state and federal grants. 
  17. Assist with oversight and coordination of the Protecting Delaware’s Children Donations line and related funding activities, including monitoring expenditures, processing conference-related documentation, coordinating vendor and training logistics, and ensuring compliance with applicable fiscal and administrative requirements. 
  18. Support fiscal and administrative coordination for training and conference activities, including purchase requests, reimbursement documentation, contract coordination, and tracking of training-related expenses and funding allocations.
  19. Design and develop social media content, website materials, newsletters, brochures, reports, and other public awareness materials to promote training opportunities, prevention initiatives, and CPAC/OCA resources. 
  20. Serve as a member of the OCA Management Team and assist with daily operations, staff support, implementation of organizational processes and procedures, and development of solutions to operational and programmatic concerns. 


Job Requirements

Applicants must have education, training and/or experience demonstrating competence in each of the following areas:

  1. Possession of a Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in a relevant field, such as instructional design, social or behavioral sciences or training and development fields.
  2. Experience presenting training or education courses using a variety of training methods such as lecture, e-training, structured exercises, role play or group discussion as well as the use of training materials such as overheads, PowerPoint, handouts or videos.
  3. Experience in preparing and developing training or education courses which includes designing learning objectives, curricula and materials.
  4. Experience in developing and analyzing training needs assessments at the individual, job or organizational level.
  5. Experience in presenting training or education courses in the assigned theoretical or technological discipline.
  6. Expertise in adult learning principles and instructional design.
  7. Knowledge of staff supervision acquired through course work, academic training, training provided through an employer, or performing as a lead worker overseeing the work of others; OR supervising staff which may include planning, assigning, reviewing, and evaluating the work of others; OR supervising through subordinate supervisors a group of professional, technical, and clerical employees.
  8. Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
  9. Knowledge of fiscal management, budget monitoring, grant administration, and expenditure tracking practices related to state and federally funded programs.
  10. Demonstrate strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Conditions of Hire

  • A satisfactory criminal background check and child protection registry check is required as a condition of hire.
  • Direct deposit of paychecks is required as a condition of hire. 

Benefits

  • Full time employees are eligible for FREE parking!!!
  • To learn more about the comprehensive benefit package please visit our website at https://dhr.delaware.gov/benefits/


Selection Process

The application and supplemental questionnaire are evaluated based upon a rating of your education, training and experience as they relate to the job requirements of the position.  It is essential that you provide complete and accurate information on your application and the supplemental questionnaire to include dates of employment, job title and job duties.  For education and training, list name of educational provider, training course titles and summary of course content.   Narrative information supplied in response to the questions must be supported by the information supplied on the application including your employment, education and training history as it relates to the job requirements.

Once you have submitted your application on-line, all future correspondence related to your application will be sent via email.  Please keep your contact information current.  You may also view all correspondence sent to you by the State of Delaware in the “My Applications” tab at StateJobs.Delaware.gov.

Accommodations

Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities in all phases of the application and employment process. 

Individuals who use TDD may request auxiliary aid or service by calling (800) 232-5470 or by visiting delawarerelay.com

If you need assistance with an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or general applicant support, you may call (302) 739-5458 or email jobs@delaware.gov.

The State of Delaware is an Equal Opportunity employer and values a diverse workforce. We strongly encourage and seek out a workforce representative of Delaware including race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. 


Click on a link below to apply for this position:

Fill out the Supplemental Questionnaire and Application NOW using the Internet.
Contact us via conventional means. For further assistance, you may contact us by phone at (302) 739-5458, or e-mail at jobs@delaware.gov.