STATE VETERANS PROGRAM MANAGER

Position Overview

The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) is seeking an organized, professional, and results oriented individual to serve as the State Veterans Program Manager. This position serves as primary subject matter expert (SME) and liaison between the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) and agency management on all matters pertaining to the provision of employment services to eligible veterans. Responsibilities include implementing, evaluating and monitoring policies and procedures to ensure uniform administration of veterans’ programs and effective delivery of employment services to veterans in accordance with federal and state laws, rules and regulations and U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) guidelines. This position provides a great opportunity for someone who has a strong knowledge of federal and state veterans’ employment programs and is dedicated to monitoring and ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations. The ideal candidate for this position will have extensive experience providing employment services to veterans, performing detailed monitoring and analysis of program performance to meet federal reporting requirements, and negotiating federal grant modifications. IDES offers a competitive compensation plan, excellent benefits, and a pension program. We invite you to join our innovative team to help make a positive difference in the lives of Illinois employers and job seekers.

Essential Functions

• Serves as State Veterans Program Manager for the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES)
• Serves as primary liaison between the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS) and the IDES Director and agency management on all matters pertaining to the provision of employment services to eligible veterans
• Serves as full-line supervisor
• Confers and collaborates with agency management, including but not limited to program managers and local office managers, to coordinate data collection and observation of current operations in order to assess the provision of agency services to veterans and the implementation of Priority of Service to veterans
• Serves as primary subject matter expert (SME) and liaison to internal and external parties on agency programs for veterans
• Keeps abreast of new developments related to federal and state veterans’ programs and related laws, rules and regulations
• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires knowledge, skill and mental development equivalent to completion of four (4) years of college, preferably with courses in business or public administration
• Requires prior experience equivalent to three (3) years of progressively responsible administrative experience in a public or business organization
• Requires other than dishonorable discharge from the Armed Services of the United States

Preferred Qualifications

• Five (5) years of professional experience utilizing extensive knowledge of veteran’s employment services and labor exchange systems to deliver federal or state veterans’ employment services, including services to disabled veterans and employer outreach to promote hiring of veterans
• Managerial experience in the development, implementation, monitoring and maintenance of a program or large project, including developing long-term goals and objectives and directing activities, staff, and operations
• Three (3) years of professional experience providing Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program (DVOP) and/or Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives (LVER) services
• Professional experience speaking to various groups to convey policy and procedures related to veterans’ programs in a manner easily understood by diverse audiences
• Three (3) years of experience in developing, coordinating, analyzing, and completing data driven reports for federal programs and/or grants
• Experience requiring extensive knowledge of labor laws as they relate to bargaining unit contracts, including but not limited to grievance and discipline processes
• Basic proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite products, including Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint

Conditions of Employment

• Requires an Illinois State Police background check and self-disclosure of any criminal history.
• Requires ability to travel in the performance of duties, with overnight stays as appropriate. Requires appropriate, valid driver’s license and access to an automobile.
• This position is considered sedentary work as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor (20 CFR 404.1567(a)). Sedentary work involves lifting no more than 10 pounds at a time and requires occasional lifting, carrying, walking, and standing.
• Requires ability to attend seminars, conferences, and trainings to stay current on methods, tools, ideologies, or other industry related topics relevant to the job duties.
• 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.
• The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.

About the Agency

The Illinois Department of Employment Security’s (IDES) mission is to serve Illinois workers and employers to the best of our ability and to use our knowledge of the Illinois workforce to inform sound policy decision making.  IDES encourages economic growth and stability in Illinois by providing vital Employment Services to Illinois residents and employers, analyzing and disseminating actionable Labor Market Information, and administering Unemployment Insurance programs.