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Digital Product Specialist, Systems Strategist

IT STAFF SPECIALIST

Recruitment #26-004486-0003

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Introduction



 
When you join the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS), you join a team of more than 5,000 employees across the state dedicated to positively changing the lives of more than 1 million Marylanders each year. We do this by providing economic support, preventive services, and caring for children and adults.
 
We aim to deliver services so that we more quickly meet the needs of the people we serve. At DHS, we grapple with hard questions to find new ways to foster a culture of bold innovation. We do this to ensure that in Maryland, we leave no one behind. 
 
This is a management service position and serves at the pleasure of the Appointing Authority.  

GRADE

19

LOCATION OF POSITION

Maryland Department of Human Services
Office of Technology for Human Services 
25 South Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21201

Main Purpose of Job

Digital Product Specialist 
This position serves as the lead architect for technical knowledge and operational maturity within the Innovation pillar/ domain. The primary purpose is to transform how the CSMS and CJAMS teams execute application support by institutionalizing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and creating a sustainable Knowledge Transfer ecosystem. By moving the workforce from ad-hoc troubleshooting to a structured, documentation-driven Incident Management model, this role ensures long-term operational continuity and faster resolution times. Additionally, this position bridges the gap between development and support teams, ensuring that the workforce is continuously upskilled and that all technical output adheres to rigorous enterprise standards and coding protocols. 

Systems Strategist 
This position serves as the primary strategic lead for the Eligibility Systems tower within OTHS. This role bridges the gap between complex technical operations and business program needs, ensuring that high-volume transaction systems remain reliable and efficient. By leading Agile activities and modernizing incident management practices, this role ensures the continuous delivery of life-sustaining assistance to Maryland’s citizens. Additionally, this position manages critical vendor relationships and serves as a technical liaison for external partners, facilitating seamless data integration for new program innovations. These efforts are essential for maintaining the operational stability of the agency's most high-impact public benefit systems. 

POSITION DUTIES

Digital Product Specialist 
  • Direct the end-to-end process engineering and visual mapping of incident management for CJAMS and CSMS to streamline support and reduce resolution times.
  • Analyze recurring incidents to develop permanent technical fixes and documented workarounds, reducing the reliance on ad-hoc troubleshooting.
  • Establish and enforce uniform coding standards and communication protocols to ensure consistency across the application support pillar.
  • Integrate support workflows into Agile methodologies, ensuring that standardization is maintained throughout the software development life cycle (SDLC).
  • Perform quality assurance reviews on technical output to ensure adherence to enterprise framework standards.
  • Lead the transition of unstructured expertise into a centralized, searchable Technical Knowledge Base for the Innovation pillar.
  • Design and execute a formal "Upskilling Roadmap" specifically for the CJAMS and CSMS teams to move them toward technical self-sufficiency.
  • Author comprehensive technical documentation for all system updates, modernization efforts, and specialized troubleshooting procedures.
  • Facilitate intensive, hands-on knowledge transfer sessions and mentorship to bridge the gap between development and support staff.
  • Curate specialized training modules to deepen team expertise in advanced incident triage and resolution.
Systems Strategist
  • Streamline technical customer operations for Eligibility Systems to ensure system reliability and high-volume performance.
  • Oversee high-volume ticket resolution processes, managing an average of 1,800+ monthly tickets for E&E and associated platforms.
  • Manage high-level escalations requiring OTHS engagement, coordinating between technical teams and business stakeholders.
  • Facilitate seamless data exchange and technical integration for new initiatives and program innovations.
  • Serve as the primary technical point of contact and liaison for external partners and vendors.
  • Lead the technical response to incident management, ensuring rapid restoration of mission-critical services.
  • Translate complex incident data and technical logs into actionable status reports for agency and program leadership.
  • Lead team upskilling efforts in modern incident management practices, including root-cause analysis and automated tracking.
  • Implement and monitor performance metrics to identify trending issues across the Eligibility nSystems pillar.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Experience: Five years of experience designing, developing, testing, implementing and maintaining applications systems and programs using generally accepted computer programming languages or maintaining and modifying operating systems for computers.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate and thirty credit hours from an accredited college or university in Computer Information Technology, Management Information Systems, Computer Science, or other information technology-related field to include course work in systems analysis and applications programming using generally accepted computer programming languages for four years of the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate and one year of experience designing, developing, testing, implementing and maintaining applications systems and programs using generally accepted computer programming languages or maintaining and modifying operating systems for four years of the required experience.

3. Candidates may substitute experience operating computer systems; or scheduling, controlling input and output or maintaining a tape library to process data on computer systems; or evaluating, implementing and maintaining microcomputer hardware and software; or converting data from project specifications by developing program code using generally accepted computer programming languages on a year-for-year basis for a high school education.

4. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Computer Information Technology, Management Information Systems, or other information technology related field to include course work in systems analysis and application programming using generally accepted computer programming languages or in operating systems and data communications technology and one year experience designing, developing, testing, implementing and maintaining applications systems and programs using generally accepted computer programming languages or maintaining or modifying operating systems for computer for the required experience. 

5. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in Cyber and Information Systems classifications or Cyber and Information Systems specialty codes in the Information Technology field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

DESIRED OR PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

The Ideal candidate will possess the following:

Digital Product Specialist 
  • One year experience providing technical oversight or application support for large-scale modernized applications such as CJAMS or CSMS.
  • One year of proven experience in authoring Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), technical knowledge bases, or structured troubleshooting guides to move from ad-hoc to documented support models.
  • One year of experience utilizing Agile management tools (e.g., Jira or VersionOne) to integrate support workflows with software development life cycles (SDLC).
  • Six months of experience designing or executing technical training modules or 'Upskilling Roadmaps' to improve the technical self-sufficiency of support teams.
  • One year experience in performing quality assurance reviews on technical output to ensure adherence to enterprise coding standards and framework protocols.
  • One year experience in process engineering and visual mapping of incident management workflows to reduce system resolution times
Systems Strategist 
  • One or more year of experience managing vendor relationships, including overseeing contract performance and technical deliverables.
  • One year of experience as a technical writer. 
  • A Bachelors degree from an accredited college or university in Computer Information Technology, Management Information Systems, or other IT-related field (including coursework in systems analysis and application programming).
  • One year of Experience developing and maintaining a technical knowledge base or Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for complex IT systems.
  • One year of Professional experience in a government or public sector environment, particularly supporting Eligibility Systems (like E&E) or similar large-scale human services platforms.

SELECTION PROCESS

Please make sure that you provide sufficient information on your application to show that you meet the qualifications for this recruitment.  We will not consider information submitted after this date.  Successful candidates will be placed on the employment (eligible) list.  The resulting list may be used for future vacancies with this agency or other state agencies.

BENEFITS

Contractual employees who work for an agency covered under the State Employee and Retiree Health and Welfare Benefits Program, have a current employment contract and work 30 or more hours a week (or on average 130 hours per month) may be eligible for subsidized health benefits coverage for themselves and their dependents. As a contractual employee, you will be responsible for paying 25% of the premiums for your medical and prescription coverage, including any eligible dependents you have enrolled. The State of Maryland will subsidize the remaining 75% of the cost for these benefits. You can also elect to enroll in dental coverage, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, and life insurance, but will be responsible to pay the full premium for these benefits. Leave may be granted to a contractual employee at a rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked, not to exceed 40 hours per calendar year.

FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS

The online application process is STRONGLY preferred. If you are unable to apply online, you may mail a paper application and supplemental questionnaire to, Department of Human Services, Recruitment Services Unit, Attn: Kendra Young, 25 S. Charles Street 1115-L, Baltimore, Maryland 21201.

All mailed documents must include the applicant's name and the job number and must be received by 5 p.m. on the closing date. Resumes will NOT be accepted in lieu of completing the application.

If additional information is required, the preferred method is to upload. If unable to upload, please email requested information only to kendra.young2@maryland.gov. Only additional materials that are required will be accepted for this recruitment. All additional information must be received by the closing date and time. 

If you have any questions concerning this recruitment process for this position, please contact 410-767-0603.  

TTY Users: call via Maryland Relay.

If you are having difficulty with your user account or have general questions about the online application system, please contact the MD Department of Budget and Management, Recruitment and Examination Division, at 410-767-4850 or Application.Help@maryland.gov. 

As an equal opportunity employer, Maryland is committed to recruiting, retaining and promoting employees who are reflective of the State’s diversity. People with disabilities and bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply. We thank our Veterans for their service to our country.



Click on a link below to apply for this position:

Fill out the Supplemental Questionnaire and Application NOW using the Internet. Apply Online
View and print the Supplemental Questionnaire. This recruitment requires completion of a supplemental questionnaire. You may view and print the supplemental questionnaire here.
Apply via Paper Application. You may also download and complete the Paper Application here.

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