County Children Youth Families Program Specialist 1 (Local Government)

County Children Youth Families Program Specialist 1 (Local Government)

Salary

$47,833.50 Annually

Location

Wayne County, PA

Job Type

Civil Service Permanent Full-Time

Job Number

CS-2026-59256-L0747

Department

Local Government

Division

HS Wayne Co Child Welfare Serv

Opening Date

09/25/2026

Closing Date

10/8/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Job Code

L0747

Position Number

80007311

Union

Non Union

Bargaining Unit

LG

Pay Group

LG

Bureau / Division Code

88212764

Bureau / Division

Wayne County Children and Youth Services

Worksite Address

648 W. Park Street

City

Honesdale, Pennsylvania

Zip Code

18431

Contact Name

Michelle Valinski

Contact Phone

570.253.6758

Contact Email

mvalinski@waynecountypa.gov

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

THE POSITION

Do you want to be part of a supportive team that makes a difference in the lives of children and families? Do you consider yourself patient, organized, dependable, and able to communicate effectively with individuals of all ages? If so, Wayne County located in Honesdale, PA Human Services, Children & Youth Services Agency, may have the opportunity for you. This rewarding position offers meaningful public service work along with an excellent benefits package. Become part of a team that is dedicated to strong support for families.

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

This position plays a key role in improving program quality, staff support, and agency operations. As a Wayne County Children, Youth, and Families Program Specialist 1, you will perform the following duties:

• Quality Assurance: Review program practices to ensure services meet agency standards
• Program Monitoring: Track provider performance and assess progress toward key outcomes
• Contract Management: Oversee agreements with contracted providers to support compliance and service delivery
• Staff Development: Guide training, mentoring, and retention efforts for agency personnel
• Supervision Support: Lead direct service staff in the absence of supervisors
• Administrative Planning: Assist with the development of annual plans and budgets for agency operations

Work Schedule and Additional Information:

• Full-time employment
• Work hours are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday - Friday, with 60-minute lunch.
• Employee may have occasional overnight travel out of County for meetings or training. Occasionally, irregular hours, including evening and weekends may be required.
• Telework: You will not have the option to telework in this position.
• Salary: In some cases, the starting salary may be non-negotiable.
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE, TRAINING & ELIGIBILITY

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:

• Two years of professional level experience in the field of children, youth and families; and a bachelors degree; or
• Any equivalent combination of experience and training.

Other Requirements:

• You must meet the PA residency requirement. For more information on ways to meet PA residency requirements, follow the link and click on Residency.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

Legal Requirements:

• You must pass a background investigation.
• A conditional offer of employment will require a drug screening.
• This position falls under the provisions of the Child Protective Services Law.
• Under the Law, a conditional offer of employment will require submission and approval of satisfactory criminal history reports including, but not limited to, PA State Police clearance, PA Child Abuse history clearance, and FBI Fingerprint clearance.

How to Apply:

• Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed, and the information contained therein will not be considered for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position. Information to support your eligibility for the position must be provided on the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).
• If you are claiming education in your answers to the supplemental application questions, you must attach a copy of your college transcripts for your claim to be accepted toward meeting the minimum requirements. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
• Your application must be submitted by the posting closing date. Late applications and other required materials will not be accepted.
• Failure to comply with the above application requirements may eliminate you from consideration for this position.
• All application materials and interview responses must reflect the applicant's own experience, qualifications, and work. Applicants may use generative AI tools for preparation purposes only. Use of AI to misrepresent or falsify information, or to assist during interviews, is not permitted. Review the Guidance for Generative AI Tools & Job Seekers for additional information.

Veterans:

• Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. §7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.pa.gov/agencies/employment/how-to-apply.html and click on Veterans.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS):

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.

The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law. All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION

• Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).

• Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.

• Your score is valid for this specific posting only.

• You must provide complete and accurate information or:

• your score may be lower than deserved.

• you may be disqualified.

• You may only apply/test once for this posting.

• Your results will be provided via email.

Benefit packages are determined by the county and may vary. Please contact the applicable county human resource office directly to inquire about a specific benefit package.

01

How many years of full-time professional experience do you have in the field of children, youth, and families?

• 2 or more years
• 1 but less than 2 years
• Less than 1 year
• None

02

If you are claiming experience in the above question, please list the employer(s) where you gained this experience in the text box below. The employer(s) and a description of the experience must also be included in the appropriate sections of your application if you would like the experience to be considered in the eligibility decision. If you claimed you do not have experience, type N/A in the text box below.

03

How much graduate coursework in the behavioral, social or habilitative sciences, community planning, community organization or related field have you completed?

