PDF VERSION OF CLASS SPECIFICATION FOR PUBLIC SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR
ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CENTRAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES
CLASS SPECIFICATION
PUBLIC SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR
POSITION CODE: 37015
Effective: 10-1-02
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF WORK:
The Public Service Administrator is designed for a broad band of middle management positions located in agencies, boards, and commissions and subject to the Civil Service Code. Positions allocated to this class serve as policy implementing officials and/or have considerable administrative responsibilities that are managerial, supervisory, or confidential in nature.
Key management functions of Public Service Administrators require the exercise of discretion in controlling or directing the organization's supportive program and determining the judicious use of means to accomplish an end. Such positions are charged with responsibility to direct the effectuation of management policies. Decisions made may significantly affect the agency's policies or its fundamental methods. Whether serving in a staff or line capacity, the Public Service Administrator's position responsibilities are inseparable from the interests of the employer.
Common to all positions in this class is the management nature of work. Public Service Administrator positions are frequently full line supervisors. Full line supervisors are principally engaged in work that is substantially different from the subordinate staff and exercise independent judgment in carrying out or effectively recommending authorities to hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, recall, promote, discharge, direct, reward, or discipline employees, or to adjust grievances. Other Public Service Administrator positions may act in a confidential labor relations capacity by assisting or serving as an agency's labor relations manager, or by having authorized access to information concerning the review or implementation of the employer's collective bargaining policies. Others are administrators or assist higher level managers. It is not the presence or absence of full line supervisory authority but rather the inherent decisions and commitments that distinguishes the job as management.
The Public Service Administrator class encompasses those jobs where the scope of the operation and associated administrative and managerial duties is not as great as that of the Senior Public Service Administrator but where work performed is higher than that of first level management positions. To determine whether allocation to this class is appropriate, a comparative analysis with related positions should be conducted. Excluded from this class are senior management positions serving either as policy makers or administrators of major agency programs, positions encompassed by other existing classes within the Classification Plan, as well as those subject to the provisions of collective bargaining contracts.
PUBLIC SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR (Continued)
ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES OF WORK:
1. Organizes, plans, executes, controls, and evaluates the operation of a supportive program; implements policy for the total management process of the supportive agency program; plans for the effective and efficient utilization of program resources and organizes the goals and objectives of the supportive program; confers with management on the integration of program function activities to resolve administrative problems and program function improvements; performs the major controlling impact on the outputs of the program activities; implements studies of program evaluation; establishes priorities among assignments, establishes times of completion and quantity and quality of work products and services; monitors output in order to ensure adequate work flow; provides for employee motivation and development; identifies and discusses program projects, problems and issues; meets with representatives of other agencies to discuss inter-agency issues or with representatives of other governmental jurisdictions and outside parties.
2. As a line or staff assistant to a higher level manager, performs highly responsible functions coordinating and assisting with the direction of several large agency wide programs; develops and maintains ongoing communications with private and public organizations, officials of other agencies, or officials of other states and the federal government; with delegated authority speaks for the higher level manager to commit operational programs to specific courses of action; plans, directs, and conducts extensive and complex research or administrative studies of specific phases of division operations; drafts proposed bills, amendments, resolutions, procedures, rules, and regulations; makes or coordinates difficult and involved field investigations of law violations and claims.
3. Implements and evaluates policies and procedures affecting casework and investigative decisions; establishes local operating policies, practices and procedures; identifies and evaluates the utilization of available community resources; works with regional managers of supportive service programs to integrate services within assigned geographic area through contacts with officials at all levels of government, private and volunteer agencies; establishes and maintains effective public relations for the department, advisory councils, and civic organizations; manages and directs field office team operations and assures adequate staff coverage; monitors expenditures; directs and requisitions the procurement and maintenance of office equipment and supplies; assembles information for office space negotiations, dealing with vendors on subsequent problems with adequacy of facilities.
PUBLIC SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR (Continued)
4. Supervises subordinate correctional facility officers; assigns them to posts of duty; makes rounds and assures that subordinates are on duty and properly attentive to their duties; prescribes disciplinary measures; prepares incident and activity reports; investigates complaints of violation of rules; recommends disciplinary action and conducts hearings involving standards of behavior.
5. Supervises professional nurse personnel in providing care for recipients; prepares work assignments of subordinate staff; changes or revises staff assignments to assure adequate staff coverage according to patient load or employee absenteeism; reviews and approves requests for time off from work; monitors and evaluates the performance of assigned staff; prepares periodic individual performance ratings; provides constructive criticism and demonstrates proper care techniques.
6. Performs complex accounting and auditing work involving supervision of professional and subprofessional staff engaged in maintaining a complex, accounting subsystem involving general departmental funds or grants; prepares or supervises the preparation of complex statements and reports; examines, reconciles and analyzes complex statements and reports; provides advice on complex accounting problems and on the implementation of new procedures and programs; reviews and recommends changes in the complex accounting system.
