Civil Rights Specialist VI Program Coordinator

Location: Grand Prairie, TX

About the role

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. This role performs in a highly advanced and specialized consultative capacity in planning, developing, and administering employment-related complaints throughout the state in compliance with HHS policy and applicable federal and state civil rights laws, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act.

Provides consultation and technical assistance relating to employment of HHS employees; serves as a liaison between civil rights area managers/staff on employment discrimination complaints. Monitors, reviews, and provides technical consultation on civil rights casework to staff. Develops, researches, and analyzes complex program and management policy issues and initiatives; identifies need for new and/or revised programs, policies, and procedures, and makes recommendations for improvement. Completes management reports and recommends appropriate changes; establishes goals and objectives; takes a leadership role in special projects and assignments; serves as a mediator and helps prepare resolution agreements. In concert with the Program Manager and Operations Director, develops schedules, priorities, and standards for achieving quality in employment discrimination complaint investigations and responses. Investigates specialized discrimination complaints and prepares detailed comprehensive reports on findings and recommendations for resolutions. Coordinates, consults, oversees, and mentors civil rights staff in employment-related issues. Provides leadership and direction to Civil Rights Specialists on employment complaints and inquiries. Works under limited direction with extensive latitude for judgment and initiative.

Responsibilities

• Provides highly advanced research, analysis, and evaluation on complex program and policy issues and initiatives related to civil rights employment cases. Collects, organizes, analyzes, and prepares material in response to employment issues. Oversees and reviews work prepared by staff to determine compliance with civil rights policy and legislation. Develops and interprets civil rights policies and procedures. Identifies need for new policies and procedures and recommends improvements to existing policies and procedures relating to the area of employment. Provides leadership and direction to Civil Rights Specialists on employment inquiries. (35%)
• Oversees the completion of management reports, monitors required performance reports, and recommends appropriate changes. Determines civil rights employment trends and makes recommendations to resolve operations issues. Prepares and approves written project updates, executive summaries, administrative reports, policies, procedures, correspondence, and other documents for the Operations Manager or Operations Director. Represents Operations Manager or Operations Director at internal and external meetings and/or in leading projects. (20%)
• Develops, implements, and manages projects related to program initiatives for civil rights to ensure effective techniques are being implemented in the employment area for civil rights. Provides leadership, consultation, direction, guidance, and quality review to civil rights staff on assignments and/or projects related to program initiatives and activities. Collaborates with agency and division staff, HHS system staff, contractors, contract administrators, clients, community groups, and other stakeholders. (15%)
• Develops and conducts civil rights training for CRO and agency staff. Provides programmatic direction for developing, implementing, and monitoring civil rights policies and procedures. Establishes goals, objectives, priorities, and standards for projects and initiatives. Oversees workgroups and meetings related to program oversight, research, analysis, and evaluation functions. (15%)
• Conducts or oversees investigations into complex or specialized complaints and provides recommendations to resolve issues or violations of policy. (10%)
• Monitors and analyzes federal and state legislation, regulations, court decisions, and initiatives relating to employment civil rights and HHS policies and programs and recommends appropriate response. (5%)
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university. Civil rights experience in a managerial position may substitute on a year-for-year basis for the education requirement.
• Four years full-time experience administering or managing a civil rights program or other program in areas such as compliance, investigations, labor relations, human resources, law, or relevant field.
• Experience in applying management principles and practices.
• Experience in problem solving, mediation, and conflict resolution.
• Experience investigating complaints or investigative methodologies.
• Experience working with federal and state laws relating to employment, including equal opportunity agencies and civil rights laws such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Texas Commission on Human Rights Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Skills

• Knowledge of state and federal civil rights laws and regulations related to employment and service delivery.
• Knowledge of HHS policies and programs, state and federal laws and regulations relating to HHS programs, and State of Texas legislative processes and initiatives.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of public administration and management.
• Knowledge of program planning and implementation.
• Skill in evaluating complex programs, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Skill in performing research.
• Skill in analyzing and evaluating complex program and policy issues.
• Skill in investigating complaints and investigative tools and methods, including researching, gathering, organizing, and analyzing information to reach a determination and finding.
• Skill in the use of personal computers and software.
• Skill in interpersonal relationships including the ability to work with people under pressure and establish and maintain effective working relationships with various levels of stakeholders within and outside of the HHS Enterprise.
• Skill in problem solving, mediation, and conflict resolution.
• Ability to gather, assemble, correlate, and analyze facts to devise solutions to complex problems, and to prepare concise reports.
• Ability to develop and evaluate administrative policies and procedures, and to devise solutions to administrative problems.
• Ability to manage multiple and competing projects and program activities, and to plan, assign, and coordinate the work of others.
• Ability to establish goals and objectives, and to develop schedules, priorities, standards, and evaluation activities.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.

Benefits

Our comprehensive benefits package includes 100% paid employee health insurance for full-time eligible employees, a defined benefit pension plan, generous time off benefits, and numerous opportunities for career advancement. Explore more details on the Benefits of Working at HHS webpage.

Pay

Salary Range: $5,098.66 - $6,701.75 per month

Schedule

• Shift: Day
• Full-time
• FLSA: Exempt
• Eligible for telework
• Travel: Up to 20%