PROGRAM SPECIALIST VI - OAHU
Salary
See Position Description
Location
Island of Oahu
Job Type
Various
Job Number
26-0261
Department
Various
Opening Date
07/05/2026
Closing Date
Continuous
Max Number of Applicants
20
Recruitment Information
Recruitment Number 26-0261 - The current vacancy positions are permanent, full-time positions located in Downtown with the Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) and the Department of Transportation - Administration (DOT-ADM)
THIS JOB POSTING WILL REMAIN OPEN UNTIL 20 APPLICATIONS ARE RECEIVED.
PLEASE APPLY IMMEDIATELY AS THIS RECRUITMENT MAY CLOSE AT ANY TIME.
Salary: $6,728 to $8,187 per month (SR-26, Step D to I)
This recruitment will be used to establish a list of qualified candidates to fill the current vacancy positions and may be used to fill future vacancies as they occur.
Hiring rates will be based on availability of funds, the applicants qualifications, and other relevant factors.
Duties Summary
Positions in the Program Specialist series perform and/or supervise professional work in planning, developing, coordinating, monitoring and evaluating programs, operations and activities in support of an agencys program. The work involves conducting studies, research, and analyses to identify needs or recommend solutions to problems; developing program plans, policies and procedures, rules and regulations, for the monitoring and maintenance of current programs or establishment of new programs and services; or providing advisory services, training, serving as liaison or resource to community organizations or others concerned with the agencys programs and activities for the implementation of new or revised programs or functions.
Level VI positions are supervisors of program development and/or evaluation services of such size and scope as to require a staff of program specialists with at least one specialist performing work comparable to the Program Specialist V level below, and which may include subordinate supervisors; and perform other related duties as assigned.
The Program Specialist V positions referenced above are typically reflective of three general types:
A: A program specialist that supervises a staff of program specialists performing program planning and development work, and in addition, may participate in the performance of various program planning and development activities in support of an agencys program;
B: A program specialist located at the departmental or division level, with responsibility for all of the program planning, development, and implementation activities for one or more major components of the agencys overall program. Such responsibility has a MAJOR impact on the programs operations and services and includes, but is not limited to, being cognizant of changes to State and federal laws, legislation, policies, etc.; evaluating their impact on program goals and priorities, and resolving any issues or problems; anticipating and determining the need and making recommendations for review and development of new or revised plans, goals and objectives; ensuring that the coordination and implementation of new or revised program plans, policies, functions, work processes, etc., are properly and efficiently executed; and providing advice and consultation to managers, supervisors and others. Technical determinations are not normally questioned, and the specialist is given considerable authority to coordinate work activities with federal and other State and private agencies in the planning and development of new or improved plans, policies, standards, operations, etc.;
C: A program specialist located at the departmental or division level, performing the most complex, extensive, and intensive program development, implementation, and evaluation assignments. The intensity of the agencys program is such that it requires the constant development of new or revised programs and plans, policies and standards, etc., to meet constantly changing federal requirements, legislative mandates, or consumer needs. The assignments are highly developmental, and involve solving unprecedented issues or controversial problems, or developing new concepts or methodologies that impact the entire agencys operations, goals and objectives, or provision of services. Considerable resourcefulness and creativity are required in the development of new programs and services, and recommendations carry considerable weight.
Excluded from the Program Specialist VI class are positions which involve professional work identified with other occupations by the nature of the paramount qualification requirements and/or in which the primary emphasis of the work requires knowledge in a specific or specialized occupational field such as engineering, social work, budget evaluation and analysis, management and organizational analysis, etc. Such positions should be classified in the appropriate specialized series.
Minimum Qualification Requirements
To qualify, you must meet all of the following requirements:
Legal Authorization to Work:
The State of Hawaii requires all persons seeking employment with the government of the State shall be citizens, nationals, or permanent resident aliens of the United States, or eligible under federal law for unrestricted employment in the United States.
Basic Education: Bachelors degree from an accredited four-year college or university.
General Experience: One and one-half (1-1/2) years of progressively responsible professional work experience which required a high degree of analytical skill. Such experience must have involved gathering, evaluating and analyzing facts and other pertinent information required to resolve problems and/or to determine and recommend appropriate courses of action.
Specialized Experience: Two (2) years of progressively responsible professional experience in one or a combination of the following:
A. Type 1: Professional work experience in any field which involved work such as monitoring, evaluating, or conducting studies and analyses of programs or projects to make recommendations for the development or revision of standards, policies, procedures, or techniques; gathering and analyzing data to determine conformance with standards and requirements and recommending improvements or developing training materials; and giving technical advice and direction pertaining to program standards, requirements, or techniques.
B. Type 2: Professional experience in a pertinent field/program area related to the agencys/programs role, function, operations, and/or program activities which provided knowledge of principles and practices, current issues and concerns of the identified field/program area and State and federal agencies, community, resources and services that interact with and have an impact on the agencys programs and activities.
Quality of Experience: Applicants must possess experience independently performing the FULL RANGE of program planning, development, and evaluation activities in support of an agencys program or program activities comparable to the Program Specialist IV level in the State service.
Level IV positions regularly involves complex assignments such as the development of new policies or standards that impact the agency and the interrelationships of its programs, and the development of comprehensive reports of findings and conclusions. Some positions may supervise lower level program specialists and/or other workers.
At this level, positions are usually responsible for one or more administrative and staff support activities such as budget formulation, grants or contracts management, staff development, development of legislation, provision of advisory services to line staff and others on new or revised techniques, processes and procedures, policy interpretation, etc.
Supervisory Experience: One (1) year of formal supervisory work experience which included:
A. Planning, organizing, scheduling, and directing the work of others;
B. Assigning and reviewing their work;
C. Advising them on difficult work problems;
D. Training and developing subordinates; and
E. Evaluating their work performance, and disciplining them when necessary.
Substitutions Allowed: Relevant substitutions as described in the Minimum Qualification Requirements, will apply.
Drivers License: A valid drivers license is required for some positions at the time of appointment.
The information provided above represents a summary of the complete Minimum Qualification Requirements. To view the Requirements in their entirety, please CLICK HERE.
03375:060208:13:AS
Other Information
The State of Hawaii complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodations in completing an application, any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the selection process, please call 808-587-0936 for assistance.
PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS (PSLF) PROGRAM
The PSLF Program is a federal program that is intended to encourage individuals to work in public service by forgiving the balance of their federal student loans. To qualify, the individual must have made 120 qualifying payments while employed by a qualifying employer. For more information, please click: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service
ELECTRONIC NOTIFICATION TO APPLICANTS
The Department of Human Resources Development (HRD) will use electronic mail (email) to notify applicants of important information relating to the status and processing of their applications as part of our ongoing efforts to increase operational efficiency, promote the conservation of green resources, and minimize delays and costs.
Please ensure that the email address and contact information you provide is current, secure, and readily accessible to you. We will not be responsible in any way if you do not receive our emails or fail to check your email-box in a timely manner. In addition, please be aware that you may no longer receive notification about applications submitted if you choose to disable the Job Application Emails feature in your Account Settings.
TESTING INFORMATION
The examination for this recruitment will be conducted on an unassembled basis where the examination score is based on an evaluation and rating of your education and experience. It is therefore important that your employment application provide a clear and detailed description of the duties and responsibilities of each position you held.
In-person interviews and/or further testing in Hawaii may be required at the discretion of the hiring agency. If in-person interviews and/or further testing is a requirement, applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements and are referred to the vacancy must be available to participate in person and at their own expense in this required phase of the selection process.
Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications as soon as possible. In addition to employment availability and score, the referral of qualified applicants may be based upon other factors including date of receipt of application.
