Senior Advisor

TX-HHSC-DSHS-DFPS • Austin, TX

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) seeks to fill the Management Analyst IV position within Access and Eligibility Services (AES) - Community Access (CA) Division’s Office of the Associate Commissioner (OAC). AES is driven by the mission to connect Texans to quality services and CA does this by helping individuals and families in need of food, medical care, cash assistance, and other social services. The OAC team is responsible for the strategic leadership and advanced management of the Community Access department, providing strategic guidance and oversight of the operational needs of CA to include stakeholder relations, legislative coordination, project governance, and program monitoring. The Management Analyst IV will work, under general direction, as a Senior Advisor to the Associate Commissioner (AC) and serve as a strategic thought partner as a member of the OAC. The Senior Advisor performs senior-level planning, oversight and coordination of division activities supporting client services programs and operations and uses a working knowledge of the state’s major health and human services programs and the Access and Eligibility Services environment to inform CA priorities and initiatives. The Senior Advisor provides advice on legislative and policy matters, and on operational issues, and may lead the implementation and ongoing management of complex program initiatives for HHS client services programs. The Senior Advisor interacts routinely with staff at all levels of the organization, including Government Relations staff and agency leadership, to inform policy and decision-making to achieve positive outcomes for HHS clients. Ideal candidate has significant experience with legislative processes and HHS programs, experience advising leadership on policy and legislative issues, a systems-level and client-focused perspective, and the talent to thrive in a fast-paced environment to advance HHSC’s and AES’s mission to connect Texans to quality services. This position will serve in a back-up capacity for the Legislative Coordinator and requires periodic evening, night, and weekend work during legislative sessions. The position must be able to be travel as needed. Travel will center around legislative and key workgroup activities. (20%) Applicants selected for hire will be required to pass background and other due diligence checks.

Requirements

• Knowledge of techniques and methods of reviewing and editing various types of materials.
• Knowledge of local, state, and federal laws related to health and human services.
• Knowledge of state and federal legislative processes.
• Knowledge of HHSC, AES and CA programs
• Knowledge of principles of leadership and interaction with various leadership styles
• Knowledge of project management strategies and procedures
• Skill in building and sustaining trusted relationships with diverse stakeholders and strong interpersonal skills to advise without direct authority; providing constructive feedback.
• Skill in strong understanding of advocacy, policy development, and government relations
• Skill in writing and editing for grammar, spelling, accessibility, conciseness, and logically organized content.
• Skill in synthesizing complicated and technical information into concise materials appropriate for senior, executive, legislative and external audiences using Microsoft Office Suite applications including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams.
• Skill in problem solving, independent decision-making, identifying reputational and operational risks, evaluating alternatives, and developing strategic solutions.
• Ability to adapt to ambiguity, changing conditions and direction in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work with people under pressure, negotiate among multiple parties, resolve conflicts, and establish and maintain effective working relationships to develop solutions.
• Ability to perform work with a high attention to detail.
• Ability to write in various styles from technical to narrative formats.
• Ability to manage multiple, sometimes conflicting, tasks and projects at a time with minimal supervision and direction.
• Ability to work evening, night and/or weekends during the legislative session.
• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in governmental relations, public relations, communications, or a related field. Work experience may be substituted for one another.
• Three years’ experience in policy, public relations, public information, communications, or state government work.
• Three years’ experience in synthesizing complicated and technical information into concise materials appropriate for senior, executive, legislative and external audiences.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working for a health and human services agency preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversees the collection, organization, analysis, and preparation of reports and materials in response to requests from the AC or agency leadership.
• Prepares, reviews and approves high-quality briefing documents, issue papers, correspondence, bill analyses, and memorandum for senior and executive management review and decision-making.
• Consults and collaborates directly with directors, managers, and various HHSC area staff to ensure accuracy and quality of materials in alignment with agency, AES and CA goals and objectives.
• Reviews, compiles, edits, coordinates, and tracks assignments to ensure adherence to deadlines, resolution of issues and timely status updates.
• Develops and contributes to the preparation of high-quality, written materials for senior and executive leadership review, decision-making and external engagement focusing on accuracy, clarity and consistency.
• Synthesizes complex and technical information into concise materials.
• Accountable to the AC for their effectiveness in meeting short- and long-term goals.
• Provides effective leadership, management, and contributes to the development of the department's strategic plans and direction, goals and objectives, and plans to meet strategic direction.
• Provides advice on legislative and policy matters, and on operational issues, and may lead the implementation and ongoing management of complex program initiatives for HHS client services programs.
• Maintains relationships with program and agency staff to stay informed of potential and pending program changes.
• Builds positive relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Fosters an environment of cooperation and collaboration.
• Participates in and contributes to advisory committees and work groups.
• Other duties as assigned may include supporting and assisting in work to maintain continuity of operations (COOP) of the agency during a disaster response and/or recovery effort. Such participation may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location.

Benefits

• 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

What This Job Offers

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