Policy and Research Specialist

Policy And Research Specialist The Program Coordinator II, Policy and Research Specialist, in the Strategic Planning and Policy Unit is responsible for coordinating and supporting statewide workforce planning, policy development, and grant management activities. The incumbent oversees the MassHire Workforce Board Certification process and the Local Annual Plan for the local workforce development areas, ensuring alignment with federal, state, and Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD) priorities. The position contributes to the development, revision, and quality assurance of policy documents issued through the MassWorkforce Issuance system. The Specialist supports strategic planning activities, including statewide visioning, regional planning coordination, and State Plan development with EOLWD.The incumbent assists with analysis and interpretation of federal and state laws, regulations, guidelines, and standards; maintains accurate records and documentation; prepares reports; and serves as a liaison to EOLWD staff, MassHire Career Centers, Workforce Boards, and other state agencies. Essential functions include coordinating and supporting statewide workforce planning activities to ensure alignment with federal, state, and EOLWD priorities, contributing to the development, revision, and quality assurance of policy documents issued through the MassWorkforce Issuance system, overseeing and coordinating the MassHire Workforce Board Certification process for local workforce development areas, managing and supporting the Local Annual Plan process to ensure compliance and strategic alignment across all regions, assisting with statewide visioning, strategic alignment, and coordination of planning activities with EOLWD, supporting EOLWD in regional planning efforts, ensuring consistency with statewide workforce strategies, contributing to the development, coordination, and submission of the WIOA State Plan and related planning documents, conducting research, analyzing data, and interpreting federal and state laws, regulations, guidelines, and standards to inform policy and planning decisions, maintaining accurate records, documentation, and data systems to support policy, planning, and compliance activities, preparing reports, summaries, and analyses for internal leadership, EOLWD, and external stakeholders, providing training, guidance, and technical assistance to MassHire Career Centers, Workforce Boards, and internal DCS staff, serving as a liaison to EOLWD staff, MassHire Career Centers, Workforce Boards, and other state agencies to support coordination and communication, reviewing, editing, and ensuring accuracy and consistency of policy documents prior to statewide issuance, organizing, managing, and analyzing data to support planning, policy development, and reporting functions, coordinating, scheduling, attending, and, as necessary, leading meetings, seminars, workshops, and representing agency on panels to gather and disseminate information, utilizing workforce systems, learning management systems, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, analytics tools, and digital collaboration platforms including applications similar to Microsoft Office, SharePoint, and Teams, supporting statewide innovation efforts including the Office of Workforce Innovation and the MassHire Innovation Project, as needed. Other duties as assigned. First consideration will be given to those applicants that apply within the first 14 days. Minimum entrance requirements: Applicants must have at least (A) three years of full time, or equivalent part-time, professional, administrative or managerial experience in business administration, business management or public administration the major duties of which involved program management, program administration, program coordination, program planning and/or program analysis, or (B) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below. Substitutions: I. A Bachelor's degree with a major in business administration, business management or public administration may be substituted for a maximum of two years of the-required experience.* II. A Graduate degree with a major in business administration, business management or public administration may be substituted for the required experience.* III. A Bachelor's or higher degree with a major other than in business administration, business management or public administration may be substituted for a maximum of one year of the required experience.* *Education toward such a degree will be prorated on the basis of the proportion of the requirements actually completed. Comprehensive Benefits When you embark on a career with the Commonwealth, you are offered an outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package. We take pride in providing a work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future. Want the specifics? Explore our Employee Benefits and Rewards! An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role. Official Title : Program Coordinator II