Social Services Program Administration Manager

State of Connecticut • Hartford, CT

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The State of Connecticut Department of Social Services is recruiting for one anticipated full-time Behavioral Health Manager in the Social Services Program Administration Manager class, based in Hartford, Connecticut. The position manages planning, development, implementation, and monitoring for a major agency program area, with a focus on behavioral health programs serving individuals, families, and communities across Connecticut. The role oversees program operations and staff, develops and implements policies, evaluates program effectiveness and service delivery, and works with agency leadership, state and federal partners, and community organizations to advance program goals, ensure compliance, and address legislative and policy priorities.

The position is based at the DSS Central Office in Hartford and is hybrid, Monday through Friday, with stated hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Department delivers and funds health and human services programs for residents throughout Connecticut.

Requirements

• Nine years of professional experience delivering social services programs and/or policies.
• At least one year of the general experience must be in a managerial or consultative capacity with programmatic and administrative responsibility for a regional or statewide social services program.
• Considerable knowledge of and ability to apply management principles and practices.
• Knowledge of relevant state and federal laws, statutes, and regulations.
• Knowledge of social services programs and relevant agency policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of community organizations and social services agencies.
• Considerable interpersonal, oral communication, and written communication skills.
• Ability to interpret complex written material, including legal narratives, and assess its impact on programmatic goals.
• College training may substitute for general experience at 15 semester hours per half-year of experience, up to a maximum of four years for a bachelor's degree.
• A master's degree in social work, public administration, accounting, early childhood education, or a closely related field may substitute for one additional year of general experience.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree in Public Health, Health Administration, Social Work, Psychology, Behavioral Health, Public Policy, or a related field.
• Five to seven years of progressively responsible experience in behavioral health policy, program administration, healthcare management, or Medicaid programs.
• Experience overseeing behavioral health service delivery systems, including mental health and substance use disorder services.
• Knowledge of and experience with federal and state behavioral health regulations, Medicaid authorities, and value-based payment models.
• Experience developing, implementing, and evaluating behavioral health policies, programs, and initiatives.
• Experience collaborating with diverse stakeholders, including providers, state agencies, advocacy groups, and people with lived experience.
• Experience managing contracts, grants, budgets, and performance metrics.
• Project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities and complex initiatives.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including preparing reports, presentations, and policy recommendations for executive leadership.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and facilitating cross-agency collaboration.
• Knowledge of health equity, social determinants of health, and strategies to improve access to behavioral health services.
• Experience with federal waiver programs, including Section 1115 demonstrations and behavioral health transformation initiatives.
• Relevant professional licensure or certification, such as LCSW, LPC, LMFT, Psychologist, PMP, or another relevant credential.

Responsibilities

• Manage staff and/or operations of a unit or program.
• Implement social services programs and policies.
• Coordinate, plan, and manage unit or program activities.
• Formulate program goals and objectives by reviewing agency data.
• Develop or assist in developing related policies.
• Interpret and administer applicable laws.
• Coordinate research, data analysis, and program planning.
• Monitor, analyze, and evaluate programs and policies for cost-effectiveness and service quality.
• Identify and coordinate training needs.
• Advise leadership about legislative, legal, and other program or policy impacts and recommend an appropriate position.
• Monitor internally and externally initiated program or policy changes.
• Research, prepare, and present testimony to legislative committees, study committees, and courts on social services issues.
• Evaluate staff.
• Prepare or assist in preparing budgets.
• Maintain contacts within and outside the agency who may affect program activities.
• Serve as an agency contact with state, federal, and community agencies to support service delivery.
• Participate in staff recruitment and hiring, including outreach, interviewing, and selection.
• Manage behavioral health program operations, guide staff, and collaborate with agency leadership, state and federal partners, and community organizations.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate behavioral health policies, programs, and initiatives.
• Manage contracts, grants, budgets, and performance metrics.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams and facilitate cross-agency collaboration.

Benefits

• Professional growth and paid professional development opportunities.
• Work-life balance.
• The State of Connecticut is an eligible Public Service Loan Forgiveness employer; qualifying student loans may be eligible for forgiveness after 10 years of service.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed