Program Management Specialist I

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) works to build on strengths of families and communities to keep children and vulnerable adults safe, so they thrive. We do this through investigations, services, and referrals.  

What You Get Beyond Your Paycheck

When you join the State of Texas, your monthly paycheck is just one part of your real income. Our benefits provide extra value that many private employers simply don’t match—often adding hundreds of dollars each month to what you take home or save.

Here’s what you get as a full-time employee:

• 100% paid health insurance for you, and 50% paid for eligible family members—saving you hundreds every month in out-of-pocket medical costs
• Retirement plans with lifetime monthly payments after five years of state service, plus options to save even more with 401(k) and 457 plans
• Paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave so you can recharge and take care of life outside work (that’s time off you’re actually paid for)
• Optional dental, vision, and life insurance—at rates much lower than most private plans
• Flexible spending accounts for added tax savings on health and dependent care
• Employee discounts on things like gym memberships, electronics, and entertainment

You also might qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, which could help you pay off federal student loans faster.

You can see all the details here: ERS recruitment brochure

Functional Title: Program Management Specialist I 
Job Title: Program Management Spec I 
Agency: Dept of Family & Protectve Svc 
Department: CPS Dep Associate Commisioner 
Posting Number: 12330 
Closing Date: 01/12/2026 
Posting Audience: Internal and External 
Occupational Category: Protective Services 
Salary Group: TEXAS-B-25 
Salary Range: $5,797.66 - $9,508.25 
Pay Frequency: Monthly
Shift: Day 
Additional Shift:  
Telework: Not Eligible for Telework 
Travel: Up to 5% 
Regular/Temporary: Regular 
Full Time/Part Time: Full time 
FLSA Exempt/Non-Exempt: Exempt 
Facility Location:  
Job Location City: AUSTIN 
Job Location Address: 4900 N LAMAR BLVD 
Other Locations:  
MOS Codes: 2611,8058,8060,8848,16KX,32EX,611X,612X,63A,63AX,641X,712X,SEI16 
 
 
 

Brief Job Description:

Performs complex (journey-level) program management specialist work involving the management of a program or multiple programs within the division. Work involves creating, developing, coordinating, implementing, and overseeing division programs; planning resources; monitoring budgets; and providing consultative services and programmatic assistance to management, acting as liaison to other stakeholders, other divisions and state agencies. Acts as subject matter expert, collaborating with team members and business partners to develop program goals, objectives, plan project activities and track project assignments.  Works under general supervision, with moderate latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.

This position is classified as a full-time position (40 hours a week). Work outside of regular hours may be required. Travel may be required.

Essential Job Functions (EJF):

Manages a program throughout its life cycle by defining goals, objectives, and controls.

•       Manages and leads the development and implementation of new CPS division initiatives, including research, analysis, planning, development, and implementation activities.

•       Coordinates the planning and initiation at various levels of completion, monitors progress and schedule, and identifies risks.

•       Ensures appropriate closing or transition of project/program post implementation.

•       Facilitates and coordinates division engagement and development programs and ensures division processes for delivering project and program support work are clearly communicated and expectations are defined.

Manages program planning, including the development, implementation, monitoring, and documentation of policies and processes for specific programs involving departmental or crossfunctional teams focused on the delivery of new or existing programs, operations, or service offerings.

•       Leads and coordinates the planning and implementation of division and agency-wide projects or programs.

•       Effectively engages cross-divisional and external stakeholders in the priorities, activities, and overall direction of the program.

•       Develops programmatic options, obtains executive approval for key action items, and leads implementation efforts for division.

•       Creates and maintains project or program documentation that defines activities, procedures, project planning, resources allocation, and risk management.

•       Assists with analyzing legislative bills to assess program and fiscal impacts, implementation plans for staff across the state, and works with leadership to improve training for all levels of staff.

