Title: Data Analyst, #W1832

State Role Title: Policy Planning Spec II

Hiring Range: $75,000 - $85,000 per year (salary commensurate with experience)

Pay Band: 5

Agency: Department of Social Services

Location: DSS HOME OFFICE

Agency Website: www.dss.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: Agency Employee Only - A

Job Duties

At the Virginia Department of Social Services, we put people at the center of everything we do. We believe that every Virginian can live a life of dignity and that all voices, ideas and experiences contribute greatly to our pursuit of excellence. Inspired by continuous improvement, we commit ourselves to listening, learning and cultivating environments of trust, respect and positive engagement. Together, we are mission-driven, eager to achieve, and passionate about bringing the best of who we are to those we serve.

We design and deliver high-quality human services that help Virginians achieve safety, independence, and overall well-being. We are a $2 billion agency – one of the largest in the Commonwealth of Virginia – partnering with 120 local departments of social services and 31 community action agencies, along with faith-based and non-profit organizations, to promote the well-being of children, adults, and families statewide. We proudly serve alongside 1,650 (state) and 12,200 (local) human services professionals throughout the Social Services System, who ensure that thousands of Virginia’s most vulnerable citizens have easy access to the services and benefits available to them.

The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) engages families for success. Its Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) manages nearly 251,000 cases to ensure that child support payments of $590M million per year reach families across the Commonwealth. Support Enforcement Specialists establish and sustain helping relationships with parents who have payment obligations as well as parents who depend on those payments.

Virginia’s children need both financial and family support to grow and thrive. Children with actively involved parents perform better in school, have high self-confidence, and generally achieve greater success in life.

DCSE’s mission is to promote strong, self-reliant families by delivering child support enforcement services, as provided by law, through the location of noncustodial parents, establishment of orders, enforcement of orders, collection of child support, and distribution of child support.

Data Analyst is responsible for building, creating, modifying, producing and managing program specific reports, services and tools; using qualitative and quantitative analyses to assess large sets for internal and external data; performing data analysis to identify actionable insights to make recommendations to ensure compliance with program requirements and to drive continuous improvements to business processes, performance, customer experience, and case management practices; preparing highly visible and widely used reports and presentations that include sophisticated graphs and communicating information to leadership, business users, and other internal and external stakeholders; creating and maintaining documentation of program specific reports to ensure business continuity; creation and delivery of training, user guides, and other resources to enhance knowledge of program specific reports; and engaging business users through meetings, surveys, and participation in focus groups to assess business reporting and data needs.

Data Analyst will provide direct support to meet the reporting and data needs of the child support program.

Minimum Qualifications

• Experience with data warehouse systems, reporting and query tools (SQL, Cognos, Power BI, etc.), Microsoft Excel, and data visualizations.
• Experience using principles of research, analyzing data to report out program performance and report preparation using research resources and modern software applications including Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Experience analyzing and organizing data, including designing and maintaining reports and scorecards.
• Experience assessing and documenting reporting needs of business users.

KSA’s and/or Competencies required to successfully perform the work:

• Comprehensive knowledge of Virginia’s child support program, including federal and state requirements, funding practices, and reporting requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to interpret, apply, and analyze complex federal and state law, policies, regulations, and audit guidelines.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills and demonstrated ability to communicate complex information in a condensed manner to various audiences, including executive leadership, business users, and stakeholders.
• Specialized knowledge and skill in data extraction and compilation, analytics, sampling methodologies, and project design.
• Considerable skill in analyzing and evaluating data independently and as a contributing team member to identify program problems and recommend business solutions to improve services, business processes, program compliance, performance and overall program effectiveness.
• Ability to provide consultative and technical assistance to business users of program specific reports, who are geographically disbursed.
• Considerable knowledge of databases and how to pull queries from data warehouse and reporting applications used by VDSS, such as Power Bi, Tableau, and/or Cognos.
• Advanced knowledge of software applications used for word processing and spreadsheets, presentations, and various graphics, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Vizio; Ability to be creative in development of reports, including graphs, charts and presentations.
• Knowledge of quality improvement and program performance management concepts and practices.
• Knowledge of research principles and ability to use resources and data to provide business insights and reach logical conclusions.

Additional Considerations

• Advanced experience using Microsoft Power BI, VDSS Data Warehouse (Cognos), CSPRI, Control D, and Microsoft Excel.
• Experience creating SQL queries.

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

Selected candidate(s) must successfully pass a fingerprint-based criminal history background check. A record of criminal history does not automatically bar an applicant from consideration. Employment verification will be conducted to include current/previous supervisory employment reference checks.

VDSS will record information from each new employee’s Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) into the Federal E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

This position may be eligible for telework opportunities; availability, hours, and duration will be in accordance with the Commonwealth’s Teleworking policy.

To be considered for this position, you must submit a Commonwealth of Virginia application or resume through the on-line “Virginia Jobs” (PageUp) employment site no later than 11:55 p.m. on the closing date listed. Each application is reviewed for documentation that shows the applicant meets the minimum and additional considerations as stated in the job announcement. The decision to interview an applicant is based on the information provided. Multiple positions may be filled from this recruitment within 90 days of the closing date.

The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages diversity within its workforce.

VDSS does not provide sponsorship.

VDSS is an official certified state agency that values the service and experience of our Veterans. As such, Veterans are encouraged to apply and receive preference in the hiring process. AmeriCorps, Peace Corps and other national service alumni also are encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodations are available to applicants, if requested, during the application and/or interview process.

If you have been affected by Policy 1.30 Layoff as a state employee and possess a valid Interagency Placement Screening Form (Yellow Form) or a Preferential Hiring Card (Blue Card), you must submit this document through the “Virginia Jobs” (PageUp) employment site when you apply.

Contact Information

Name: VDSS - Division of Human Resources

Phone: dssrecruitment@dss.virginia.gov

Email: dssrecruitment@dss.virginia.gov

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.