Senior Planner

Job Summary

Senior Planners perform professional research and planning work in the field of health and human services across a variety of County and community projects and initiatives. Senior Planners lead and oversee complex projects involving multiple stakeholders. Senior Planners provide expertise, project management, and research around broad community-wide initiatives addressing health and human services.

The Senior Planner reports within the office of the HHS County Executive. This position will lead County responses and initiatives in the behavioral health (mental health and substance use) issue area, and will play a key consultative role as a liaison with other community organizations. This position will lead and collaborate with other subject matter experts within HHS and throughout Travis County to respond to emerging challenges, issues, and needs within the community and as directed via policies and resolutions.

This position will engage in data analysis, research and planning around these issues with inter-departmental and community-wide groups and collaborations. Key responsibilities include writing and co-authoring plans, strategies, and grant applications; managing related grants, projects, and budgets; managing contracts and associated budgets and contractor compliance; and facilitating meetings and community engagement. This position will represent HHS on various committees and working groups and fully participate in any resultant projects or assignments.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This is the second in a series of three planner-related job classifications within the Planning and Research job family. This classification is distinguished by incumbents that typically have increased responsibility for planning, developing and implementing highly advanced complex projects and programs, and serving as project manager, and may make final decisions within areas of responsibility, and required additional education and experience.

Duties And Responsibilities

Works on research and fact-finding assignments as assigned by HHS County Executive and staff, with requests coming from the Travis County Commissioners Court, other Travis County departments, and on occasion, the public. Research and write summaries, create documents and other reports, and include conclusions and recommendations as related to health and human services, mental health, substance use and addiction, and the social and public health impacts on social service systems and service delivery. Develop and present analyses and presentations before the public, peers, elected officials, and/or Commissioners Court, as requested. Respond to inquiries and complaints, as directed by the HHS County Executive. Provides expertise as a subject matter expert to the County Executive and other HHS staff regarding behavioral health-related issues and engages in research initiatives to develop strategies and proposals to address these increasing challenges. May serve as a mentor to other staff regarding this issue area, and in collaboration with other HHS employees and partners, identify new strategies to adapt to rapidly changing work and priorities. Represents HHS in a high-level consultative and advisory capacity and sits on various committees and working groups, both internal to the County and external as directed. May serve as the County Executive’s representative on committees and work groups impacting HHS initiatives and work independently as well as within group assignments. Some of these are ongoing, while others conclude at a specific end date or when a deliverable(s) is met. Collaborate (internally and interagency) and work independently to identify, plan, research, write, review, and monitor grant applications, social service contracts, and (if awarded) resultant projects or initiatives. Skill and understanding to provide advice and problem-solving assistance during grant administration. Answer questions and collaborate with other departments related to project and program goals and policy interpretation. Assist with the annual budget process, which includes the writing and review of the budget as it pertains to behavioral health. May perform legislative analyses for HHS concerning this issue area during the biannual legislative session and any special sessions or interim work groups. Attend meetings, hearings (as needed), work groups, etc., related to issue-area legislation. Plans, develops, scopes/phases, and implements new, enhanced, improved, or revised existing work or related short- range and/or long-range goals and objectives, strategies, strategic plans, and standards. Serves as project manager and oversees major projects. Evaluates and coordinates projects and programs. Monitors project and program issues and reviews plans and strategies for future project and program planning requirements. Manages highly advanced and complex projects and programs with broad scope and major political, public health, safety, or welfare, community development, community health, and/or strategic plan impact. Maintains responsibility for administration and recommendations for complex research, rules, directives, policies, and procedures; planning issues; operations; related budget issues; and efficient methods, plans, and designs. Oversees the analysis, operational issues, development, and integration. Performs complex project and program research and effectiveness evaluation, which may include statistical analysis, performance measures, goals accomplished, timetables, outcomes, and outputs to include selecting appropriate research design methods, techniques, and procedures, setting up data for compiling and managing data, and data manipulation and analysis. Prepares and produces written summaries, documents, statistical reports, and other reports to include conclusions and recommendations. Coordinates the development of and conducts presentations of complex analysis results before the public, Elected Officials, and Commissioners Court. Interacts by working in partnership, on a regular basis, with community representatives or groups, departments, and outside agencies to obtain information, identify needs, and determine and ensure effectiveness and consistency of planning and meeting expectations. Ensures project phases are implemented according to timelines. Serves as a liaison to various working groups, offices, governmental agencies, and other departments. Applies skill and understanding to provide advice and problem-solving assistance. Answers questions and projects, program goals, and policy interpretation. Responds to difficult inquiries and complaints. Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

Education and Experience

Bachelor's degree in Social Work, Planning, Public Policy, Public Administration, Government, Criminal Justice, Sociology or other Social Sciences, Public Health, Geography, or a directly related field AND six (6) years increasingly responsible experience with strategic planning, planning, research, project management, policy research and program development, including one (1) year of supervisory or leadership experience;

OR,

Master's degree in Social Work, Planning, Public Policy, Public Administration, Government, Criminal Justice, Sociology or other Social Sciences, Public Health, Geography, or a directly related field AND four (4) years increasingly responsible experience strategic planning, planning, research, project management, policy research and program development, including one (1) year of supervisory or leadership experience;

OR,

Any combination of education and experience that has been achieved and is equivalent to the stated education and experience and required knowledge, skills, and abilities sufficient to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities of this job.

Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:

None required.

Preferred

Experience in working in social services/health and human services areasExperience in the field of behavioral healthExperience in project management and oversight

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of

Knowledge of Health and Human Services, mental health and substance use issues from a broad, Public Health policy perspective. Knowledge of emerging trends and academic studies around solutions and programs in these issue areas. Supervisory principles, practices and techniques. Public Administration and governmental agencies. Legislative process. Principles and techniques of planning. Modern planning research methods, data collection and analysis. Issues pertaining to area of assignment. Strategic planning techniques. Federal, State, Local and County applicable laws, rules, regulations and guidelines. Sources of information, current literature, and recent developments. Administrative and related business principles. Computer equipment to include word processing, spreadsheets, databases, statistical packages, presentation/ graphics and related software applications. Business letter writing, grammar and punctuation, and report preparation. May be required to develop knowledge of and adhere to federal and state laws requiring the confidential handling of certain health information.

Skill in

Developing short-range and long-range comprehensive plans in development of innovative solutions. Program planning, developing and implementing. Statistical analysis and policy research. Analyzing and evaluating data, policies and technical issues. Setting up systems for conducting analysis and compiling reports. Coordinating the development and making presentations. Coordinating work of others. Conducting interviews and group meetings. Both verbal and written communication.

Ability to

Research and analyze data, synthesize information, and write and present findings, including potential solutions and policy options. Initiate and develop projects and programs. Apply knowledge to data, policy, and process analysis. Reach sound conclusions and make recommendations. Manage time well and perform multiple tasks, and organize diverse activities. Formulate broad perspectives. Interpret planning and program objectives to groups and public. Bring together several viewpoints into a balanced position. Compile data and write clear and comprehensive reports. Maintenance of appropriate records. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with departmental clientele, representatives of outside agencies, other County employees and officials, and the general public.

Work Environment & Other Information

Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 5–20 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to standing, walking, sitting, repetitive motion, reaching, occasional indoor/outdoor activities, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pushing, pulling, balancing, client/customer contact, squatting to perform the essential functions.

Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions.

This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.

Work Hours: 8 AM - 5 PM; Monday through Friday.

Location: 700 Lavaca Street, Austin, TX 78701

Department: Health & Human Services

Criminal Background Check, Education, and Employment History Check Required.