CLICK HERE for Important Information about Equal Employment Opportunity, the Merit Civil Service System, Citizenship and other requirements, Reasonable Accommodation, Veterans Preference, Examination Requirements, and the State Recruiting Offices Levels of Review.
YOUR JOB BENEFITS WITH THE STATE OF HAWAII
The State of Hawaii offers its employees who are members of the civil service a range of benefits. Some benefits are offered as a result of collective bargaining agreements and changes may occur.
A summary of these benefits, which is based on full-time employment, is listed below.
Note: Benefits for NON-CIVIL SERVICE appointments will be provided by the hiring department at the time of interview.
With Civil Service modernization, effective July 1, 2002, employees appointed to temporary positions may also gain membership in the civil service upon satisfactory completion of an initial probation period of at least six months. As a temporary member of the civil service, you will be eligible to apply for promotion and transfer opportunities to permanent as well as other temporary positions. You may also enjoy other rights and benefits afforded to members of the civil service, with the exception of return rights and placement rights associated with a reduction-in-force of a permanent member of the civil service.
Paid Holidays
You may be eligible for 13 paid holidays each year; 14 holidays during an election year.
Paid Vacation
You may earn vacation leave at a rate that other employers find tough to match - 21 days each full year from the FIRST year of employment. This compares to an average of 10 days offered by private companies. You may accumulate up to a total of 90 days (720 hours) of vacation.
Paid Sick Leave
You may earn sick leave at the same rate as vacation - 21 days per year from the FIRST year, and there is no limit on the amount you can accumulate. Expectant mothers may also use sick leave for pre-natal or post-natal check-ups or any illness related to pregnancy. Plus, unused accumulated sick leave may eventually be used to increase your retirement benefits in certain situations.
Other Leaves
Reasonable time off with pay may be provided for jury or witness duty, a death in the family, some military duty, and donation to the Blood Bank. Leave sharing donations may be granted to eligible employees who have serious personal illnesses or injuries or need to care for a seriously ill or injured family member. Various leaves without pay may also be granted with full re-employment rights.
Health Insurance
The State pays a part of the premiums for each employees enrollment in a State sponsored Medical, Drug, Vision, and Dental Plan. For more information, visit the Employer Union Trust Fund website www.eutf.hawaii.gov for coverage and options.
Group Life Insurance
The State provides a free life insurance policy for employees.
Retirement Plan
The State contributes to a retirement plan for eligible employees. Generally, employees under the Hybrid Plan with 10 years of credited service and who have reached 65 years of age or have 30 years of credited service and have reached 60 years of age may retire and receive benefits. To find out more about the options you have, go to http://ers.ehawaii.gov.
Premium Conversion Plan
Participating employees may increase their take-home pay by having the State deduct the cost of health care premiums before payroll taxes are withheld.
Flexible Spending Accounts
Eligible employees can reduce their federal and state income taxes and social security taxes through a tax-savings benefit program called Island Flex. This program allows employees to set aside money from their paychecks to pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses and eligible dependent care expenses on a BEFORE-TAX basis.
Transportation Benefits
Participating employees may increase their take-home pay by having the State deduct qualified transportation expenses (i.e. eligible parking fees, monthly bus passes for TheBus, fare coupons for The Handi-Van, Vanpool Hawaii participation fee, etc.) through pre-tax payroll deductions.
Deferred Compensation
The State offers employees a voluntary pre-tax retirement savings plan designed to give employees a tax break today and an opportunity to build a retirement nest egg through voluntary payroll deductions. Several types of investment options are available.
Temporary Disability Insurance
Qualified employees may be eligible to receive benefits for a disability caused by a non-work related injury or illness under this program.
Social Security
As an employer, the State also contributes to an employees social security account.
Promotions & Transfers
For employees with membership in the civil service, the State offers promotion and transfer opportunities throughout the State Executive Branch.
Training & Continuing Education
The State supports developmental activities related to an employees work. In many departments there are numerous in-service training opportunities available. Sabbatical leaves with pay are available for qualified employees.
Travel Expenses
The State may pay for certain business related travel expenses including mileage reimbursement for use of a personal car during work, airfare, meals and lodging expenses for trips to neighbor islands or out of state.
Incentive & Service Awards
The State has a program that recognizes employees for their years of service and provides cash awards for their superior accomplishments and other contributions that improve State operations.
Union & Collective Bargaining
Employees have the right to join the union for collective bargaining with the State and employee representation. Some employee unions provide discounts, insurance and other opportunities. Employees may also decide not to join a union, however, employees are required to pay union service fees unless the employees job is excluded from collective bargaining.
The above information is solely intended as a summary of the benefits available to State of Hawaii employees and is subject to change. Whether or not you are entitled to a particular benefit will depend on your specific appointment and employment status (included, excluded, exempt, non-exempt). Please refer to the appropriate collective bargaining agreement or executive order and all applicable laws, rules, policies, or plan documents for further details. Nothing herein shall be deemed as creating an employment contract, promise of employment, promise of continued employment, or obligation of any kind on the part of the State of Hawaii.
CLICK HERE for more information on the State of Hawaiis Benefits At-A-Glance.
The State of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Revised 01/13
01
RECRUITMENT SURVEY (MANDATORY) Completion of this survey is mandatory. You must select one option; multiple selections permitted. The information you provide will be used to improve our recruitment efforts. We appreciate your cooperation.
What led you to explore career opportunities with the State of Hawaii?
02
APPLICANTS ACKNOWLEDGMENT - REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS
The responses you provide to these Supplemental Questions will be used in combination with your application to determine whether you meet the qualification requirements and/or your final score. Failure to provide detailed and complete information may result in your application being rejected or receiving a lower score. Please do not submit solely a resume in place of completing the Supplemental Questions. A response of "see resume" or "see application" will deem your application incomplete.
You must submit verification (e.g., copies of official transcripts or diploma as instructed below) in order to receive credit for education. In general, proof of education downloaded from and/or submitted through the internet will not be accepted. Education obtained outside the United States must be comparable to education earned at an accredited school in the United States. We also reserve the right to request further information about your academic program, evidence of comparability, or an original transcript.
To receive credit for substitute, temporary assignment, or volunteer experience, you must submit an official letter of verification. The letter should include the job title, employment dates, number of hours worked, a description of the professional duties performed, and a contact name and phone number.
Any information you submit may be verified. Supporting documents must be either electronically attached to your application or submitted to our office at: State of Hawaii - Department of Human Resources Development - 235 South Beretania Street, 11th Floor - Honolulu, Hawaii 96813.
03
APPLICANTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT (Continued)
Applicants must meet all the requirements for the position they are seeking as of the date of the application, unless otherwise specified. In general, concurrent experiences and/or education will not be double credited unless otherwise specified. Your possession of the required amount of experience will not in and of itself be accepted as proof of qualification for the position. The overall paid or unpaid experience must be of such scope and responsibility as to conclusively demonstrate that you have the ability to perform the duties of the position
Our calculation of experience will be based upon a full-time, 40-hour work week. Part-time experience will be pro-rated.
Example: Twelve months of experience at 20 hours/week will be pro-rated to six months of experience. Also, hours worked in excess of 40 hours/week will not be extra credited.
Example: Twelve months of experience at 60 hours/week will be credited as one year of experience, not one and a half years.
04
MINIMUM QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS (Complete information and details)
A link to the Minimum Qualification Requirements (MQRs) has been provided in the online job announcement. Please review the MQRs in their entirety.
05
BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT
Please indicate how you meet this requirement by selecting one of following choices. (Refer to the Minimum Qualification Requirements for more detailed information.)
In order to receive credit for your academic training, you MUST SUBMIT a legible copy of your OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS by attaching it to your online application, if you have not recently done so.
NOTE: If you are using relevant work experience in lieu of a Bachelors degree to fulfill the Education Requirement, clearly describe this work experience in your application. In order to receive credit, this experience must be comparable in scope, level, and quality to knowledge and skills gained via completion of study leading to a Bachelors degree as specified in the Minimum Qualification Requirements.
06
GENERAL EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT
How many years of progressively responsible professional work experience as described in the Minimum Qualification Requirements do you possess?
07
GENERAL EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT (Continued)
If you selected "No experience" for Question #6 above, indicate "N/A" below.
If you possess the General Experience, provide the following information to address your relevant background.
Address each change in employer or positions with the same employer separately. The information for EACH employer should include:
A. Employers name, complete dates (Month/year to Month/year), your official job title, and average number of hours per week spent collectively on duties below;
B. Describe this employer, including the type of organization (government or private firm, self-employment, consultant, etc.), the major sections, the section you worked in, the number and types of professional staff you worked with, the activities or services provided, and clientele served;
C. The primary function/focus of your position and your major duties and responsibilities;
D. Describe your experience, if any, in each of the following areas. Include your specific role, the steps you took and relevant examples to illustrate the scope and extent of your responsibilities. If not involved in an area, state No:
1) Gathering, evaluating, and analyzing facts and other relevant information required to resolve problems. What kinds of problems did you resolve? What steps did you take?;
2) Elicit information orally and in writing. What kinds of information did you elicit and how did you obtain them? From whom? For what purpose were you required to elicit such information?;
3) Reading, comprehending, interpreting, and evaluating technical subjects, analysis or proposals. What types of technical subjects? For what purpose did you have to read or analyze them? What did you do with your findings?;
4) Applying problem solving methods and techniques. What were these methods and techniques (e.g., defining and analyzing problems, identifying alternative courses of action, determining appropriate alternatives and why, etc.)?; and
5) Preparing clear and concise reports. What kinds of reports or subjects did you cover? Describe if these were verbal and/or written reports. What kinds of recommendations for action did you make? For whom did you prepare these reports?
E. How did your duties and level of authority differ from those of your supervisor?
Be specific and complete in your responses. To receive credit, the employer(s) and each position held must be identified in the experience section of your application.
A resume only submitted in lieu of answering each supplemental question completely will not be accepted. We do not make assumptions.
If your write up is unclear, you may be asked to provide a copy of your official Job/Position Description.
08
PARTIAL SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR GENERAL EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT
Please indicate if you meet this requirement by selecting one of the following choices.
In order to receive credit, you MUST SUBMIT a legible copy of your OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS by attaching it to your online application, if you have not recently done so.
09
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT
How many years of professional work experience in any field which involved work such as monitoring, evaluating or conducting studies and analyses of programs or projects to make recommendations for the development or revision of standards, policies, procedures or techniques; gathering and analyzing data to determine conformance with standards and requirements and recommending improvements or developing training materials; and giving technical advice and direction pertaining to program standards, requirements or techniques do you possess?
10
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT (Continued)
If you selected "No experience" for Question #9 above, indicate "N/A" below.
If you possess the Specialized Experience, provide the following information to address your relevant background.
