HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR-FIELD 22223

09/01/91 A

This is the third class in the Human Services Field Management series for positions that are located in and direct field offices providing services and overseeing programs of human services agencies. Positions in this class are responsible for planning, directing, and administering all aspects of the programs of a regional office covering a significant portion of the state. These positions direct, coordinate, and control all of the various administrative, budgeting, planning, scheduling, operational, and programmatic activities for the assigned office. This class is distinguished from the Human Services Manager Senior-Field class by its responsibility for directing a regional office and subordinate managers in the Human Services Field Management series.

Complexity of Work: Performs work of unusual difficulty in the planning and management of the programs, administration, and operations of a regional office dedicated to an assigned geographic area of a state human services area. The work requires independent judgment and responsibility for interpretation, application, and implementation of agency, state, and federal rules, regulations, policies, and procedures. Positions direct an office which typically oversees multiple sub-offices, local agencies, and other remote sites; supervise staff in the office and remotely located field managers; identify staffing needs; select staff; develop performance standards; evaluate staff; initiate disciplinary action; plan programmatic work, goals, and objectives, and productivity projects; evaluate work trends. Positions in this class formulate operating budget; communicate office operations and programs to other human services agencies, the judicial system, legal, professional, and other groups; oversee the resolution of the most difficult client problems which require executive handling; represent the agency by meeting and consulting with community and support advocacy groups, General Assembly members, and local governing body or administrative executives; serve on advisory boards; act as spokesperson for the area to the media; direct implementation of policy and procedure changes; participate in the development and revision f statewide policies and procedures. Positions assess training needs; and take specific actions regarding the assigned program areas. In a local program setting, positions provide consultation to local social services agency directors and boards in administration, budgeting, and programs; conduct administrative reviews; profiles on local agencies regarding service delivery; implement administrative/programmatic corrective action; and evaluate performance of local agency directors. In a Disability Determination setting, positions contact physicians for consultation and evaluation, and oversee administrative hearings program and quality assurance programs. In a Vocational Rehabilitation setting, positions approve case work standards and practices; and grant exceptions to procedures and conduct informal complaint resolution as well as represent the agency in hearings.

Supervision Given: Provides direction to human service program professionals plus technical, administrative, and office services staff. In addition, positions supervise other positions in the Human Service Field Management series who supervise subordinate offices and various remote sites. Some positions provide programmatic and administrative supervision to management in local government human service agencies.

Supervision Received: Receives administrative direction from a central office administrator. Independently manages all aspects of assigned geographic area and programmatic operations.

Scope: The work covers the planning and management of all field operations, programs, and services for assigned human services area in a significantly large geographic area of the state, through the direct and indirect supervision of staff and subordinate supervisors, plus communication with and the provision of consultation to other human service agencies, the judicial system, legal, professional and other groups on administrative and programmatic issues.

Impact of Actions: Errors in the work could cause considerable negative impact on the agency in terms of public image and hardship to large numbers of clients. Positive effects will result in meeting human service agency service delivery goals and objectives.

Personal Contacts: Frequent internal and external contact with high level officials to coordinate and communicate with other human services agencies, the judicial system, attorneys, other state agencies, local social service agencies, local officials and boards, advocacy groups, medical/paramedical professionals, employers, the public, and the media. Discusses administrative and program issues with agency staff. May deal with sensitive client issues and problems requiring executive handling.

Knowledge: Comprehensive knowledge of administrative, managerial, and supervisory principles and practices; of personnel management principles and practices; of federal and state regulations and policies applicable to assigned or related human services programs; and of program and budget planning, maintenance, and evaluation. Considerable knowledge of methods, procedures and objectives of assigned or related human services programs.

Skills: None identified for this class.

Abilities: Demonstrated ability to plan, organize, and direct subordinate staff often in multiple work sites; interpret, analyze, evaluate, and implement assigned program laws, policies, and procedures; communicate orally and in writing; work effectively with advocacy groups, high level officials, and the media to promote the assigned program area; and to assess and plan for staff development needs.

QUALIFICATIONS GUIDE*

Licenses or Certification: None.

Education or Training: Graduation from an accredited college or university with course work in public administration, business administration, in the assigned or related human service program area, or a related field.

Level and Type of Experience: Considerable experience in managing staff and activities of the assigned or related human service program area.

An equivalent combination of training and experience indicating possession of the preceding knowledges and abilities may substitute for this education and experience.

This class was developed by a Classification Review/Specification Update team. It replaces the support Enforcement Regional Administrator, Welfare Regional Director, Disability Determination Regional Director, and the Rehabilitation Regional Director classes, effective September 1991.