Protective Services Specialist 1/2/3 Wasilla (PCN 063194)

About the Department

Come join the State of Alaska!

This job class uses Competency Based minimum qualifications (MQs). Please read the Competency Based MQ instructions below to learn more.

The Department of Family and Community Services,
Office of Children's Services (OCS) is
recruiting for full-time Protective Service Specialist 1/2/3

in Wasilla, Alaska.

The position is open to Alaska Residents Only.

What You Will Be Doing:
 As a Protective Service Specialist (PSS), you will be responsible for Child Protection Services in the Family Services unit, the Investigations & Assessment unit, or as Generalist covering both. This case carrying positions offer a range of duties, including investigating reports of child abuse and/or neglect, preparing plans for intervention by soliciting the cooperation of the family and others, and gathers information about family dynamics/functionality. A PSS will develop plans to ensure child safety while assisting parents in addressing their protective factors, may be placing children with a relative or licensed foster home when applicable, provide ongoing and/or in-home services to families, writing and submitting reports to Court, working closely with Tribal/Community Partners, frequent face-to-face and telephonic contact with parents and caregivers of children in custody with travel as required dependent on the client location and working On Call, on a rotation basis. Making referrals to other service providers and agencies.                                                                                                                           

For more information: 

Mission and Values/Culture: The Mission of the Office of Children's Services is: Ensuring the safety, permanency and well-being of children by strengthening families, engaging communities, and partnering with Tribes.

The  is dedicated to a diverse and inclusive workforce where safety and wellbeing are paramount. Employees all contribute to building a culture where everyone is valued, treated equitably, and treated respectfully.
  
Everything we do is underpinned by our .

Benefits of Joining Our Team:
The Office of Children's Services is committed to an organizational culture that values each team member. We are committed to building and sustaining a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment. We celebrate and value the diversity of our employees, partners, and families we serve.

Your first twelve months in the agency are probationary and considered a training period, with formal virtual training, on-the-job training with your supervisor, and with other colleagues.
  
 While this is a field-based position that involves working in the community, part-time telework within the duty station is an option upon eligibility.

 The Working Environment You Can Expect:

This position is located in the Wasilla Field Office and covers the Gakona and Valdez area, requiring travel two to three times per month, typically for up to a few days a week, depending on casework need.  As a Protective Services Specialist (PSS), you will be responsible for Child Protection Services. Depending on the needs of the agency, this position can either be in Family Services Unit or Investigations & Assessment Unit, or a Generalist covering both. Starting as a level 1 (trainee), 2 (journey) or 3 (advanced) is dependent on experience and qualifications. This is a case-carrying position and has a wide range of duties, including investigating reports of abuse and/or neglect, preparing plans for intervention by soliciting the cooperation of the family and others, gathering information about family dynamics/functioning, developing plans to ensure child safety while assisting parents in addressing their diminished protective factors, placing children out of the home with a relative or licensed foster home when necessary, providing ongoing and/or in-home services to families, writing and submitting reports to the Court, working closely with Tribal/Community Partners, frequent face-to-face and telephonic contact with parents and caregivers of children in custody and making referrals to other service providers and agencies. 

Our teams are based around having a strong work ethic and high ethical standards, believing in treating all people with dignity and respect, as well as being self-motivated, organized, and honest. We are all about getting the job done while still contributing to a positive, upbeat work environment.

The work we perform is critical and significantly impacts the communities we serve. As a result, the Office of Children's Services (OCS) requires staff to work after hours and on-call, work in the evenings and weekends as well as weekdays, so overtime is also an expectation when deemed necessary. OCS staff are considered essential, so are expected to work during pandemic and other natural disasters. The agency also supports a healthy work/life balance for all staff.  For information on the Wasilla community (including schools, hospitals, housing) please review the .

Who We Are Looking For:
We are interested in candidates who possess some or all of the following position specific competencies:

• Stress Tolerance: Deals calmly and effectively with high stress situations (for example, tight deadlines, hostile individuals, emergency situations, dangerous situations). (Level 1)
• Self-Management: Sets well-defined and realistic personal goals; displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner; works with minimal supervision; is motivated to achieve; demonstrates responsible behavior. (Level 1)
• Decision Making: Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change. (Level 2)
• Advocacy (*): Develops and presents the client’s, patient’s, and/or customer’s interests in all matters. (Level 2)
• Teamwork: Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals. (Level 3)

Special Note

• All positions require a valid Alaska driver's license and successful completion of a background investigation, including fingerprinting and a criminal records check.
• Additionally, while the Division does have vehicles assigned to it, they may not always be available for staff use. Mileage reimbursement is available when a personal vehicle is used for work-related matters. Current automotive insurance must be in place prior to use of a personal vehicle while conducting business on behalf of the State.
• Relocation reimbursement costs may be provided by the State of Alaska.
• For positions in this job class, a child protective history check will be performed per AS 12.62.160 and/or 13 AAC 68.315 including a background and fingerprint check.
• The successful candidate may be required to attend multiple training courses normally located in Anchorage.

To view the general description and example of duties for the position please go to the following link: 

If you can imagine yourself in this role, we encourage you to apply!

Position Duties

Competency Based Minimum Qualifications Instructions
This job class uses competency based minimum qualifications. Please ensure your application (through work history, volunteer experience (duties summary), training, education, licenses, certifications, etc.) supports how you have gained the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors (competencies) and that you possess the minimum required competencies for the job class.

Competency Description
 The competency description(s) listed below have been designed to promote a common understanding of the essential elements of the job class. They highlight the more general and customary knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), tasks, and behaviors used to describe the competency. They typically list expectations, as opposed to specific tasks, and are to be used only as parameters and guidelines. A competency’s description is not intended to exclusively define every KSA, task, and behavior needed to successfully meet the competency, but rather to provide the manager/agency with a broad reference of options as to how an applicant can meet the job expectation.

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in: 

• Analytical Thinking/Problem Solving: Uses a logical, systematic, and sequential approach to address problems or opportunities or manage a situation by drawing on one’s knowledge and experience base and calling on other references and resources as necessary.
• Customer Service: Works with clients and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside State government) to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems, or satisfy their expectations; knows about available products and services; is committed to providing quality products and services.
• Integrity/Honesty: Contributes to maintaining the integrity of the organization; displays high standards of ethical conduct and understands the impact of violating these standards on an organization, self, and others; is trustworthy.
• Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.
• Oral Communication: Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
• Writing: Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience.
• Technical Credibility: Understands and appropriately applies principles, procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise.

equivalent to those typically gained by

Training in a social science, behavioral science, health science, guidance and counseling, or a closely related field and/or experience providing assistance, information or referrals to the general public related to social services, health care, or legal services; in child, adult, family, or group case management, licensing, or probation services; or providing care or services to delinquent juveniles.

“Typically gained by” means the prevalent, usual method of gaining the competencies expected for entry into the job.
 
“Training” and “education” in this guidance are synonyms for the process of acquiring knowledge and skills through instruction. It includes instruction through formal and informal methods (such as classroom, on-line, self-study, and on-the-job), from accreditedand unaccredited sources, and long-duration (such as a post-secondary degree) and short-duration (such as a seminar) programs.

equivalent to those typically gained by

Training in a social science, behavioral science, health science, guidance and counseling, or a closely related field and/or progressively responsible professional experience providing assistance, information or referrals to the general public related to social services, health care, or legal services; in child, adult, family, or group case management, licensing, or probation services; or providing care or services to delinquent juveniles.

“Progressively responsible” means indicating growth and/or advancement in complexity, difficulty, or level of responsibility.

“Professional experience” means work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession's principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the power or right to decide or act according to one's own judgment. 

Special Note:
 Some positions require a valid Alaska driver's license and/or a background investigation including fingerprinting. These requirements will be indicated at the time of recruitment.

Minimum Qualifications

At the time of the interview, please provide the following: 

• Copy of academic transcripts with your application if you will be using education to meet the minimum qualifications and/or competencies desired for the position. (Unofficial are acceptable but must include the institution name/URL on the transcripts). Please provide them at the time of the interview if they are not included in your application. 
• A list of three (3) professional* references including daytime telephone numbers and email address; at least two (2) of these must be from a current or former supervisor.

*Professional is defined as a supervisor or an individual who has direct knowledge of your work performance.

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