2F22
PAY RANGE: EP21
(Health and Human Services)
(Public Safety)
(Fiscal)
This is advanced level research and information management work conducting analytical studies for a law enforcement, correctional, public or behavioral health, human services, or revenue collecting department or agency. Employees in this class have responsibility for researching, collecting data and performing statistical analysis needed to monitor trends, patterns, and changes in populations, socioeconomic and demographic factors, technology and operating activities which impact quality and delivery of service to the community and clientele, or patterns and trends in tax and water collections and delinquencies. Additional analysis is also conducted of services offered by the City in order to determine the effectiveness of services rendered based on the identified needs of the clientele and community. The employee in this class functions as a lead worker within a specialized area providing team leadership to lower level analysts. Additional distinguishing factors between this and the lower level position include the number, size and complexity of assignments, the degree of independence from supervision, the ability to coordinate the work of others, and the level of interaction with management and provider agency administrators. Employees in this class utilize computer hardware and software for reporting purposes and management analysis. Work involves responsibility for the design of moderate scale information systems, which includes systems research, planning, design and analysis which is necessary to evaluate and assess the effectiveness of ongoing programs. Employees in the Public Safety Specialty Early Intervention System assignment are responsible for maintaining data integrity and making recommendations based on analysis of intervention data and preparing presentations and reports to inform decision making by diverse stakeholders. Employees assigned to the Fiscal specialty have responsibility for data analyses related to economic development and tax policies. Work is performed under the supervision of a technical or administrative superior.
ALLOCATING FACTORS:
· Positions in this class must perform research and information management analytical studies
· Positions in the Health and Human Services specialty must be located in the Department of Public Health, the Department of Behavioral Health and Mental Retardation Services, or the Department of Human Services.
· Positions in the Public Safety specialty must be located in the Police Department or in the Philadelphia Prison System.
· Positions in the Fiscal specialty must be located in the Revenue Department.
· Positions in this class must serve as a lead worker providing team leadership to lower level analysts if required by work assignment.
TYPICAL EXAMPLES OF WORK (ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY)
ALL SPECIALTIES
Designs complex research and information systems projects; may act as project leader assuming such tasks as identifying resource needs, assigning and reviewing the work of lower level analysts, and setting time frames for the completion of project phases; conducts research utilizing selected data collection methods; designs and constructs computer files, analytical processes, and output reports.
Performs evaluation and analysis of data using standard statistical and ethnographic methods or database analysis methods; prepares reports documenting results of findings; makes recommendations based on findings to improve departmental operations; may participate in formal presentations of research findings.
Confers with departmental representatives; reviews policies, procedures, forms and systems used for data collection.
Designs new or modifies current systems and programs based on assessed needs using query languages, report writers, interactive database programs, spreadsheets and/or application generators; monitors system resources to ensure effective operation of computer applications; performs related duties which include modifying computer data bases designing source and output documents, developing schedules for the input of data, and testing new programs; provides training for other staff members or provider agency personnel in conjunction with changes; provides technical direction to lower level analysts.
Designs and maintains summary reports for staff use or for state reporting purposes or reporting to internal City departments as well as PICA (Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority), the State oversight agency; designs programs to elicit special statistical or analytical reports upon request; evaluates such requests for appropriateness of purpose, methodology and desired outcome.
Attends conferences, reviews literature and investigates new techniques in program analysis and evaluation.
Performs related work as required.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SPECIALTY
Develops procedures for the reporting of service information by providers; designs verification procedures to ensure that information received is complete and accurate; designs and implements procedures and programs to update information.
Provides technical assistance, consultation, training and direct support to provider agency administrators and staff on research, evaluation and information management activities.
Develops grant proposals and supporting data for research, evaluation and information management projects. Researches, creates queries, determines data categories and range of reporting periods using computer software; uses specific criteria to extract information; develops case categories including age, race, location etc; uses software to verify extracted information; uses the data to produce specified documents such as charts, graphs, and tables.
Collaborates with outside research centers to obtain specialized data and studies on various social issues; utilizes data from these sources to generate specified information for the Mayor’s Office, the Commissioner’s Office, and other professional organizations and individuals.
Utilizes various data sources to generate routine reports on adoption and foster care based on the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis Reporting System (ACARS); conducts a computerized test to find errors in existing records; runs queries, and uses computer software such as ESPERANT, COGNOS, ACCESS, and the Family and Children Tracking System (FACTS) to manipulate, analyze and “clean” existing records; runs queries prior to court dates and extrapolates information on assigned cases to send them to the Law Department for verification and correction prior to preparing final court records; prepares detailed reports for administrators, managers, and social workers including Child Protective Service Investigations Reports, Older Youth Placement Population Reports, General Protective Service Assessments, Permanency Hearing Reports, and Placement Reports
PUBLIC SAFETY SPECIALTY
Performs analysis using crime, economic and demographic data to project crime trends; conducts literature reviews and best practice research to identify innovative policing programs for implementation; works with program managers and unit commanders to establish performance measurement systems.
Performs comparative research on data compiled by public safety departments in other municipalities.
Early Intervention System Assignment
Contributes to the design, implementation, and validation of an efficient and reproducible data processing pipeline; interfaces with vendors and other subject matter experts related to implementation and ongoing support of data needs; researches, analyzes and evaluates various key performance areas in order to identify and map different databases to appropriately configure modules; conducts gap analyses and offers findings and recommendations leading to system improvements that are evidence-based and that support best practices; builds and evaluates statistical models using best practices of machine learning and statistical inference.
