Program Specialist VI

TX-HHSC-DSHS-DFPS • Austin, TX

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

This position is in the Congenital Syphilis (CS) Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit in the Community Health Improvement (CHI) Division. Under the supervision of the Congenital Syphilis Manager, the Program Specialist VI (PS VI) performs highly advanced (senior-level) consultative services and technical assistance work requiring specialized knowledge of congenital syphilis. Supports implementation of Congenital Syphilis Surveillance and Epidemiology programs at local and regional health departments using data from The HIV STD Integrated System (THISIS) reporting system and other large data sets in the STD Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit. This position prepares and presents program reports on Congenital Syphilis issues at national and state meetings. Program Specialist VI also plans and prioritize a variety of technical trainings, planning, policy, program assessment, and administrative activities for congenital syphilis programs, including overseeing the delivery of Congenital syphilis surveillance services in an efficient manner. PS VI completes and monitors Congenital Syphilis program administrative and performance reports from local and regional health departments and recommends appropriate changes to programs. Engages community and professional groups to coordinate, improve, and stimulate interest in the Congenital Syphilis program to secure support for the program. This position Identifies the need for new interventions on the CS programs and provides guidance to staff in the development and integration of new methods and procedures on the CS program. Develop and implement effective techniques for evaluating CS programs. Plans, assigns, and supervise the work of others. Works under minimum supervision with extensive latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. To perform these job duties, this position may require working extra hours needed to meet defined deadlines and support the agency’s mission critical reporting requirements.

Requirements

• Knowledge of local, state, and federal laws related to the program area; public administration techniques; training and marketing techniques; and program management processes and techniques.
• Knowledge of management techniques; statistical analysis processes; budget processes; and research techniques.
• Knowledge of word processing, database software applications, and spreadsheet software applications.
• Knowledge of infectious disease control or disease surveillance.
• Knowledge of Congenital Syphilis control and reporting.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of public health administration and management.
• Knowledge of governmental budgeting processes and procedures.
• Knowledge of the major functions of public health, health care reform initiatives, and health care policy development.
• Skill in identifying measures or indicators of program performance and in the use of a computer and applicable software.
• Skill in organizing and interpreting data, preparing reports, and delivering public health information in presentations.
• Skill in conducting planning activities including developing goals and objectives for strategic planning and evaluation.
• Skill in organizing and presenting complex information to a variety of diverse stakeholders.
• Skill in managing and prioritizing multiple and competing work activities.
• Skill in quality improvement implementation for program evaluation.
• Skill in meeting facilitation.
• Skill in using a public health prevention framework and ensuring it is incorporated and evaluated in program activities and initiatives.
• Skill in developing and evaluating administrative policies, procedures, and protocols.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to gather, assemble, correlate, and analyze facts; to devise solutions to problems; to market programs; to prepare reports; to develop, evaluate, and interpret policies and procedures; and to communicate effectively.
• Ability to provide guidance to others.
• Ability to serve as a lead worker providing direction to others.
• Ability to work with others to resolve complex issues.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Ability to speak and write effectively, clearly, and concisely on a variety of complex subjects related to the program.
• Ability to plan, organize, and complete multiple activities in a timely fashion.
• Ability to handle a wide range of tasks in an effective manner along with planning, organizing, and completing multiple tasks and activities in a timely fashion.
• Ability to interpret guidelines, policies, procedures, and regulations on a state and national level
• Graduation from a four-year college or university with major course work in public health, health sciences or related field.
• A minimum of 2 years’ experience in program planning, development, administration, and evaluation.
• At least two years’ experience providing customer service to internal and external stakeholders and with a diverse group of professionals.
• At least two years’ experience in the coordination and tracking of assignments through completion.

Nice To Haves

• A graduate degree in public health will be an added advantage.
• At least two-year experience with public health, disease surveillance and infectious disease control preferred with a Texas state agency.

Responsibilities

• Works within the Congenital Syphilis (CS) team to perform syphilis and CS case approvals, data remediation, and deduplications.
• Provides guidance to surveillance sites regarding medical chart abstractions for CS.
• Aids local and regional health departments regarding reporting for congenital syphilis surveillance.
• Assists local and regional health departments in workflow management for congenital syphilis surveillance.
• Develops and provides line lists, data trackers and program reports to local and regional health department partners on the processes and procedures for reporting and investigating congenital syphilis.
• Develops, maintains and updates training, training resources, data fact sheets, and other materials for the Public Health Workforce to utilize to ensure complete, accurate, and timely reports of congenital syphilis to inform data driven decision making processes for CS prevention and risk mitigation.
• Synthesize disease information from a variety of sources in order to write reports for lay and professional audiences.
• Oversees, coordinates and prepares reports and materials for presentation and publication.
• Develop illustrations of program data and analyses using PC software such as Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
• Presents reports and research findings to internal and external groups, including DSHS staff and community groups.
• Works within the CS team to identify cases eligible for Fetal Infant Mortality Review of HIV and Syphilis (FIMR-S) activities at multiple FIMR-S groups in Texas.
• Collaborates to ensure complete medical record of ascertainment, review, and documentation.
• Represents Texas DSHS at virtual and in person FIMRS meetings to identify gaps in services and prevention.
• Use academic and general search engines to locate congenital syphilis -related research.
• Provides consultation relating to research design, planning, instrumentation, and statistical analysis, both quantitative and qualitative.
• Provides consultative services and technical assistance to regional and local ICCR sites in accordance with state and national goals to ensure the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of data gathered.
• Identifies and addresses training needs of ICCR sites, and aids in the evaluation of the effectiveness of program systems to improve accuracy, prevision, completeness, fidelity, and efficacy of ICCR.
• Provides feedback to management regarding needs related to the budget, grants or contracts, staffing, and policies and procedures.
• Prepares funding proposals.
• Other duties assigned include, but are not limited to, actively participating in and serving in a supporting role to meet the agency's obligations for disaster response and recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation.

Benefits

• DSHS offers insurance coverage and other benefits available through the State of Texas Group Benefits Plan administered by the Employee Retirement System of Texas (ERS).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 1-10 employees