•       Develops and directs the implementation of studies, assessments, projects, and other tools to evaluate program strengths and identify areas for improvement

•       Manages and/or contributes to the successful implementation of special and routine projects and reports related to legislative initiatives, tracking completion of tasks and activities related to the federal lawsuit, and policy and practice compliance for CPS.

Manages communications with internal and external stakeholders, including vendors, contractors, other agencies, internal divisions/departments, senior management, and the general public to ensure alignment with program updates, changes, and risks and to support performance goals, contract compliance, customer satisfaction, and quality service delivery.

•       Provides regular communication with key stakeholders by providing status updates, managing expectations, risk assessments, and soliciting feedback. 

•       Collaborates with cross-divisional staff such as Child Protective Investigations, legal, HR, Finance, and other agency entities to enhance operational efficiency, lead quality improvement efforts, and manage special projects.

•       Maintains written and electronic records of all key communications regarding the project or program.

•       Develops partnerships with other DFPS divisions, field staff, regional leadership, families, advocacy groups, Executive Team Members, professional associations, and the general public to constantly improve communication, responsiveness, and continued cross-divisional support.

•       Work with leadership and stakeholders to define project objectives, deliverables, timeline, and scope.

•       Gather feedback from employees and stakeholders on the implementation process to identify any challenges or areas for improvement while maintaining detailed documentation of all changes made, including new processes, roles, or policies, to ensure transparency and consistency.

•       Acts as a primary liaison to internal and external stakeholders to ensure appropriate coordination and collaboration efforts.

•       Communicates or presents information to stakeholders upon request

•       Consults with internal DFPS divisions and external stakeholders to identify and coordinate mutually beneficial meetings and training.

•       Assists management with screening, scheduling, interview and selection process for potential team new hires.

•       Coordinates with Child Protective Services division leadership and internal and external departments to define and analyze business processes to ensure department and agency goals are achieved.

•       Collaborates with external stakeholders, internal divisions, and contract staff to answers inquiries, addresses issues, and resolves problems and/or complaints.

Identifies program requirements and establishes methodology to measure the effectiveness of agency initiatives; identifies program gaps and proposes improvements or enhancements.

•       Performs interviews with all stakeholders to understand the needs and expectations.

•       Measures the performance of existing processes. Collects and analyzes performance data and information provided by Data and Analytics with varying frequency (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly), and staffing and organizations structure across the state.

•       Develop systems to analyzes program outcomes to ensure they meet the needs.

•       Identify procedural gaps and inconsistencies and make recommendations for policy and/or training updates and Assists with the development of policy and procedural guidance related to CPS business process functions and all areas of functional responsibility including those established by HR, position control, and budget.

•       Identifies risks and escalates as needed; maintains an open issue/resolution list; records and updates project issues and resolutions.

•       Reviews current program practices to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement. Assess feasibility of implementing new practices by considering cost, resource availability, and alignment with program goals.

•       Work in conjunction with CPS Leadership & Staff Development team and TXDFPS Learning and Development to identify the specific skills and knowledge gaps that training should address.

•       Identify gaps between current practices and desired outcomes, helping to focus on practices that address specific organizational needs.

Ensures that program decisions are made in accordance with program requirements; other applicable rules, policies, and procedures; and the agency’s strategic objectives.

•       Consults with leadership and other stakeholders to reinforce division policies and communicate trends and interpretation of data and program needs.

•       Plans and coordinates the administration of a program, such as assisting in the formulation and preparation of program budgets, program and project proposals.

•       Develops, reviews, updates, and monitors the program’s biennial budget and Legislative Appropriations Requests in coordination with the CPS Associate Commissioner and agency leadership to manage resources, needs and priorities. Assesses and makes determinations regarding budget requests and expenditures.

•       Ensures program policy and procedure documents are kept up to date and within the agencies strategic goals by collaborating with key stakeholders.

•       Research and reviews federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations prior to project initiation.

•       Monitor through regular collaboration with cross-divisional groups to ensure agency compliance.

