Protective Services Specialist 1/2 Fairbanks (PCN 063182M)

Job Description "This position is currently under review as part of the Child Protection Services Study; therefore, the title and/or pay range currently assigned may be subject to change upon implementation of this class study." The Department of Family and Community Services is recruiting for Protective Services Specialist 1/2 in Fairbanks! This job class uses Competency Based minimum qualifications (MQs). Please read the Competency Based MQ instructions below to learn more. What You Will Be Doing: As a Protective Service Specialist (PSS), located in Fairbanks, Alaska, you will be responsible for Child Protection Services in the Family Services Unit, the Investigations and Assessment Unit, or as Generalist covering both and will be required to travel throughout the interior of Alaska approximately four times a month. This case carrying position has a wide range of duties, including investigating reports of child abuse and/or neglect, prepare plans for intervention by soliciting the cooperation of the family and others, and gather information about family dynamics/functionality, develop plans to ensure child safety while assisting parents in addressing their diminished protective factors, place children out of the home with a relative or licensed foster home when necessary, provide ongoing and/or in-home services to families, write and submit reports to the Court, work closely with Tribal/Community Partners, frequent face-to-face and telephonic contact with parents and caregivers of children in custody and make referrals to other service providers and agencies. OCS has opportunities across several units. During the hiring process, we work with applicants to match them with a position that best aligns with their strengths, experience, and interests. Strong writing skills, the ability to manage your workload independently, and a collaborative approach are important in ensuring the safety and well-being of children throughout Alaska. Child protection work can involve making critical decisions in urgent situations. Staff must be prepared to respond quickly and confidently to protect children and maintain their own safety, including in situations that may involve potential physical risk. Mission and Values/Culture: The Mission of the Office of Children's Services is: Ensuring the safety, permanency and well-being of children by strengthening families, engaging communities, and partnering with Tribes. The Office of Children's Services strives for a diverse and inclusive workforce where safety and well-being are paramount and employees at all levels promote a culture where everyone is valued, treated equitably, and treated respectfully. Everything we do is underpinned by our Core Values Hope, Integrity, Respect and Empathy. ** Benefits of Joining Our Team:** The Office of Children's Services is committed to an organizational culture that values each team member. We are committed to building and sustaining a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment. We celebrate and value the diversity of our employees, partners, and families we serve. Your first twelve months in the agency are probationary and considered a training period, with formal virtual training, on-the-job training with your supervisor, and with other colleagues. While this is a field-based position that involves working in the community, part-time teleworking within the duty station may be an option upon eligibility. Full-time benefits of this position include but are not limited to: Insurance Benefits; Retirement Benefits; Paid Leave; and twelve paid holidays per year. Please see the benefits tab on this posting for more information. The Working Environment You Can Expect: The Interior Rural Field Office serves approximately 30 rural communities in the Interior of Alaska. The home base location is in the Fairbanks Field Office which serves the Fairbanks area, North Pole, as well as surrounding communities. This requires the incumbent to travel in small aircraft, all-terrain vehicles, or small boats to remote villages, communities, or rural locations in Alaska. Some of the communities are not equipped with modern conveniences, hotels, or bed and breakfasts, thus the employee must be prepared to sleep in offices, schools, tribal community buildings, or other accommodation if overnight visit is required. Frequency of travel is expected to be 4+ times a month. There may be day trips and occasional overnight stays in rustic conditions with some exposure to extreme weather conditions in the winter. You may also have the opportunity to assist other field offices within the Northern Region for a few days on an as-needed basis. The work performed is critical and significantly impacts the communities we serve. As a result, Office of Childrens Services works on evenings, and weekends as well as weekdays, so overtime and working on-call on a rotational basis are expectations of our workers. Our teams are based around having a strong work ethic and high ethical standards, believing in treating all people with dignity and respect, as well as being self-motivated, organized and honest. We are all about getting the job done while still contributing to a positive, upbeat work environment. Office of Childrens Services Staff are considered essential, so are expected to work during pandemic and other natural disasters. Starting as a level 1 (trainee) or 2 (journey) is dependent on experience and qualification. For information on the Fairbanks community (including schools, hospitals, housing) please review the Alaska Community Profiles. ** Who We Are Looking For: **We are interested in candidates who possess some or all of the following position specific competencies: - Self-Management:Sets well-defined and realistic personal goals; displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner; works with minimal supervision; is motivated to achieve; demonstrates responsible behavior. - Stress Tolerance:Deals calmly and effectively with high stress situations (for example, tight deadlines, hostile individuals, emergency situations, dangerous situations). {=html} - Teamwork:Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals. **To view the general description and example of duties for the position please go to the following link:**https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/Alaska/classspecs If you can imagine yourself in this role, we encourage you to apply! Minimum Qualifications Competency Based Minimum Qualifications Instructions This job class uses competency based minimum qualifications.Please ensure your