The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF), Division of Safety and Permanence, Bureau of Permanence and Out-of-Home Care is currently recruiting to fill a Strategic Initiatives Project Manager position. DCF offers great benefits, personal growth opportunities and work-life balance as a State of Wisconsin employee; and the intrinsic reward associated with serving the children and families of Wisconsin.

The State of Wisconsin continues to follow necessary health and safety protocols for COVID. Please visit Division of Personnel Management Coronavirus - COVID-19 (wi.gov) for the most up-to-date information. Guidance may be subject to change.

This position may allow hybrid work for a portion of the work schedule up to 90% depending on the employee’s preference and needs of the work unit. Any hybrid work flexibility that may be available will be discussed in more detail in the interview process.

For positions that do allow hybrid work flexibility, employees may need to report to a DCF office location on short notice. There is no mileage reimbursement when traveling to the headquarter location. Our DCF locations are in the following cities: Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Eau Claire, and Rhinelander. Employees need to report to the 201 W. Washington Ave. Madison, WI office or the 635 N 26 St. Milwaukee, WI office on their first day for onboarding and orientation.

High speed internet access is required to meet the needs of remote work.

Come see why DCF is such a great place to work!

DCF is committed to the important work of helping children, youth and families become safer, more secure and progress down the road to true independence. For more information about DCF, visit our website at http://dcf.wi.gov/.

This position will be responsible for leading complex policy-related Strategic Initiative projects that include a range of internal business process, legal partnership, training, and IT components by utilizing established project management principles, methods, and practices. This position also leads the development and maintenance of the Division’s overall project management strategy and portfolio management. The Division’s strategic projects have significant impact within the agency, for local human/social services agencies, and for other partners and provider agencies. This position provides direction, guidance, and consultation to ensure successful implementation of Division strategic initiative projects across each of those entities.

The position will be an important support and partner to individuals working on projects aimed at child welfare reform and compliance with the federal Family First Prevention Services Act. The position will contribute to DCF’s vision of all Wisconsin children and youth being safe and loved members of thriving families and communities. The position also supports DSP’s efforts to strive for justice in the child welfare system through addressing oppression, potential inequities, and racism. Their work puts families first by providing supports and services that allow families to remain safely together so that most child welfare involved families can be served in their homes without requiring family separation or removal of children to caregivers they do not know.

View the complete position description.

The classification title for this position is IS Business Automation Specialist. The starting salary is between $33.49 and $46.71 per hour ($69,659 and $97,156 annually), depending on qualifications. Pay for current State of WI employees will be based on the compensation plan in effect at the time of the appointment. Pay for current state employees who are transferring will be determined based upon the pay on transfer rules (higher level duties or equity) as outlined in the compensation plan in effect at the time of appointment.

The pay schedule/range is 07-33. A one-year probationary period may be required.

Due to the nature of the position, final candidates may be required to allow DCF to conduct a security background check to determine whether the circumstances of any pending charges or convictions would be substantially related to the job being filled.

Applicants must be legally entitled to work in the United States (i.e., a citizen or national of the U.S., a lawful permanent resident, an alien authorized to work in the U.S. without DCF sponsorship.) The Department of Children and Families does not sponsor visas, either at time of hire or at any later time.

Minimally qualified applicants will have:

• Experience managing projects (developing workplans, assigning resources, identifying and tracking risks, reporting on process, etc.) using established project management methodologies (such as waterfall or agile)
• Experience participating in business process mapping, analysis, and change management
• Experience working with legacy and emerging project management tools and software (such as Microsoft Project, Asana, Monday.com, Jira, Wrike, etc.)

Well-qualified applicants will have:

• Experience working in a variety of organizational structures (government, quasi-governmental, not-for-profit, etc.)
• Experience facilitating groups with multiple perspectives in discussion of complex topics and prioritization of options (using nominal group technique or other methods, etc.)
• Experience managing multi-project portfolios and multi-faceted communication plans

If you haven’t already done so, you will need to create an account and apply online. You must apply online to be considered for this position. Application materials will not be accepted if received in an e-mail, as a hard copy or a fax. Applications received after the deadline will not be accepted.
After you are logged in and are viewing the announcement, click “Apply Now.” You will be asked to provide your personal information and required materials. Online applications that do not include all of the requested materials will not be considered.

Your letter of qualifications and resume are very important parts of your application at DCF and are used during our evaluation process to determine your qualifications as they relate to the job. View instructions on developing your resume and letter of qualifications for your DCF application and what should be included in these materials.
Submitted materials will be evaluated by one or more subject matter experts and qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process.

The State of Wisconsin is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer seeking a diverse and talented workforce. Veterans, women, people of color, LGBTQIA , and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities.

Veterans with at least a 30% service-connected disability rating should contact the HR Specialist listed in this posting regarding eligibility for consideration under the non-competitive appointment process. For a list job categories that match our positions, see our Military Crosswalk to match your skills.
Permanent classified state employees who are eligible for consideration (transfer, voluntary demotion, or former employees as a reinstatement) must complete the application process to apply.

The deadline to apply is 11:59 PM on May 1, 2024. If you need assistance with the online application process, please contact, Jenn Xiong at 608-422-6418 or via email at Jennifer.Xiong1@wisconsin.gov. Please see the Frequently Asked Questions for general wisc.jobs user information and technical assistance.