Professional Development Program Specialist ; PS– Olympia

Professional Development Specialist - Program Specialist 4 (PS4) - Olympia

Our vision is to ensure that "All Washington's children and youth grow up safe and healthy, thriving physically, emotionally, and educationally, nurtured by family and community".

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is accepting applications for a Professional Development Specialist to serve as a member of a dynamic centralized training team providing new employee academy trainings and ongoing in-service trainings for existing employees in many different subjects, including but not limited to Trauma-Informed Care, Milieu Management, Suicide Prevention & Intervention, Incident Reporting, Verbal Deescalation, and others.

This position is stationed at DCYF Headquarters in Olympia, with regular travel to Green Hill School and Western Washington Community Facilities and Regional Offices.

As a Trainer and Training Coordinator, you will coordinate, schedule, and track compliance for training activities for all new and existing employees at the 3 Community Facilities and the Regional Offices for Regions 3, 4, 5, and 6. You will regularly deliver the New Employee Academy foundational trainings at Green Hill School. This position serves on a dynamic team that is dedicated to delivering trainings that prepare Juvenile Rehabilitation staff to be highly effective in their work with young people across the JR continuum.

We are focused on Continuous Quality Improvement of the trainings we deliver, always working to improve what we offer.

This is a hybrid position, with some opportunity to work from home. This does not guarantee working from home every week. An average week will include 3-5 days training at Green Hill or other Washington State Juvenile Rehabilitation facilities.

Some of what you'll do:

• Deliver professional-level instruction that is culturally responsive and trauma-informed, and that aligns with adult learning theory and best practices and principles to work effectively with residents of Washington State Juvenile Rehabilitation secure and community facilities.
• Deliver all Foundations curricula in the New Employee Academy (NEA) at Green Hill School and other locations to fulfill needs.
• Deliver in-service training for staff in assigned community facilities, regions, and at Green Hill School.
• Collaborate with fellow instructors and the Training Administrator to plan, adapt, and deliver instruction.
• Provide structured coaching, feedback, and mentoring during training to support staff.
• Manage the new employee onboarding program for the area of operations.
• Perform advanced data collection and tracking of training records and participant surveys and communicate timely updates to the training administrator.
• Problem solve issues with training quality and consistent completion and recommend and implement adjustments to improve training methods, learner engagement, and skill transfer.

Required Qualifications:

A Bachelor's degree in social services or field related to personnel development, AND a minimum of two years of experience working in a juvenile justice-related field including working with youth in residential and/or community facilities and programs, with an understanding of pertinent RCW and WAC.

OR

An equivalent combination of education and experience totaling six years, including a minimum of two years of professional experience applying adult learning principles.

AND

In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following:

• A Bachelor's degree with focus on adult learning, human resources, business, social or organizational behavioral sciences, or related field from an accredited institution whose accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or a foreign equivalent.
• Additional demonstration of instructor development or certification as an instructor of job knowledge/skill training for adult learners.
• Previously demonstrated ability to work effectively with a staff team that values professionalism, diversity, collaboration, integrity and continuous quality improvement to instructional quality and customer service to students and stakeholders.
• Previously demonstrated competence to execute expert level organizational and facilitation skills.
• Previously demonstrated ability to work effectively within a team-oriented working environment with diverse staff.
• Previously demonstrated ability to work in a justice environment that includes respectful, humane and therapeutic intersections with individuals who have been committed or sentenced to serve time. Preferably two years of experience working with clients in a residential or community facility.
• Skill in oral and written communications to present training to a variety of audiences.

How do I apply?

Complete your applicant profile and attach the following documents:

• Letter of…