Protective Services Specialist 1/2 Wasilla (PCN 069347)

Protective Service Specialist 1/2Come join the State of Alaska!The Department of Family and Community Services, Office of Children's Services (OCS) is recruiting for full-time Protective Service Specialist 1/2 in Wasilla, Alaska. The position is open to Alaska Residents Only.What You Will Be Doing: As a Protective Services Specialist, you will be responsible for Child Protection Services. Depending on the needs of the agency, this position can either be in Family Services or Investigations & Assessment, or a Generalist covering both. Starting as a level 1 (trainee) or 2 (journey) is dependent on experience and qualifications. This position has a wide range of duties, including investigating reports of abuse and/or neglect, preparing plans for intervention by soliciting the cooperation of the family and others, gathering information about family dynamics/functioning, developing plans to ensure child safety while assisting parents in addressing their diminished protective factors, placing children out of the home with a relative or licensed foster home when necessary, providing ongoing and/or in-home services to families, writing and submitting reports to the Court, working closely with Tribal/Community Partners, frequent face-to-face and telephonic contact with parents and caregivers of children in custody and making referrals to other service providers and agencies.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 is dedicated to a diverse and inclusive workforce where safety and wellbeing are paramount. Employees all contribute to building a culture where everyone is valued, treated equitably, and treated respectfully. Everything we do is underpinned by our Core Values.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 telework within the duty station is an option upon eligibility.The Working Environment You Can Expect: This position is located in the Wasilla field office. You may be required to travel at times by plane/boat/four-wheeler etc. and may include overnight stays. Frequency of travel will normally be 1 to 2 trips per month, for up to a week at a time, depending on casework need. This is to provide support and coverage to the South Central rural areas as needed, with per-diem and accommodation paid by the State. 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. OCS Staff are considered essential, so are expected to work during pandemic and other natural disasters. For information on the Wasilla 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: Stress Tolerance: Deals calmly and effectively with high stress situations (for example, tight deadlines, hostile individuals, emergency situations, dangerous situations). 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. Teamwork: Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.A cover letter is NOT required for this position. Your complete application, including supplemental questions, will be used to determine which applicants will advance to the interview phase of the recruitment and selection process.