SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAM PLANNER IV

Position Overview

The Division of Family and Community Services is seeking to hire a position to perform the most complex and specialized tasks for Title XX- Donated Funds Initiative (DFI).  This position plans and establishes data and information needs associated with the Social Services Block Grant administration; analyzes program content and community needs relative to federal and state regulations and social policy and assists management in the planning and establishment of overall social service programs, services and priorities; works closely with administrative officials within the department and other agencies to negotiate the modifications or programs and services to achieve operational refinements and to verify needs are met within established social service policy of state and federal programs; provides the most complex and technical planning inputs for the statewide Social Services Block Grant and statewide Donated Funds Initiative Program; and verifies federal reporting requirements and procedures are met to obtain maximum available funding. 

Essential Functions

• Conceptualizes, designs, and implements program studies for assigned areas to identify service needs and priorities for the administration of the statewide Social Services Block Grant.

• Establishes contracts ensuring state and federal compliance (Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA), Notice of State Awards, Pre, and post federal reporting, etc.) and provides expert critical review of proposed services under the Social Service Grant for executive and program management staff.

• Research federal and state regulations verifying all federal and state requirements relevant to development of the Social Services Block Grant federal reports are satisfied.

• Plans and coordinates state agency and contract reporting systems under the Social Services Block Grant ensuring compliance with federal requirements.

• Conceptualizes, designs, and implements standards including initiatives for evaluating the effectiveness of services using social service techniques for the Social Services Block Grant and the Donated Fund Initiatives enhancing services while conferring with sponsoring state agencies and community-based agencies.

• Plans and coordinates the close-out activities for the Social Services Block Grant and Donated Funds Initiative programs.

• Develops strategies and analyzes issues relative to program development and evaluation.

• Creates, reviews, facilitates, and evaluates the development of procedural guidelines for programs and the Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) relevant to Family and Community Services programs and initiatives.

• Performs other duties as assigned or required which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires knowledge, skill, and mental development equivalent to the completion of master's degree.

• Requires two (2) years of progressively responsible professional experience in community organization, social service work or in program planning and development.

Preferred Qualifications

• Three (3) years of professional experience performing highly technical and independent duties in the administration of grants programs, including developing, implementing, and reviewing program design for a public or private organization.

• Three (3) years of professional experience working with Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) and Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) requirements, Catalogue of State Financial Assistance, Community Service Agreement, and SAP/Enterprise Resource Planning, creating contracts and reviewing budgets.

• Three (3) years of professional experience working with state and federally funded program objectives and social policy for public and private organizations.

• Three (3) years of professional experience working with Federal and state reporting requirements, including the programmatic and fiscal monitoring of program providers.

• Three (3) years of professional experience utilizing accounting and auditing theory, principals, methods, and procedures, in areas such as external auditing, budgetary planning, and control of public accounting. 

• Three (3) years pf professional experience meeting deadlines with strong attention to detail and the ability to use critical thinking skills while multi-tasking multiple projects.

Conditions of Employment

• Requires ability to travel in the performance of duties, with overnight stays as appropriate.

• Requires advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.

• This position has been found to meet the requirements in section 4A-101 of the Illinois Governmental Ethics Act requiring the occupant/employee to file a Statement of Economic Interest. The Illinois Governmental Ethics Act (5 ILCS 420/4A et seq.) requires certain state officials and employees to file annual Statements of Economic Interest with the Office of the Secretary of State that will be made available for examination and copying by the public. All employees required to file a Statement of Economic Interest are also required to file the Supplemental Statement of Economic Interest with the Executive Ethics Commission. (See Executive Order 15-09) Fines and penalties apply to untimely filings.

*All conditions of employment listed are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.