•       Take corrective action or update policy/procedure as needed to maintain program requirements.

•       Assists with the development of policy and procedural guidance related to Child Protective Services business process functions and all areas of functional responsibility including those established by HR, position control, and budget to ensure compliance and performance goals are met.

Coordinates with internal divisions and departments to achieve complex cross-functional program and business outcomes consisting of multiple work streams, and/or works directly with external stakeholders to launch high visibility partnerships and programs.

•       Collaborate with multi-agency staff including leadership, and external partners to enhance operational efficiency, lead quality improvement efforts, and manage special projects that impact staff and processes agency wide.

•       Coordinates with cross-divisional workgroups to ensure all impacted areas are represented.

•       Develops a communication plan that outlines how the launch should be shared with the stakeholders.

•       Works on cross agency projects as assigned by the Associate Commissioner, Director, State Office Directors within Child Protective Services, or Deputy Directors.

•       Coordinates partnerships on behalf of Child Protective Services with other DFPS divisions, field staff, regional leadership, families, advocacy groups, Executive Team Members, professional associations, and the general public to constantly improve communication, responsiveness, and continued cross-divisional support.

•       Serves as the Child Protective Services division liaison to communicate changes and division needs and may lead or participate in division meetings to provide updates on completed or planned activities.

•       Consults with internal agency divisions to ensure Child Protective Services program compliance with applicable requirements, regulations, policies, and procedures.

•       Consults with internal agency divisions to ensure Child Protective Services program compliance with applicable requirements, regulations, policies, and procedures.

Develops in-depth technical and non-technical knowledge of programs to mitigate problems.

•       Attends conferences, consults with counterparts in other divisions, conducts research online, and follows emerging trends to ensure that program practices are developed to be efficient, effective, and contemporary, meeting current industry standards.

•       Evaluates CPS program operations, identifies opportunities for improvement, and develops, designs, recommends and implements solutions to improve program operations through policy development and revision, proposals, and reviews with division leadership.

•       Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders in information gathering techniques to learn program policies and procedures.

•       Review existing policies or procedures to gain knowledge and/or identify gaps.

•       Monitor, evaluate, and summarize program purpose and processes to analyze and identify trends or potential risks. Monitors case resolution, delinquent cases, and other key performance measures related to field casework and their progress towards meeting performance outcomes and provides oversight of the successful completion on an ongoing and consistent basis.

•       Routinely provides timely technical assistance and appropriate trouble shooting to internal and external representatives.

•       Acts as subject matter expert, collaborating with team members and business partners to develop program goals, objectives, plan project activities and track project assignments.

•       Serves as a resource to division leadership and provides guidance/technical assistance related to budgetary matters.

Recommends, develops, and manages the development of program standards and tools.

•       Confers with division leadership and staff to identify, develop, manage, and resolve problems and initiate strategies for future improvements.

•       Conduct a gap assessment of current performance and resources and makes necessary recommendations.

•       Develop a plan that outlines program standards and tools and evaluate and improve effectiveness and efficiency as needed.

•       Prepare final reports upon completion that summarize project outcomes and recommendations to improve efficiency and success of future projects.

•       Manages and/or contributes to the successful implementation of special and routine projects and reports related to legislative initiatives, tracking completion of tasks and activities related to the federal lawsuit, and policy and practice compliance.

•       Ensures that all aspects of the work meet the required quality standards, including accuracy, relevance, and completeness. 

•       Leads and delegates division level budget-related matters and coordinates with Directors and Finance staff to ensure accuracy and validity of information.

Performs related work as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA):

Ability to maintain the security and integrity of the infrastructure per Governor Abbot Executive Order GA-48.

•       Knowledge of project/program management theories and practices; project/program costing, estimating, and scheduling; systems and procedures used to evaluate project/program performance; and local, state, and federal laws and regulations relevant to the administration of the project/program undertaken.

•       Knowledge of adult education strategies, adult learning theory or group dynamics.

