Review Vacancy
AgencyTemporary and Disability Assistance, Office of
TitleTemporary Assistance Specialist 1 or Trainee 1 or 2 (NY HELPS)
Occupational CategoryOther Professional Careers
Bargaining UnitPS&T - Professional, Scientific, and Technical (PEF)
Salary RangeFrom $47925 to $80248 Annually
Minimum Qualifications NY HELPS: These titles are part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).
For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, these titles may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required, but all candidates must meet the non-competitive minimum qualifications for these titles. At this time, OTDA may recruit and hire employees by making temporary appointments. In May 2024, if a temporary NY HELPS employee is satisfactorily performing in the position, the appointment will be changed from temporary pending Civil Service Commission Action to permanent non-competitive, and the official probationary period will begin.
At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.
NON-COMPETITIVE QUALIFICATIONS:
For Trainee 1 level, you must have a bachelor’s or higher degree.
For Trainee 2 Level, you must have a bachelor's or higher degree; AND one year of professional experience performing one or more of the following:
• Administering temporary assistance programs and initiatives to assess applicant/recipient needs, determine eligibility and/or provide services or benefits to low-income individuals or families. Such initiatives may include, but are not limited to, the development of systems applications for determining eligibility and benefit levels for temporary assistance programs;
• Planning, implementing, assessing, monitoring and/or evaluating programs to deliver effective temporary assistance and/or workforce development/training programs to unemployed, underemployed, low income or disabled individuals;
• Managing contracts and related budgets for workforce development/training and/or temporary assistance programs, including contract development, negotiation and execution, and fiscal management, monitoring or program review; and
• Planning, developing, managing, or administering programs that provide care and service to adults, children, and/or families in need of assistance, including childcare, foster care, medical assistance and adult residential care, aid to the refugee and/or immigrant population, or child and adult protective care.
Substitution: A Juris Doctor, master's or higher degree in a related field can substitute for one year of specialized experience.
For the Full Performance Level, you must have a bachelor's or higher degree; AND two years of professional experience performing one or more of the following:
• Administering temporary assistance programs and initiatives to assess applicant/recipient needs, determine eligibility and/or provide services or benefits to low-income individuals or families. Such initiatives may include, but are not limited to, the development of systems applications for determining eligibility and benefit levels for temporary assistance programs;
• Planning, implementing, assessing, monitoring and/or evaluating programs to deliver effective temporary assistance and/or workforce development/training programs to unemployed, underemployed, low income or disabled individuals;
• Managing contracts and related budgets for workforce development/training and/or temporary assistance programs, including contract development, negotiation and execution, and fiscal management, monitoring or program review; and
• Planning, developing, managing, or administering programs that provide care and service to adults, children, and/or families in need of assistance, including childcare, foster care, medical assistance and adult residential care, aid to the refugee and/or immigrant population, or child and adult protective care.
Substitution: A Juris Doctor, master's or higher degree in a related field can substitute for one year of specialized experience.
Note: experience limited to clerical screening of applications, data entry, distribution of forms/brochures to prospective social services applicants, administrative duties in support of temporary assistance programs and any function in which the major responsibility of the position does NOT entail the direct planning, oversight, or provision of assistance is not considered qualifying. In addition, experience in staff development activities internal to an organization or auditing of employment and training programs, is NOT qualifying experience for this examination.
Temporary Assistance Programs are: Family Assistance (FA), Jobs Program, Safety Net Assistance, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), SSI State Supplement Program, Emergency Assistance to Families or Adults (EAF,EAA), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps), Employment Services for Recipients of Public Assistance or SNAP, and Energy Assistance.
OR
55b/c: These positions are eligible for 55b/c appointment, and candidates with 55b/c eligibility are encouraged to apply. To be eligible for a 55b/c appointment, candidates must be currently enrolled in the Civil Service 55b/c program and meet the Non-Competitive Qualifications. Information about the 55b/c program can be found here: 55b/c Recruitment Resources Center (ny.gov).
COMPETITIVE QUALIFICATIONS
Eligible for a lateral transfer or eligible for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law by having one year of permanent competitive service in an appropriate title. Information regarding transfer eligibility is available on the Civil Service Career Mobility Office website at https://careermobilityoffice.cs.ny.gov/cmo/gotit/.
OR
Reachable on the appropriate eligible list in Albany.
Duties Description This position is located in the Plain Language, Accessibility, and Innovative Design (PLAID) Unit within the Employment & Advancement Services Bureau and will be supervised by a Temporary Assistance Specialist 2. The unit is responsible for reviewing new and existing public facing forms, notices and other documents developed by OTDA Divisions and applying plain language and behavioral science strategies with the goal of guiding agency notice/form improvement by creating documents that are simplified, streamlined and client oriented to encourage benefit receipt and engagement. The unit also works on projects related to accessibility and the development of best-practice guidelines and toolkits to assist local districts and other stakeholders in advancing these goals in their own programs.
The duties of this position will include, but are not limited to:
• Assist with research on best practices, interventions and evidenced based approaches to developing simplified client facing documents and engagement strategies;
• Participate in projects related to document design, revisions, and implementation as they relate to both current and future states;
• Assist in evaluating documents and/or web-based content for accessibility, readability, and ease of use;
• Collaborate with staff from EISP Bureaus and other program Divisions within OTDA on the development and revision of documents;
• Participate in the design and implementation of processes and procedures to disseminate toolkits, templates, and best-practice guidelines to help stakeholders enhance the accessibility, readability, and usability of documents;
• Prepare informational materials for employment programs for distribution to social services districts and others; and
• Provide policy support and analysis on Temporary Assistance, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Workforce Improvement & Opportunity Act (WIOA) Employment matters.
Additional Comments A full-time, permanent, contingent permanent, or temporary appointment will be made. If certified by Civil Service, mandatory reemployment list candidates must be considered first for appointment to these titles. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
Your resume must indicate how you meet the minimum qualifications for this position. Non-specific submissions may be disqualified from further consideration if the information you provide does not meet the minimum qualifications.
Salary for Trainee 1 starts at $47,925
Salary for Trainee 2 starts at $50,678
Remarks:
Interested applicants should send an email to jobpostings@otda.ny.gov and reference posting #24097SNY. DO NOT REFERENCE THE VACANCY ID NUMBER.
NYS OTDA seeks to promote a diverse workforce that is a representation of the various cultures, voices, backgrounds, ideas, and talents of the citizens and communities that we serve. We actively solicit and encourage applications from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (“BIPOC”); LGBTQIA+ individuals; women; people with disabilities; and military veterans.
Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.
Email Address jobpostings@otda.ny.gov
Address
Street 40 North Pearl Street, 12B
Notes on ApplyingTo apply, please send a cover letter and resume. Include a current, Civil Service title and grade level and clearly state how you meet the minimum qualifications.
Interested applicants should send an email to jobpostings@otda.ny.gov and reference posting #24097SNY. DO NOT REFERENCE THE VACANCY ID NUMBER.
You may be required to provide acceptable proof of education, experience, credential and/or license to demonstrate that you meet the minimum qualifications for appointment to this position.
Applicants will be required to prove their eligibility for employment based upon acceptance of a position in accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.
If you are a retiree currently receiving benefits, indicate this and the name of the retirement system in your response.
In accordance with state law, Governor’s Executive Order No. 6 and Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, the NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance does not discriminate against disabled individuals. If you are disabled and require reasonable accommodation at the time of the interview, please contact OTDA's designee for reasonable accommodation at (518) 474-7284.