If you are claiming credits/degree, you must upload a copy of your college transcript(s) for this education to be considered in the eligibility decision. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable. You must attach your transcript(s) prior to the submission of your application by using the "Attachments" tab on the left. You will not be able to add a transcript(s) to the application after it has been submitted.

If your education was acquired outside of the United States, you must upload a copy of your foreign credential evaluation report. We can only accept foreign credential evaluations from organizations that are members of the National Association of Credential Services (NACES). A list of current NACES members can be found by visiting www.naces.org and clicking the Evaluation Services Link.

You must attach your documentation prior to the submission of your application by using the "Attachments" tab on the left. You will not be able to add a document to the application after it has been submitted.

• 30 or more credits
• 15 but less than 30 credits
• Less than 15 credits
• None

04

You must complete the supplemental questions below. These supplemental questions are the exam and will be scored. They are designed to give you the opportunity to relate your experience and training background to the major activities (Work Behaviors) performed in this position. Failure to provide complete and accurate information may delay the processing of your application or result in a lower-than-deserved score or disqualification. You must complete the application and answer the supplemental questions. Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position or to determine your score.

All information you provide on your application and supplemental questions is subject to verification. Any misrepresentation, falsification or omission of material facts is subject to penalty. If requested, you must provide documentation, including names, addresses, and telephone numbers of individuals who can verify the validity of the information you provide in the application and supplemental questions.

Read each work behavior carefully. Determine and select which "Level of Performance" most closely represents your highest level of experience/training. List the employer(s)/training source(s) from your Work or Education sections of the application where you gained this experience/training. The "Level of Performance" you choose for each work behavior must be clearly supported within the description of the experience and training information entered in your application or your score may be lowered. In order to receive credit for experience, you must have worked in a job for at least six months in which the experience claimed was a major function.

If you have read and understand these instructions, please click on the "Yes" button and proceed to the exam questions.

• Yes

05

WORK BEHAVIOR 1 - PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

Conducts needs assessments and develops program objectives, plans, policies, and procedures by conceptualizing service delivery methods, planning the timeline for program start-up, determining program organizational structures and ensuring overall program effectiveness and compliance with federal and state laws, state and county guidelines and regulations, and county contractual agreements.

Levels of Performance

Select the "Level of Performance" which best describes your claim.

• A. I have experience as a lead conducting needs assessments or developing program objectives, plans, and procedures by conceptualizing service delivery methods, planning the timeline for program start-up, determining program organizational structures and ensuring overall program effectiveness and compliance with federal and state laws, state and county guidelines and regulations, and county contractual agreements.
• B. I have experience as a member of a team compiling and analyzing program data for needs assessments, reviewing existing or previous program data, interpreting regulations to ensure program compliance, analyzing the impact on business functions and program recipients.
• C. I have experience providing data for program plans, developing data collection methods, and testing proposed ideas as a supporting member of a team working to develop new programs and initiatives.
• D. I have NO experience or training related to this work behavior.

06

Describe your experience as it relates to the level of performance you claimed on this Work Behavior. Please be sure your response addresses the items listed below. If you claimed you have no work experience related to this work behavior, type N/A in the text box below.

• The name of the employer where you gained this experience.
• Details regarding your experience and duties related to program development (conducting needs assessments, developing program objectives, plans and procedures, and compiling and analyzing program data).
• Your level of responsibility.

07

WORK BEHAVIOR 2 - PROGRAM EVALUATION

Reviews, analyzes, and monitors the effectiveness of programs in meeting goals and objectives by reviewing documentation such as strategic plans, service utilization and development reports, and financial reports; compiling findings to assess whether programs operate cost effectively, explore programmatic or fiscal effects and implications of policy decision or proposed policy changes, and assure adherence to all applicable requirements and standards; recommending action necessary to resolve concerns; and responding to inquiries from staff regarding effectiveness of the program under review..

Levels of Performance

Select the "Level of Performance" which best describes your claim.

• A. I have experience reviewing, analyzing, and monitoring the effectiveness of programs in meeting goals and objectives by reviewing documentation such as strategic plans, service utilization and development reports, and financial reports; and compiling findings to assess whether programs operate cost effectively, exploring programmatic or fiscal effects and implications of policy decision or proposed policy changes, and assuring adherence to all applicable requirements and standards; and recommending action necessary to resolve concerns; and responding to inquiries from staff regarding effectiveness of the program under review.
• B. I have experience reviewing, analyzing, or monitoring specific aspects of programs in meeting goals and objectives by reviewing documentation; and compiling findings to assess whether specific aspects of programs operate cost effectively, exploring programmatic or fiscal effects and implications of policy decision or proposed policy changes, and assuring adherence to all applicable requirements and standards; and responding to inquiries from staff regarding effectiveness of the program under review.
• C. I have experience compiling documents and findings necessary to assess programs as a supporting member of a team and responding to inquiries from staff regarding effectiveness of programs.
• D. have NO experience or training related to this work behavior.

