5A80
SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAM ANALYST
(General)
(Bilingual)
GENERAL DEFINITION
This is analytical work at the full performance level planning, evaluating, and monitoring social service or housing and community development programs and control systems, and/or performing research activities to effectuate conformance to governmental mandates and agency policy. An employee in this class conducts analyses, reviews program proposals, and prepares recommendations aimed at developing new or improving existing social service or housing and community development programs depending on the area of assignment. Employees also review proposed draft regulatory changes for fiscal and programmatic impact and make recommendations regarding the origination and revision of agency policies based on changes to city, state and federal laws and regulations. Contact with officials of public and private agencies to obtain information or render assistance is significant to the work. Employees in this class participate in the review and evaluation of social services provided and contracted for by the City's human services or homeless agencies.
ALLOCATING FACTORS: (The following conditions must be met for a position to be allocated to this class.)
· Positions must be responsible for planning, examining, and reviewing program proposals, evaluating programmatic and operational activities of provider, monitoring provider agencies’ programs and services to ensure compliance with contracts, and developing methodologies for collection of relevant data.
TYPICAL EXAMPLES OF WORK (ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY)
Works with agencies and organizations engaged in providing social services or housing and community development services to foreign language-speaking and English-speaking families; attends and participates at meetings in the foreign language-speaking and English-speaking community to gain their understanding and cooperation; assists other program analysts in reviewing program proposals prepared by foreign language-speaking and English-speaking social service or housing and community development agencies; aids such agencies in presentations of proposals for approval.
Conducts on-site evaluations of provider agencies to evaluate the social service or housing and community development programs and activities contracted by the City depending on the area of assignment; determines agencies' conformance with stated objectives and departmental and governmental standards; identifies problem areas in the delivery of contracted services; analyzes staffing patterns, work process, and administrative operations and procedures; prepares written reports detailing findings and recommendations; develops methodology for collecting information used for program or budget planning evaluation; selects sampling techniques, analyzes data, and evaluates findings; presents findings to superior for necessary action.
Makes recommendations for updating the agency's operations manual based on local, state and federal laws.
Performs in-house organizational quality control evaluations; interviews agency personnel to gather pertinent information; participates in formulating strategies to improve existing programs and procedures; may enter or retrieve analytical data using computer terminal and appropriate software; interprets statistical findings.
Participates in the formation of requests for proposals for new service or the redesign of existing services; meets with agency officials to develop recommendations for resolution of problems encountered in delivery of services; researches, collects, and disseminates information on social service or housing development programs depending on the area of assignment; participates in the development of new program proposals to ensure their conformance with stated guidelines; analyzes City, State, and Federal legislation pertaining to and affecting social service programs or housing and community development programs depending on the area of assignment; reviews legislative publications, bulletins and bills; prepares reports on content and possible effect of proposed legislation or regulations.
Identifies funding criteria and program guidelines of federal and state program legislation and ascertains their impact on provider's services; identifies programs qualified for funding under federal and/or state program legislation; writes requests for funding based on funding criteria or guidelines.
Participates in the review of proposals for contracted services; recommends selection of potential providers meeting all necessary criteria.
Processes and tracks contracts; secures all necessary contract signatures for finalization; attempts to resolve problems relating to the processing of contracts.
Orients representatives from contracted agencies on particular performance standards for compliance with contract requirements.
Plans and makes recommendations regarding the implementation and revision of agency policy; prepares analysis of contract utilization.
Monitors agencies under contract with DHS to insure compliance with contract performance standards related to child safety, permanency and well-being; manages assigned service contracts; gathers data to track and trend contractor performance around established process and outcome measures; monitors contract utilization by providers; maintains regular communication with contracted providers regarding performance, including requests for corrective action plans based on monitoring results; provides advice on contractual requirements, and responds to inquiries regarding administrative and financial policies and procedures; consults and works closely with the Finance Division’s Contracts Audit staff to verify and ensure that contracted service delivery is in compliance with legal guidelines, contract principles, and DHS policies and procedures.
Evaluates the effectiveness of learning and development in meeting the competency needs of DHS and provider staff.
Conducts ongoing case file reviews surrounding practice at Community Umbrella Agencies (CUAs) contracted with DHS; reviews the quality and consistency of comprehensive safety and risk assessment processes, the quality of safety plans, Single Case Plans, family teamings across the system, the service planning process, and the manner in which the assessment informs service delivery; participates in the implementation of the safety model of practice and service planning processes across all facets of the CUA.
Completes service evaluations of child welfare programs contracting with the City of Philadelphia, through site visits, staff and client interviews, focus groups, qualitative interviews and physical observation of program sites and operations; uses standard program evaluation methodologies that include the use of reported provider data, computer analytic tools, and standard quantitative data collection tools; works with the evaluation team and supervisor to create and revise service evaluation protocols as needed; travels to program locations in the Philadelphia area.
Performs related work as required.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
KNOWLEDGE OF:
· the principles and practices of administration as they apply to the evaluation and planning of social service programs
· the principles, practices, methods, techniques, literature and current developments in the field of social service planning
· laws, regulations and guidelines affecting funding and implementation of programs within the social service system
· administrative principles and practices as they relate to the operation of programs within the social service system
· the principles, practices and procedures of preparing annual budgets for agencies engaged in furnishing services to social service clients
· the practices and procedures used in the examination of fiscal documents and records
· current research methodology in the area of program planning, evaluation and monitoring
· the principles and practices of contract compliance monitoring
ABILITY TO:
· speak, read and write fluently and clearly in an appropriate foreign language and English for the bilingual specialty
· evaluate and monitor program quality and effectiveness and to prepare recommendations based on evaluations
· learn to utilize current data processing techniques in the preparation of statistical and narrative reports
· learn the philosophy, objectives and practices of governmentally assisted housing programs if required by assignment
· learn the principles and practices of contract development, administration, monitoring and controls as they relate to housing development programs if required by assignment
· learn the federal regulations governing housing and community development programs if required by assignment
· prepare comprehensive reports
· translate research findings into program planning
· analyze facts and to exercise sound judgment
· present ideas effectively, both orally and in writing
· establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates and departmental and agency officials
· understand and follow oral and written instructions
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 1/96.)
EDUCATION:
Completion of a bachelor's degree program at an accredited college or university.
AND
GENERAL EXPERIENCE:
Two years of administrative analysis, program monitoring or social work experience at the trainee level.
SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE:
Two years of administrative analysis, program monitoring, or social work experience above the trainee level in a social service program or agency.
Any equivalent combination of education and experience determined to be acceptable by the Office of Human Resources, which has included a bachelor's degree as an educational minimum.
NOTE: Completion of a master's degree program with major coursework in public administration, social work administration, business administration, social work or a related area may be substituted for two years of the experience requirements.
Sufficient training to be able to speak, read and write effectively in the appropriate foreign language.
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 - 1/96; Ad. Board - 5/96
Spec. Revision: CSC - 9/12; Ad. Board - 11/12
Spec. Revision:
CSC – 5/17; Ad Board – 6/17
Latest Spec. Revision and change in pay rate:
CSC – 12/24; Ad Board – 1/25
JH