Demo

Children and Family Services Specialist 1/Trainee 1/Trainee 2 (NY HELPS)

NYS Office of Children and Family Services
Rensselaer, NY Full Time
POSTED ON 10/8/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 11/1/2026
Duties Description

The Children and Family Services Specialist 1, in the Contracts Unit, under the general direction of Youth Development and Partnerships for Success management, will work independently to perform various duties. These responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Support all aspects of contract management, including procurement development, contract development, contract monitoring and oversight, and claiming. Contract monitoring includes, but is not limited to, the provision of technical assistance, conducting on-site field work, issuing and monitoring program improvement plans (PIPs) as needed.

Help vendors meet their OCFS requirements in a number of systems, such as CMS, in a timely fashion, and submit data as required. The contracts manager will help manage data systems and produce reports on vendors and their outcomes.

Support internal and external partnerships by participating in interagency work groups as assigned.

Conduct and complete all special assignments, directives, projects, and responsibilities in an efficient, thorough, and professional manner.

Minimum Qualifications

Transfer: One year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in this title or from a title eligible for 70.1 transfer into the Children & Family Services Specialist 1.

Open to the Public: This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).* To be considered for appointment through NY HELPS, candidates must meet the open-competitive minimum qualifications for this position as follows:

Trainee 1 level (equivalent to SG 14): four years of qualifying experience*

Trainee 2 level (equivalent to SG 16): five years of qualifying experience*

Full title (SG 18): six years of qualifying experience*

  • Qualifying experience is defined as providing services to children and their families either in the inspection, management, or administration of: foster care programs; day care programs; adoption programs; domestic violence programs; youth detention facilities; or other providers of care, support, and assistance to children, assuring compliance for certification or licensing purposes; or providing, supervising, monitoring, or administering services for children, adults, or their families, including but not limited to: providing social casework, case planning, case management, counseling, crisis intervention, advocacy on behalf of clients, or direct investigation of potential abuse and neglect in one or more of the following settings: human services; juvenile justice; criminal justice; local departments of social services; or local voluntary childcare service programs.
  • An associate degree may substitute for two years of experience.
  • A bachelor’s degree may substitute for four years of experience.
  • A master’s degree may substitute for five years of experience.
  • A doctorate may substitute for six years of experience.

Additional Comments

Core operating hours for office-based positions within the agency are 8-5. Exact shift within that timeframe will be discussed at the time of the interview.

30% Travel will be required

For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title maybe filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply. Upon one year of permanent appointment, it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.

Background Investigation Requirements

  • All prospective employees will be investigated through a Criminal Background Check (CBC), which includes State and federal Criminal History Record Checks. All convictions must be reported; conviction of a felony or misdemeanor, or any falsified or omitted information on the prospective appointee’s employment application, may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment. Each case will be determined on its own merits, consistent with the applicable provisions of State and federal laws, rules, and regulations. Prospective employees will be fingerprinted in order to obtain a record of their criminal history information and may be required to pay any necessary fees.
  • All prospective employees will be screened against the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment (SCR). Prospective employees will be required to pay any necessary fees.
  • For Division of Juvenile Justice and Opportunities for Youth (DJJOY) prospective appointees will be checked against the Staff Exclusion List (SEL) maintained by the Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs. Prospective employees whose names appear on the SEL as having been found responsible for serious or repeated acts of abuse or neglect will be barred from appointment and may have their names removed from the eligible list(s) for the title(s) if applicable.

The Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) is an equal opportunity employer. OCFS does not discriminate based upon age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, military or veteran status, sex, disability (including pregnancy-related conditions), predisposing genetic characteristics, familial status, marital status or status as a victim of domestic violence, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We devote special attention to dismantling racial injustice and recognize that diversity in our workforce is critical to fulfilling our mission. We are committed to the diversity of our staff and encourage applicants from marginalized communities to apply. In furtherance of Executive Order 31 and OCFS’s mission to have a diverse workforce, all people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. All applicants must be dedicated to working in and sustaining an environment of inclusion that affirms and celebrates the backgrounds, learned and lived expertise, whole identities, and individual perspectives of our staff. Applicants of all backgrounds and experiences are encouraged to self-identify during the application process.

Salary : $56,183 - $88,970

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

What is the career path for a Children and Family Services Specialist 1/Trainee 1/Trainee 2 (NY HELPS)?

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the Children and Family Services Specialist 1/Trainee 1/Trainee 2 (NY HELPS) career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
Income Estimation: 
$70,882 - $94,516
Income Estimation: 
$90,211 - $164,353
Income Estimation: 
$110,276 - $164,105
Income Estimation: 
$95,007 - $124,623
Income Estimation: 
$89,191 - $127,928
Employees: Get a Salary Increase
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Job openings at NYS Office of Children and Family Services

  • NYS Office of Children and Family Services Lansing, NY
  • Duties Description Maintain facility security. Key control. Perimeter inspections. Vehicle and visitor checks for contraband. Camera surveillance of facili... more
  • 7 Days Ago

  • NYS Office of Children and Family Services Auburn, NY
  • Duties Description Maintain facility security. Key control. Perimeter inspections. Vehicle and visitor checks for contraband. Camera surveillance of facili... more
  • 8 Days Ago

  • NYS Office of Children and Family Services Hills, NY
  • Duties Description In the absence of the permanent teacher, the substitute teacher will conduct a class session from a prepared lesson plan. Maintain a saf... more
  • 8 Days Ago

  • NYS Office of Children and Family Services Oneida, NY
  • Duties Description As a Youth Recreation Specialist 1, you would be responsible for planning, supervising, and coordinating the youth recreation activities... more
  • 8 Days Ago


Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other Children and Family Services Specialist 1/Trainee 1/Trainee 2 (NY HELPS) jobs in the Rensselaer, NY area that may be a better fit.

  • NYS Office of Children and Family Services Rensselaer, NY
  • Duties Description Duties This role within the Bureau of Contract Management Procurement Unit is essential for the efficient and compliant administration o... more
  • 1 Day Ago

  • NYS Office of Children and Family Services Rensselaer, NY
  • Duties Description Develop preventive service rates for the local departments of social services (LDSS) to claim for Title IV-E Prevention funding. Develop... more
  • 15 Days Ago

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!