Job Description
The Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) is an independent executive branch agency with oversight and ombudsperson responsibilities, established by the Massachusetts Legislature in 2008. The OCA's mission is to ensure that children receive appropriate, timely and quality state services, with a particular focus on ensuring that the Commonwealth's most vulnerable and at-risk children have the opportunity to thrive. Through collaboration with public and private stakeholders, the OCA identifies gaps in state services and recommends improvements in policy, practice, regulation and/or law. The OCA also serves as a resource for families who are receiving, or are eligible to receive, services from the Commonwealth.
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The Policy and Implementation Team at the OCA works to identify and make recommendations to address systems-level gaps and challenges in the delivery of state services for children and improve outcomes. The team accomplishes this work by conducting comprehensive, mixed methods policy analysis, managing the work of various OCA-chaired task forces, and working groups; and developing policy reports and briefs. Additionally, the team collaborates with various partners to pilot innovative programs and services designed to improve the quality of state services for children and youth by supporting pilot program design, implementation, and evaluation. The Policy and Implementation Team also manages legislative relations, communications, and external affairs for the OCA.
A Senior Policy & Implementation Manager plays a crucial role in managing select policy and programmatic projects, which may include managing the work of one or more OCA staff and/or external consultants assigned to the project. SPI Managers develop and implement policy research and analysis projects culminating in policy reports and briefs making recommendations for changes in statute, budget, policy and/or practice. SPI Managers may also manage multi-stakeholder working groups and help develop and implement pilot projects in partnership with other state agencies. While a SPI Manager may specialize in one or more areas of policy focus for the OCA, (e.g. child welfare, juvenile justice, behavioral health, education), the OCA's work intentionally crosses systems and silos, and a SPI Manager should also have a solid general understanding of child and youth services in the Commonwealth, the interest/willingness to work to expand your knowledge on policy areas as needed, and the ability to work across disciplines. SPI Managers will be assigned specific projects based on their area of expertise/interest as well as the overall needs of the office.
The right candidate for this position has prior experience working in and/or with government in a role focused on policy analysis, development, implementation, and/or evaluation related to child and family services. You understand how to use a variety of sources of information - from qualitative interviews to academic literature to statistical analysis to the voices of individuals with lived experience - to develop a deeper and more nuanced understanding of public policy problems and analyze potential solutions. You can design and manage a long-term project involving multiple team members with varied skills and experiences. You can write clearly and compellingly about public policy topics for various audiences. You have experience working across organizational lines with individuals in other state agencies as well as external (advocacy, provider) partners, and you understand how to develop consensus and "get to yes" even on tricky policy issues. You have a demonstrated commitment to fostering inclusion and addressing disparities in state services and systems. Most of all, you have a passion for improving the lives of the children and youth of the Commonwealth and want to be part of an innovative, growing team of public servants who share that passion.
The OCA is particularly looking for candidates with experience in policy areas related to the child welfare system, family support services, and/or children's behavioral health.
Commitment to Diversity
The OCA actively seeks to increase the diversity of its workforce and is interested in candidates whose experiences, skills, and qualifications support an ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Applicants are invited to include a statement within their cover letter describing how diversity, equity, and inclusion factor into the candidate's work and/or life experiences.
The OCA values diverse perspectives, including candidates with lived experience in the child protective and/or juvenile justice systems.
Application Instructions
Applications are to be submitted on the Mass Careers website: https://www.mass.gov/guides/masscareers-create-a-profile-guide
A cover letter and resume are required parts of the application. Review of applicants will start immediately and continue while the position is posted, with first consideration given to those received within the first 14 days.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Research Leadership: Leads policy research projects using qualitative and quantitative research methods, including but not limited to development of research questions and methodology, identification of data/datasets and development of data requests for other state agencies, data analysis, conducting qualitative interviews, developing, and implementing survey tools, and conducting literature reviews. Recommends new or expanded OCA research projects.
- Policy Analysis: Presents policy findings and makes recommendations, including needed policy changes, legislation, and program development. Drafts and/or manages the creation of policy research deliverables, including but not limited to, legislative reports, policy briefs, presentations, website content, fact sheets, or other materials describing research findings and policy recommendations. Reviews reports and other written products for accuracy, completeness and quality of content and presentation. Partners with senior leadership to draft responses to requests for policy analysis from Legislature or reviewing proposed legislation.
- Policy Advocacy and Communication: Presents policy recommendations at internal and external meetings and participates in policy advocacy strategy conversations. Collaborates with the Legislative & Communications Director to develop bill summaries and other communications documents. Provides subject matter expertise to support responses to requests for information from the media or advocacy groups.
- Work Group Leadership: Leads interagency working groups, including but not limited to developing work group strategy, agendas and meeting presentations, facilitating public meetings, and supervising staff in ensuring programmatic and statutory requirements are met.
- Pilot Project Leadership: Leads development and/or implementation of innovative pilot projects designed to improve the quality of child-serving systems, including pilot program design, development of training curricula, data analysis and tracking, evaluation, continuous quality improvement, and identification /management of external consultants.
- Team & Organizational Management: Supports the Senior Director of Policy and Implementation in developing team policies and procedures, identifying, and managing team professional development projects, participating in division strategic planning processes and leading team meetings as assigned. Provides ongoing coaching, training, guidance, oversight, and monitoring of the quality and productivity of work under position's purview. As applicable, responsible for the supervision and evaluation of direct reports, conducting periodic reviews of staff performance for staff reporting to this position.
- Content Expertise: Actively monitors relevant legislation, policy, and reforms both nationally and in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Maintains knowledge of the best practices and emerging issues related to the OCA areas of focus in relevant policy areas.
- Relationship Management: Maintains effective working relationships with colleagues in other state agencies and relevant non-governmental organizations. Represents the OCA at external meetings as assigned.
Qualifications
- Deep knowledge and understanding of mixed methods policy/social science research (e.g., survey design, structured interviews, case file reviews, literature reviews) and legal and regulatory research methods.
- Familiarity with data analysis techniques and experience in connecting data and research to policy and practice and using data to guide decision-making.
- Strong presentation skills, with demonstrated ability to make persuasive presentations to various interdisciplinary audiences.
- Strong project management skills: ability to organize, manage and prioritize multiple and complex projects with numerous moving pieces and timelines; ability to adjust project plans as circumstances change and opportunities emerge and ability to critically review research and integrate it into planning efforts and reports.
- Strong writing and editing skills, including the ability to absorb and summarize complex and highly technical information and adapt writing for multiple audiences. Experience presenting information visually (e.g., data visualizations; effective PowerPoint slides) as well as in writing.
- Ability to lead and manage diverse teams, including the ability to negotiate and build consensus.
- Familiarity with current issues in relevant areas of child and family policy.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and other commonly used computer software applications.
Minimum Entrance Requirements:
• Master's degree in public policy, public administration, education, public health, or a related field
• At least seven (7) years of technical or professional experience in research or external policy analysis