08

Describe your experience as it relates to the level of performance you claimed on this Work Behavior. Please be sure your response addresses the items listed below. If you claimed you have no work experience related to this work behavior, type N/A in the text box below.

• The name of the employer where you gained this experience.
• Details regarding your experience related to program evaluation (reviewing, analyzing, and monitoring effectiveness).
• Your level of responsibility.

09

WORK BEHAVIOR 3 - CONTRACTED SERVICE AGREEMENTS

Monitors service agreement contracts to ensure county agency and third party service providers adhere to state and county regulations, policies, and procedures and contractual obligations; reviews pertinent documentation, evaluates data, compiles findings, and recommends actions for potential contracted service agreements; clarifies contract specifications; and resolves problems and inconsistencies with services provided within the service agreements.

Levels of Performance

Select the "Level of Performance" which best describes your claim.

• A. I have experience monitoring service agreement contracts to ensure county agency and third party service providers adhere to state and county regulations, policies, and procedures and contractual obligations; and reviewing pertinent documentation, evaluating data, compiling findings, and recommending actions for potential contracted service agreements; and clarifying contract specifications; and resolving problems and inconsistencies with services provided within the service agreements.
• B. I have experience reviewing pertinent documentation, evaluating data, compiling findings, and recommending actions for potential contracted service agreements; and clarifying contract specifications; and resolving problems and inconsistencies with services provided within the service agreements.
• C. I have experience gathering data on related service agreements, obtaining information from prospective service providers, and identifying potential problems and inconsistencies with services provided from a service provider.
• D. I have no experience or training related to this work behavior.

10

Describe your experience as it relates to the level of performance you claimed on this Work Behavior. Please be sure your response addresses the items listed below. If you claimed you have no work experience related to this work behavior, type N/A in the text box below.

• The name of the employer where you gained this experience.
• Details related to your experience related to service agreement contracts (monitoring, reviewing, gathering data).
• Your level of responsibility.

11

WORK BEHAVIOR 4 - TRAINING/COMMUNITY EDUCATION

Identifies areas for skill development needed by agency staff and contract service providers and provides training and technical assistance based on identified needs by developing and coordinating training classes and programs, providing classroom training, and conducting post-training assessments; meets with federal, state, and county agencies, community organizations, and contract service providers to explain county programs, objectives, and policies and to identify impact resulting from changes in laws and regulations; coordinate services utilized by multiple agencies; serves as a liaison to the public to build and maintain relationships and communicate changes by organizing and conducting meetings to promote program initiatives and preparing presentations on services and programs available in designated areas.

Levels of Performance

Select the "Level of Performance" which best describes your claim.

• A. I have experience developing and coordinating training classes and programs for agency staff and contract service providers by providing classroom training, and conducting post-training assessments; and meeting with federal, state, and county agencies, community organizations, and contract service providers to explain county programs, objectives, and policies and to identify impact resulting from changes in laws and regulations; and coordinating services utilized by multiple agencies; and serving as a liaison to the public to build and maintain relationships and communicate changes by organizing and conducting meetings to promote program initiatives and preparing presentations on services and programs available in designated areas.
• B. I have experience as a trainer or professional providing training and technical assistance to agency staff based on identified needs by providing classroom training, and conducting post-training assessments; and meeting with federal, state, and county agencies, community organizations, and contract service providers to explain county programs, objectives, and policies; and serving as a liaison to the public to build and maintain relationships; and conducting meetings to promote program initiatives and preparing presentations on services and programs available in designated areas.
• C. I have experience conducting post-training assessments by gathering data from post-training skill assessment surveys and assisting team members in conducting meetings to promote program initiatives and preparing presentations on services and programs available in designated areas.
• D. I have NO experience or training related to this work behavior.

12

Describe your experience as it relates to the level of performance you claimed on this Work Behavior. Please be sure your response addresses the items listed below. If you claimed you have no work experience related to this work behavior, type N/A in the text box below.

• The name of the employer where you gained this experience.
• Details regarding your experience related to community education (developing, coordinating, providing training, assessment of training).
• Your level of responsibility.

Required Question

Employer Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Address 613 North Street

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 17120

Website http://www.employment.pa.gov