Address each change in employer or position(s) with the same employer separately. Include the following information:
A. Employers name, complete dates (Month/year to Month/year), your official job title, and average number of hours per week spent collectively on program planning and program development duties below;
B. Describe this employer, including the type of organization (government or private firm, consultant, etc.), the major sections, the section you worked in, the number and types of professional staff you worked with, the activities or services provided, and clientele served. OR, you may submit an organizational chart;
C. The primary function/focus of your position and your major duties and responsibilities;
D. Describe your experience, if any, in EACH of the following areas. Include your specific role, the steps you took, and relevant examples to illustrate the scope and extent of your responsibilities. Address each area separately and in the order given. If not involved in an area, state No:
1) Monitoring, evaluating, or conducting studies and analyses of programs or projects. What kinds of studies? What program issues did you analyze and evaluate? In which field(s)? What kinds of policies, standards, or procedures did you recommend and/or develop?;
2) Gathering and analyzing data. What types of data? For what purpose? For which particular area(s) of the program? What steps did you take to determine conformance with standards and requirements and recommend improvements?;
3) Developing training materials. What subject area(s)? For whom?;
4) Giving technical advice (describe) and direction regarding program standards, requirements, or techniques. To whom did you provide such services? For what purpose? If other agencies or organizations (describe) were involved, what was your role, if any, in providing and/or coordinating services?;
5) If applicable, describe how you were involved in grant or contract preparation and/or management. What types of grants? For what purpose? What was the end result of your efforts? Give illustrative examples; and
6) Describe your involvement in any other aspects of program planning, development, and/or evaluation activities (including budget formulation, legislation, advisory services, etc.).
E. Which best describes the level of work you performed: trainee, assistant, fully independent, or supervisor/manager?;
F. What degree of supervision did you receive in performing these duties? What kinds of decisions were you authorized and/or not authorized to make?; and
G. What was the official job title of your supervisor (e.g., Project Manager)? How did your duties and level of authority differ from those of your supervisor?
Be specific and complete in your responses. To receive credit, the employer(s) and each position held must be identified in the experience section of your application.
A resume only submitted in lieu of answering each supplemental question completely will not be accepted. We do not make assumptions.
If your write up is unclear, you may be asked to provide a copy of your official Job/Position Description and organizational chart.
11
SUPERVISORY EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT
These positions require an additional ONE (1) YEAR OF FORMAL SUPERVISORY EXPERIENCE as described in the Minimum Qualification Requirements. Do you have such experience?
Please select from the following options:
12
SUPERVISORY EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT (Continued)
If you selected "No formal supervisory experience" for Question #11 above, indicate "N/A" below.
If you possess the required Supervisory Experience, provide the following information. Address each change in employer or position(s) with the same employer separately.
The information for each employer should include:
A. Employer, complete dates (Month/year to Month/year), your official job title, and average number of hours spent collectively on duties below;
B. Describe this employer, including the type of organization (government or private firm, consultant, etc.), the major sections, the section you worked in, the number and type of staff you worked with, the services provided, and clientele served;
C. The primary function/focus of your position and your major duties and responsibilities;
D. The number and titles of the positions you supervised, and a description of your formal supervisory duties in EACH of the following areas:
1) Planning, organizing, scheduling, and directing the work of others;
2) Assigning and reviewing their work;
3) Advising them on difficult work problems;
4) Training and developing subordinates; and
5) Evaluating their work performance, and disciplining them when necessary.
E. What was the official job title of your supervisor? How did your duties and level of authority differ from your supervisor?
Be specific and complete in your responses. Employers and each position held must be identified in the experience section of your application. We do not make assumptions.
If your write up and resume are unclear, you may be asked to provide a copy of your official Job/Position Description.
13
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Thank you for your application. If you have additional information related specifically to this class of work that you would like us to consider, include the information below.
14
EMPLOYMENT STATUS SURVEY #1
Completion of this survey is mandatory. You must select one option. This information will assist us with our recruiting efforts. We appreciate your cooperation.
Which of the following reflects your current employment status?
15
EMPLOYMENT STATUS SURVEY #2
Completion of this survey is mandatory. This information will assist us with our recruiting efforts. We appreciate your cooperation.
If you selected recently laid off in response to Employment Status Survey #1, please indicate the name of the employer from which you were laid off.
If you selected other in response to Employment Status Survey #1, please explain.
if these two options do not apply to you, please indicate "N/A."
Required Question
Employer State of Hawaii
Address DHRD - Employee Staffing Division
235 S. Beretania Street, 11th Floor, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96813-2437
Phone 808-587-1111 or 1-877-447-5990 (TTY)