DCS PROGRAM SPECIALIST – 05152025- 67974 Position Available In Knox, Tennessee

Job Description:

Job Information State of Tennessee Job InformationOpeningDate/Time05/15/2025 12:00AM Central TimeClosing Date/Time05/21/202511:59PM Central TimeSalary (Monthly)$4,017.00 – $5,028.00Salary(Annually)$48,204.00 – $60,336.00Job TypeFull-TimeCity, StateLocationDresden, TNJackson, TNMemphis, TNNashville, TNClarksville,TNMurfreesboro, TNColumbia, TNCookeville, TNChattanooga, TNOakRidge, TNKnoxville, TNMaryville, TNJohnson City,TNDepartmentChildren’s Services

LOCATION OF

(2)

POSITION

(S)

TO BE FILLED

DEPARTMENT

OF CHILDREN’SSERVICES, CHILD AND FAMILY MANAGEMENT

DIVISIONThis is a ProgramSpecialist position for the Subsidy unit of the Adoptions divisionof the Statewide Specialized Support Services team. The positionscan potentially sit anywhere across the state.

This positionrequires a criminal background check. Therefore, you may berequired to provide information about your criminal history inorder to be considered for this position.

WORKING TITLE

DCS ProgramSpecialist – Adoptions, Subsidy –

StatewideQualifications Educationand Experience:

Graduation from an accredited college or universitywith a bachelor’s degree and experience equivalent to three yearsof professional work in one or a combination of the following:counseling or case management services; program evaluation ofcounseling or case management services, two years of which mustinvolve providing these services to children and/or juveniles.

Substitution of Education for

Experience:

Graduate course workcredit received from an accredited college or university in socialwork, criminal justice, psychology, sociology, human services,and/or child development may substitute for the required experienceon a year-for-year basis to a maximum of one year, there being nosubstitution for the required two years of children’s services work(e.g. 36 graduate quarter hours in one or a combination of theabove listed fields may substitute for one year of the requiredexperience).

Necessary Special Qualifications:

Applicants for thisclass must: A valid vehicle operator’s license may be required foremployment in some positions. Applicants for this class must have no conviction of afelony. Applicants must be willing to be fingerprinted and must havetheir fingerprints on file with the Department of Children’sServices (TCA 71-3-533). Applicants must authorize release on any investigative andcriminal records obtained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation tothe Department of Children’s Services (TCA 38-6-114;

TCA71-3-533

).

Examination Method:

Education and Experience,100%, forPreferred Service positions.

Overview Summary:

Under generalsupervision, is responsible for Children’s Services programevaluation and consultative work of average to considerabledifficulty; and performs related work as required.

DistinguishingFeatures:

An employee in this class evaluates Children’s Servicesprogram delivery provided by field staff or provides technicaladvice and interpretations of policy and procedure to staff inorder to improve the quality of work. This class differs from DCSProgram Coordinator in that an incumbent of the latter serves asthe lead policy writer for program policy and procedure developmentor acts as the Commissioner’s designee in Children’s ProtectiveServices custody determinations.

Responsibilities Establishing andMaintaining Interpersonal Relationships:

Networking with internal and external stakeholders to ensureopen dialogues exist and to facilitate coordination and unifiedeffort. Maintaining professional working relationships with internaland external stakeholders to ensure smooth and effective teamoperations.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for

Others:

Interpreting a variety of relevant laws, policies, procedures,and regulations for internal and external stakeholders tofacilitate understanding, enhance communications, and ensurecompliance. Conducting training for agency employees and externalstakeholders to comply with departmental, state, and federal laws,rules, regulations, guidelines, processes, and procedures,facilitating change, and improvement initiatives.

Communicating with

Supervisors and Peers:

Providing regular updates to management, peers and otherinternal stakeholders on the status of projects and other assignedwork to ensure that quality of service is maintained andimproved. Maintaining an open dialogue with external stakeholders toensure effective and efficient communication. Process paperwork and maintain files to ensure services areprovided to customers and stakeholders. Responding to emails, phone calls, and other correspondence asrequired. Entering personal time and leave/overtime requests into theappropriate databases as required. Contribute to the development of written action steps andoutcomes for youth to achieve permanency and well-being.

MonitorProcesses:

Monitor customer compliance with program requirements throughpersonal communication and third party reporting to ensure servicesare properly administered. Review credentials of customers to ensure they meetrequirements of relevant laws, standards, and policies. Monitor DCS service provision using electronic data to ensurecompliance with relevant laws, standards, and policies.

DevelopingObjectives and Strategies:

Contribute to the development of written action steps andoutcomes for youth to achieve permanency and well-being.

GettingInformation:

Obtains information and/or written documents from current andpotential service providers to ensure the necessary services areavailable to the customers. Obtains information and/or written documents from internal andexternal stakeholders to assess problems. Ask questions of stakeholders to determine programeligibility.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with

Standards:

Monitor performance and/or outcome-based data to assess whethercustomers are receiving the quality of service that should beprovided. Monitor performance and/or outcome-based data to assess whethercustomers are receiving all the services that should beprovided. Complete reports through electronic data entry to verifyservices that are provided to customers so that funding can bemaintained. Review child welfare data by locality/region/state to determinethe needs of that particular area. Reviews case documentation to ensure services are beingprovided according to relevant laws and policy.

Documenting/Recording Information:

Enter information into the case child welfare database to trackand evaluate service delivery and quality. Uses office productivity software including but not limited toword processing programs, spreadsheet programs, presentationsoftware, web-based email programs, instant-messaging programs, andsearch engines. Generate documents from the child welfare database tofacilitate service delivery.

Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices,or Equipment:

Drive passenger vehicle within the state of Tennessee totransport youth and attend meetings. Competencies (KSA’s)

Competencies:

Integrity and Trust Time Management Presentation Skills Customer Focus Work/Life Balance Decision Quality Priority Setting Ethics and Values Interpersonal Savvy Managing DiversityKnowledge:

Intermediate knowledge of counseling and/or casemanagement

Skills:

Active Listening Speaking Reading Comprehension Writing Active Learning Critical Thinking Monitoring Coordination Instructing Time ManagementAbilities:

Oral Expression Oral Comprehension Deductive Reasoning Written Expression Inductive Reasoning Written Comprehension Category Flexibility Time Sharing Speech Clarity Speech Recognition Auditory Attention Tools & Equipment Personal Computer Telephone Fax Machine Printer Passenger VehicleTN Driver Standards State of Tennesseepositions that may involve driving responsibilities requirecandidates to meet the following minimum driverqualifications: A valid driver’s license For the past five years, the candidate’s driver record must nothave record of the following violations: driving under theinfluence (DUI), reckless driving, license suspension for movingviolations, more than 4 moving violations.

Please include yourDriver’s License Information under the Licenses and Certificationssection of your application.•Agencies may allow an exception basedon other factors.