STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST I - Academy

Position Overview:

The Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice is looking for a dynamic, energetic, and detail-oriented person to serve as a Staff Development Specialist I (SDS). This Specialist will participate in the development and presentation of orientation and in-service training programs for the Department of Juvenile Justices’ employees regarding all applicable Training Academy curriculums. The individual will conduct research and evaluate current training programs, as well as assist subject matter experts by coordinating training programs. We are looking for someone with a strong training, public speaking, and research background. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply.

Essential Functions:

• Under the guidance of the Training Manager and the Chief of Professional Development and Training provides initial oversight of all academy classes including the intern academy and the Pre-Service Training (PST).
• Primarily responsible for the scheduling and coordinating of Intern Academy, PST classes, including serving as Staff Development Specialist for IDJJ’s General and Director’s office/s, and as a liaison to the facilities, IDOC, and other system partners and with the special topic trainers.
• Supports the Training Manager in developing and overseeing annual training across the Illinois Youth Centers (IYC) and aftercare.
• Maintains daily oversight of the training database and ensures, including through data entry, that information remains up to date.
• Under the direction of the Training Manager participates in the development and delivery of training materials and evaluation.
• Maintains attendance records and reports.
• Assists the supervisor in fiscal responsibility by informing the supervisor of training material and equipment needs.
• 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. Academic course work should include quantitative measures (introductory statistics or business mathematics or social science analytical tools), educational methods, psychology of individuals, organizational or group behavior, labor relations or equivalents.
• Requires two (2) years of professional experience in education or a related field.

Specialized Skills:

• Requires four years of experience working in a Correctional Center or Juvenile Justice Center.
• Requires one year of training/teaching experience.
• Requires one year of working knowledge of Department of Juvenile Justice administrative directives.

Preferred Qualifications: (In Order of Significance)

• Prefers four (4) years of experience working in a State of Illinois Correctional Center, Juvenile Justice Center, or a similar setting.
• Prefers one (1) year of training/teaching experience.
• Prefers one (1) year working knowledge of Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice Administrative Directives or similar rules and regulations pertaining to a correctional environment.
• Prefers two (2) years of professional experience presenting written and pictorial instructional information before employee groups of diverse social/economical/ and/or educational background.
• Prefers one (1) year of involvement in the development of curriculum utilized for training.
• Prefers one (1) year of professional experience organizing and scheduling trainings and/or equivalent events/meetings.
• Prefers at one (1) year of professional experience in a leadership role.
• Prefers one (1) year of professional experience maintaining records and/or reports

Conditions of Employment:

• Requires the ability to pass an IDOC/IDJJ background check.
• Requires ability to pass a drug screen. The use of unauthorized drugs, including cannabis, by an employee, regardless of position held is prohibited.
• Requires ability to travel in the performance of duties, with overnight stays as appropriate.

The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties in the job description.

About the Agency:

The mission of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) is to build youth skills and strengthen families by promoting community safety and positive youth outcomes. Over 900 staff members from across various departments—security, programming, education, mental health, and more—collaborate with the understanding that youth are physically, emotionally, and cognitively different from adults. The department provides extensive services to young people through a developmental, treatment-focused model of care that builds youth resiliency, engages families, and promotes community safety at the five youth facilities it operates across the state. IDJJ serves and houses approximately 150 youth and is responsible for approximately 500 youth on Aftercare in various Illinois’ communities.