Substance Use Program Evaluator

TX-HHSC-DSHS-DFPS•Austin, TX

1d•$5,099 - $8,305•Hybrid

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. As a member of the Performance Improvement and Evaluation (PIE) team, the Substance Use Program Evaluator contributes to special projects and initiatives within the Behavioral Health Services (BHS) department. This position will support initiatives within one or more areas of the substance use and recovery continuum of care, including prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery for individuals with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions. The PIE team partners with executive-level staff, subject matter experts, and external stakeholders to develop evaluation plans and research projects that reflect national standards and best practices. This position will play a critical role in supporting the performance-driven culture within BHS. This support may include: identifying project objectives and goals, assisting in the development of substance use evaluation questions and methodology, collecting and analyzing data from internal and external sources, documenting program processes and procedures, serving as a consultant on issues related to data collection and monitoring, supporting the development of needs assessments and evaluation frameworks, assisting in responses to legislative and external inquiries/requests, maintaining dashboards and other substance use program monitoring tools, tracking project improvements and gaps, assisting in the development of presentations and written deliverables, and communicating project status, outcomes, and recommendations to internal and external stakeholders. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience using data to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of complex programs, policies, and initiatives, particularly those related to substance use and/or public health. They will also be familiar with the state’s substance use service system and requirements, have strong communication and collaboration skills, and the ability to apply initiative and independent judgment while working under general supervision. The candidate must reside in the Greater Austin, Texas area, or be willing to relocate to the Greater Austin, Texas area. This position is telework-eligible. Please note, all HHS positions are subject to state and agency telework policies in addition to the discretion of the direct supervisor and business need.

Requirements

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in a relevant field.
Experience in a field related to public health, substance use programs, or data and evaluation.
Knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research techniques and their application in program evaluation and improvement.
Knowledge of program management processes and techniques, including performance optimization and compliance.
Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, to effectively convey information and provide guidance to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Skilled in using computers and applicable software for data analysis, report preparation, and program management.
Ability to gather, assemble, correlate, and analyze facts to inform program decisions.
Ability to develop evaluation questions, measures, and data collection approaches.
Ability to document operational policies and procedures.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with the state’s substance use service system and requirements.
Strong collaboration skills.
Ability to apply initiative and independent judgment while working under general supervision.

Responsibilities

Plan and implement assigned components of complex evaluations for behavioral health programs, projects, and policies.
Support management and senior staff with developing and applying effective evaluation frameworks to the assigned substance use and recovery programs.
Provide technical assistance as needed throughout evaluation process.
Assist senior staff in the collection, organization, and analysis of complex data for specialized program evaluations in the assigned program area(s).
Analyze and interpret complex data to identify trends, patterns, differences, and other findings relevant to program performance and evaluation.
Conduct extensive and detailed searches to locate data and literature to support and improve program evaluations.
Interpret policies, procedures, rules, regulations, and standards related to program evaluation and the development of effective performance measures.
Assist in responding to legislative inquiries and requests.
Coordinate the collection, organization, and preparation of materials in response to requests for specialized program evaluations in the assigned program area(s).
Support senior staff in the development of performance tools and reports, studies, and specialized projects.
Coordinate ongoing monitoring of dashboards and other tools.
Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to translate data into actionable insights to optimize program performance.
Ensure program evaluation processes and procedures are documented and stored in a location that serves as a common reference.
Facilitate meetings and communicate with internal and external stakeholders regarding specialized or ad hoc substance use and recovery program evaluations.
Serve as a consultant on issues related to data collection and reporting, performance measurement, and monitoring.