Prepares project memos, summaries, presentations, reports, and other work products for dissemination to diverse stakeholders and policymakers to enable them to make data-driven decisions
Collaborates with programmers, engineers, and management heads to identify
process improvement opportunities, proposes system modifications, and devises data governance strategies.
Provides data and analytic technical assistance to PPD Early Intervention Unit; organizes disparate data sources, and documents data and workflow.
Maintains data integrity of the department's EIS databases and other internal departmental databases; identifies and remediates corrupted data and fixes coding errors and related problems where necessary.
FISCAL SPECIALTY
Analyzes departmental database extract files reflective of Department of Revenue operations including revenue collections and customer service; provides information on business development and growth; identifies existing gaps in information needs; assists in designing new files to meet additional data needs; tests accuracy of data integrity and preparation work.
Designs research lists for data purification and/or tax compliance; write programs using SQL Server; write queries in Access; provides technical assistance, consultation, training and direct support to staff on research, evaluation and information management activities; supervises student interns.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
ALL SPECIALTIES
KNOWLEDGE OF:
· social science research and investigation methodology, its application to a variety of problems, and the methods employed in the presentation of results
· the standard sources and uses of information in the social sciences
· standard statistical procedures and their application to research
· principles, methods and techniques for research and data collection
· computer based systems used for data gathering, organization, and analysis, such as data base management, graphics, word processing and spreadsheets
· the principles and practices of utilizing computers for management reporting and analysis
· the current uses and programming principles of query languages, report writers, interactive database programs, spreadsheets and/or application generators, such as FOCUS or SPSS, as they relate to social science research
· geographical information systems and computer mapping for the Public Safety and Fiscal specialties
· the current uses and capabilities of electronic data processing equipment, with particular emphasis on personal computer (PC), mid-range computer and mainframe applications
· information system resources needed to design computerized data entry procedures, necessary disc storage, and computer data transfers
· financial and economic principles and theory, including accounting principles for the Fiscal specialty
· causal inference and program evaluation for the Public Safety specialty Early Intervention System assignment only
SKILL IN:
· conducting research projects and determining appropriate research methods utilizing current research techniques
· performing complex statistical analysis
· using computer software packages to manage data and produce tables, maps, graphic displays, and written analysis and oral presentation
· creating reproducible code for the Public Safety specialty Early Intervention System assignment
ABILITY TO:
· utilize current query languages, report writers, interactive database programs, spreadsheets and/or application generators and mid-range computer, personal computer (PC) and mainframe systems to improve agency operations.
· learn additional query languages, report writers, interactive database programs, spreadsheets and/or application generators or other software as necessary
· process and analyze data using query languages, report writers, interactive database programs, spreadsheets and/or application generators
· work with programming staff to load and store data as well as design databases
· skillfully perform and complete multiple time dependent tasks
· lead and coordinate the work of lower level analysts
· establish and maintain effective working relationships with departmental officials
· effectively communicate theoretical and analytical concepts and findings, both orally and in writing
· learn database management software such as SQL Server Management Studio and its related language
· utilize City mainframe computer systems such as TIPS, BASIS2 and FAMIS to accurately compile data needed for various research projects and reports for the Fiscal Specialty
· write queries to extract data for reporting or information requests
· learn tax regulations and reporting requirements for the Fiscal specialty
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE (The following statement represents the minimum training and experience standards which will be used to admit or reject applicants for tests. Applications submitted by candidates for this class will be reviewed based on training and experience requirements as approved on 10/22.)
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SPECIALTY
EDUCATION:
Completion of a Master's degree at an accredited college or university with major coursework in public health, public administration, political science, psychology, sociology or a related field.
AND
GENERAL EXPERIENCE:
One year of experience conducting social science research studies or analytical research studies related to public or behavioral health or human services administration which has included utilizing non-procedural computer application, such as a query language, report writer, interactive database program, spreadsheet and/or application generator for information reporting and analysis.
AND
SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE:
One year of experience at the full performance level conducting social science research studies which has included utilizing non-procedural computer applications for information reporting and analysis in the area of public or behavioral health or human services.
PUBLIC SAFETY SPECIALTY
EDUCATION:
Completion of a Master's degree at an accredited college or university with major coursework in criminology, criminal justice psychology, political science, sociology or a related field.
AND
GENERAL EXPERIENCE:
One year of experience conducting analytical research related to criminology.
AND
SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE:
One year of experience at the full performance level conducting analytical research studies in the area of criminology which has included utilizing non-procedural computer applications for information reporting and analysis.
NOTE: Completion of a bachelor’s degree and an additional year of experience may substitute for the master’s degree requirement for the Public Safety specialty.
EDUCATION
Completion of a Master's degree at an accredited college or university in finance, economics, statistics or a related field.
AND
GENERAL EXPERIENCE:
One year of experience producing detailed data-driven reports and analyses, which has included utilizing a non-procedural computer application, such as a query language, report writer, interactive database program, spreadsheet and/or application generator for information reporting and analysis.
AND
SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE:
One year of experience at the full performance level producing detailed data-driven reports and analyses, which has included utilizing non-procedural computer applications for information reporting and analysis.
ALL SPECIALTIES
Any equivalent combination of education and experience determined to be acceptable by the Office of Human Resources, which includes a Bachelor's degree as an educational minimum.
PHYSICAL AND MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS
Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required of a position in this class.
Spec Revision:
CSC - 2/09
Ad Board - 3/09
Spec Revision:
CSC – 3/12
Ad. Board – 4/12
Spec. Revision: CSC – 1/16; Ad. Board – 2/16
Latest Spec. Revision:
CSC – 9/22
Ad. Board – 10/22
JL