•       Knowledge of instructional design or curriculum development.

•       Knowledge of Learning Management systems.

•       Skill in project/program management, scheduling, resource allocation, and budgeting; and in the use of a computer and applicable software.

•       Strong skill with Microsoft Office Suite, particularly MS Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint Teams, Visio and SharePoint.

•       Skill with completing training needs analysis and learning objectives.

•       Skill in exercising sound judgment and effective decision making.

•       Skill in planning and facilitating meetings, developing and delivering effective presentations in both formal and informal settings.

•       Skill in managing multiple priorities and supporting multiple managers, teams or a division of staff while meeting designated timeframes.

•       Skill in preparing technical documents and maintaining accurate versions of documents.

•       Strong organizational skills and high attention to detail.

•       Ability to provide leadership and motivate others, to monitor project/program status, to prepare and/or analyze project cost estimates, to exercise sound judgment in making critical decisions, to analyze project/program-related information and develop plans to address identified issues and risk, to prepare reports and charts, to communicate effectively orally and in writing, and to oversee the work of others.

•       Ability to develop and track program performance metrics and results.

•       Ability to assess, coordinate and facilitate training needs.

•       Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with all levels of the organization in a clear and concise manner.

•       Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and deliver exceptional customer service to all levels of the organization.

•       Ability to plan and manage program activities, to establish goals and objectives; to evaluate priorities; to analyze complex information, report required action items to program leadership and follow through to completion.

•       Ability to coordinate meetings, special events, and schedule appointments related to program area.

•       Ability to work pro-actively, independently, or as part of a team and effectively handle multiple assignments in a dynamic environment.

•       Ability to receive and respond positively to constructive feedback.

Licensure, Certification, or Registration:

N/A

Initial Screening Criteria:

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 5 years professional experience in a government agency, nonprofit, child protection, foster care, juvenile justice, mental health, or substance abuse services.
• Familiarity with trauma-informed care or experience conducting interviews or assessments with children and families.

Preferred Criteria:

Degree in Social Work, Criminal Justice, Psychology, Human Development and Family Studies, Education, or Public Health.

Two or more years’ experience as a manager or above with a child welfare agency.

Review our Tips for Success when applying for jobs at DFPS, DSHS and HHSC.

Military occupation(s) that relate to the initial selection criteria and registration or licensure requirements for this position may include, but not limited to those listed in this posting. All active-duty military, reservists, guardsmen, and veterans are encouraged to apply if qualified to fill this position. For more information please see the Texas State Auditor’s Job Descriptions, Military Crosswalk and Military Crosswalk Guide at Texas State Auditor's Office - Job Descriptions. You may also contact the DFPS Military Liaison at dfpsmilvets@dfps.texas.gov with additional questions.

Applicants selected for hire must pass a background check and if applicable a driver’s record check.

State of Texas employees are required to maintain the security and integrity of critical infrastructure as defined in Section 117.001(2), State of Texas Business and Commerce Code. Applicants selected for hire comply with this code by completing related training and abiding by agency cybersecurity and communications system usage policies.

As a state agency, DFPS is required by Texas Administrative Code (TAC 206 and 213) to ensure all Electronic Information Resources (EIR) follow accessibility standards. The staff must be familiar with the WCAG 2.1 AA and Section 508 to create accessible content including but not limited to; Microsoft Office documents, Adobe PDFs, webpages, software, training guides, video, and audio files. 

DFPS uses E-Verify. You must bring your I-9 documentation with you on your first day of work. Employees must provide documentation to DFPS to show their identity and authorization to work in the US. Please review the following link for authorized documents: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents .

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), HHS/DFPS agencies will provide reasonable accommodation during the hiring and selection process for qualified individuals with a disability. If you need assistance completing the on-line application, contact the HHS/DFPS Employee Service Center at 1-888-894-4747. If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodation to participate in the interview process, please notify the person scheduling the interview.