7. Manages a small section of systems analysts and/or programmer analysts engaged in performing a full range of systems analysis functions ranging from design and development to maintenance and enhancements of systems; plans work schedules and sequences of operations to assure an even flow and distribution of work, the expeditious handling of priority cases and the meeting of schedules and deadlines; evaluates need and makes recommendations concerning the maintenance or replacement of equipment and the maintenance and safety of the operations area.
8. Plans, assigns, supervises and reviews the activities of staff engaged in the review, analysis, and auditing of various entities; makes pre-audit evaluations to establish scope and procedures to be employed; ascertains nature of systems to determine means of verification, appropriate test periods and extent of test checking; may make initial contact with entities to discuss purpose and objectives of audit, and explain standard techniques utilized; appears at hearings as agency witness and testifies as to the accuracy and propriety of reports; acts as a consultant in pre-hearing conferences and during hearings, providing information, regarding adequacy and correctness of data and procedures used.
PUBLIC SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR (Continued)
9. Directs a local office operation in a major metropolitan area of the State; through intermediate supervisors ensures the provision of services to a large and diverse client population with diverse socio-economic backgrounds; develops and directs the implementation of intra-office operating procedures to facilitate work flow in client reception and/or registration, record processing and maintenance, data and information collection and dissemination; based upon analysis of community needs, establishes long range annual, and interim goals and objectives and action plans for delivery of services to eligible clients in the office service area; develops and implements the annual program and budget plan for the office; conducts frequent regular reviews of service, budget and performance indicators in comparison to office goals and standards; identifies problem areas and initiates corrective action when appropriate.
10. Maintains liaison with a variety of organizations that may be able to supply funds, training and technical assistance in particular areas; monitors budgetary expenditures by program area; assists in the budgetary process by developing program narratives and justifications; reviews and approves expenditures of funds authorized; prepares a variety of materials designed to explain and interpret a specific or linking program; speaks before various groups to explain and interpret program philosophy and requirements; develops and utilizes professional channels of communication with state, federal and other agencies.
11. Plans, coordinates and implements site activities and development programs compatible with the natural and/or cultural resource base; reviews, analyzes, and incorporates proposals of natural and cultural resource specialists and others both within and outside the agency concerning short and long range plans; supervises and conducts research related to restoration, interpretation, and development; responds to oral and written inquiries concerning available programs and departmental policies; appears at public hearings as required; explains agency policies and rules and regulations to visitors and assures compliance with same.
12. Supervises subordinate staff, plans the work to be accomplished, sets priorities, assigns work according to individual subordinate's abilities, evaluates work performance, hears and resolves first level grievances; reviews the technical and scientific information to be used in regard to a particular case; serves as an expert witness in hearings or court cases; performs tests, evaluations, development, and improvement of techniques used.
PUBLIC SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR (Continued)
13. As a field office supervisor or advanced generalist, reviews all disciplinary actions proposed by agency management for appropriateness and compliance with Rules and other affecting regulations; solicits legal opinions as required and other counsel as pertain to Personnel Rules, regulations, policies and furnishes pertinent information to central departmental staff for consideration; evaluates proposals for employee or labor relations policies, rules and regulations in accord with contracts and/or pertinent statute; reviews all labor legislation and impacting secondary and tertiary employee and/or labor legislation; evaluates content of legislation and prepares position statements.
14. Directs, implements, coordinates, and supervises program activities of field counselors, university coordinators, and other staff of a large area agency field office providing services to clients; assists regional administrator in organizing, directing, and supervising programs pertaining to area of specialty.
15. Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above.
DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS:
Education and Experience
Requires knowledge, skill and mental development equivalent to completion of four years of college, preferably with courses in business or public administration; specific requirements vary by position and relate to the position's duties and responsibilities as defined by the agency of employment and as approved by the Director of the Department of Central Management Services or his/her designee.
Requires prior experience equivalent to three years of progressively responsible administrative experience in a public or business organization; specific requirements vary according to the position's duties and functions assigned by the agency and as approved by the Director of the Department of Central Management Services or his/her designee.
Knowledges, Skills and Abilities
Requires extensive knowledge of public and business administration, principles and practices.
Requires extensive knowledge of agency programs and service objectives, activities and operational systems.
Requires extensive knowledge of staff utilization and employee motivation.
Requires extensive knowledge of labor and employment development.
Requires extensive knowledge of agency policies and procedures.
PUBLIC SERVICE ADMINISTRATOR (Continued)
Requires ability to develop and manage a supportive agency program.
Requires ability to analyze administrative problems and adopt an effective course of action.
Requires ability to develop, install and evaluate new and revised methods, procedures and performance standards.
Requires ability to exercise judgment and discretion in developing, implementing and interpreting departmental policies and procedures.
Requires ability to estimate and budget for future needs and cost of personnel, space, equipment, supplies and services.
Requires ability to develop and maintain cooperative working relationships.
In addition to English verbal and written skills, candidates may be required to translate, speak and write a foreign language at a colloquial skill level. Some positions may require manual communication skills.