Unregulated Operations Investigator V

TX-HHSC-DSHS-DFPS • San Antonio, TX

3d • Remote

About The Position

Join the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and be part of a team committed to creating a positive impact in the lives of fellow Texans. At HHSC, your contributions matter, and we support you at each stage of your life and work journey. Our comprehensive benefits package includes 100% paid employee health insurance for full-time eligible employees, a defined benefit pension plan, generous time off benefits, numerous opportunities for career advancement and more. Explore more details on the Benefits of Working at HHS webpage.

Why choose to become a Child Care Regulation Investigator?

Reduce risk to children in child care settings
Educate the public and families on the benefits of choosing regulated child care
Flexibility
Challenging and rewarding career

This position performs highly complex (senior-level) investigative work of unregulated child care facilities in accordance with the Human Resources Code, Chapter 42, the Texas Administrative Code and Child Care Regulation Policy and Procedures Handbook. Works under limited supervision, with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. Work includes:
- Proactively searching for unregulated operations and identifying the appropriate level of risk at the time of intake based on due diligence searches.
- Conducting complex unregulated operation investigations. This includes interviewing caregivers, parents, children and anyone with knowledge of the care being provided, conducting surveillance to determine if child care is occurring or to verify information received as part of the investigation and thoroughly documenting findings.
- Evaluating, assessing and making determinations on exemption requests.
- Acting as lead community engagement and outreach specialist for Child Care Regulation with a focus on educating communities and families on rules of regulation and the benefits of choosing regulated child care, empowering families to choose regulated child care and expanding the child care community. This may includes participation in community engagement events, conducting presentations, and seeking out community partners.
- Taking appropriate enforcement actions on high risk and/or non-compliant operations and educating potential providers on the benefits of becoming a regulated child care provider. This may include preparing legal documents to help support actions in coordination with the Office of the Attorney General.
- Representing Child Care Regulation while performing informational and educational presentations to the public, at conferences and when collaborating with child health and safety advocates.
This position routinely interacts with other state agency staff, local and regional stakeholders, representatives from various private and public organizations, and the general public.
This is a full-time telework position, but extensive field travel and occasional work in the office is required.

Requirements

• Knowledge of Texas laws and regulation.
• Skill in effective verbal and written communication.
• Skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.
• Skill in applying emotional intelligence to all situations.
• Skill in establishing and building rapport.
• Skill in presenting, both in-person and virtually.
• Ability to critically think and identify risk and mitigation measures.
• Ability to work with diverse groups of people while promoting respect for cultural diversity in all working relationships.
• Ability to de-escalate situations with tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to self-start, organize, and manage priorities.
• Ability to operate basic office equipment including camera/AV equipment.
• Ability to travel.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in Human Development, Early Childhood Development, Social Services, Education, Criminal Justice, Psychology, Public Health, Family Studies or other closely related field or experience that is equivalent to a four-year degree. Experience and education may be substituted for one another on a year-to-year basis.
• Applicants for positions must have transportation and a valid Texas driver's license with insurance as required by the State of Texas.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in evaluating and analyzing risk to children, preferred.
• Experience in participating in, leading or coordinating community engagement activities, preferred.

Responsibilities

• Initiates investigations of unregulated operations based on priority and level of risk identified in the intake report.
• Conducts thorough walk-through of child care facilities to evaluate risk and determine whether child care is provided, determine if the operation is subject to child care regulation, and identify next steps to ensure risk is mitigated.
• Conducts interviews with the child care facility staff, children, parents, neighbors and anyone else who might have knowledge regarding the allegations.
• Conducts proactive searches to identify unregulated operations.
• Enters unregulated operation intakes based off of proactive searches and reports received though the intake process.
• Evaluates and assesses exemption requests according to Child Care Regulation policy and procedure.
• Acts as lead community engagement and outreach specialist for Child Care Regulation educating families and communities on the rules related to child care and benefits of choosing regulated child care, empowering families to choose regulated child care, and expanding the child care care community to support capacity building.
• Identifies and initiates enforcement action recommendations for high risk operations and operations failing to cooperate or meet compliance.
• Maintains continuing education and current knowledge of child development, investigation and regulatory practices, health and safety, applicable laws and rules, and regulated fields to support the mission of Child Care Regulation.
• Conducts other duties as assigned to maintain unit and UOU operations.
• Make recommendations for policy updates to support investigative and exemption tasks.

Benefits

• comprehensive benefits package includes 100% paid employee health insurance for full-time eligible employees
• defined benefit pension plan
• generous time off benefits
• numerous opportunities for career advancement

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees