Program Specialist VI

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Employee Benefits:

DSHS offers insurance coverage and other benefits available through the State of Texas Group Benefits Plan administered by the Employee Retirement System of Texas (ERS). To learn more about all the benefits available to you as a DSHS employee and other DSHS opportunities for early career pathways, visit the DSHS Careers Page.

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Functional Title: Program Specialist VI 
Job Title: Program Specialist VI 
Agency: Dept of State Health Services 
Department: Regional & Loc Dep Assoc Comm 
Posting Number: 6687 
Closing Date: 09/07/2025 
Posting Audience: Internal and External 
Occupational Category: Business and Financial Operations 
Salary Group: TEXAS-B-23 
Salary Range: $5,098.66 - $6,701.75 
Pay Frequency: Monthly
Shift: Day 
Additional Shift: Days (First) 
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: 1100 W 49TH ST (DHT) 
Other Locations:  
MOS Codes: 16GX,60C0,611X,612X,63G0,641X,712X,86M0,86P0,88A0,88B0,8U000,OS,OSS,PERS,YN,YNS 
 
 
 

Job Description:

Works under limited direction of the Operations and Business Services (OBS) Finance Group Supervisor within the Division for Regional and Local Health Operations (RLHO) with extensive latitude for exercising initiative and independent judgment. 

Provides leadership on accounting, purchasing, and contracting activities within the RLHO Division including providing technical assistance to RLHO staff and coordinating with partners to resolve issues. Develops and maintains productive relationships with internal and external procurement, contracting, and budget staff. Assists with monitoring funding availability to ensure funds are properly budgeted and funding and resources are available for purchases. Tracks purchases and expenditures, reviews vouchers and completes claims paperwork, and initiates renewals for recurring Division purchases. Ensures review and routing of agreements and contracts. Assists with planning and cross-division coordination related to RLHO procurements and budgets. Interprets agency policies; creates and documents processes and procedures; and recommends, implements, and evaluates process improvements related to procurement and budget. Analyzes and interprets procurement and budget data and creates reports for management as requested. Creates, assigns, and responds to RLHO Division procurement and budget assignments and ensures their timely and accurate submission. 

Essential Job Functions (EJF):

Attends work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency leave policy and performs other duties as assigned.

30% Coordinates with the RLHO OBS Finance Group Supervisor to monitor funding availability and to ensure that funding is properly budgeted or transferred as needed for successful procurement and contracting. Monitors budget balances, tracks expenditures, and completes budget projections and forecasts. Performs funding transfer and close out activities including expenditure transfer vouchers (ETVs) and purchase order adjustments and closeouts. Coordinates with supervisor, Budget Office, and RLHO organizations (including Public Health Regions) to request funds and make funds available across the Division as necessary. Works with HHSC Information Technology (IT), DSHS Budget Office, and other partners to ensure that capital authority is requested as needed and monitored. Assists with reviewing RLHO budgets for accuracy and distributing budget reports to RLHO organizations. Assists with creating spend plans, tools, and reports. Interprets policies related to budget. Creates, documents, and implements processes and procedures. Evaluates processes and workflows and suggests and implements improvements. Trains Division staff on processes and procedures. Maintains the RLHO budget database by uploading files and related tasks as assigned. 

25% Provides leadership on purchasing, contracting, and accounting activities in RLHO Division. Coordinates with the RLHO Administrative Team to complete purchases for the Division Office, including ensuring use of an efficient system to document and track purchases and payments. Tracks recurring purchases and timelines to initiate renewals on time; troubleshoots purchasing issues as needed. Ensures funding is available for purchases in the Division Office and completes and submits claims paperwork accurately and timely. Performs initial review of contracts and agreements; ensures timely review and routing to appropriate internal partners. Interprets agency, enterprise, and state policies and procedures and provides technical assistance to RLHO organizations on topics related to purchasing, contracting, and accounting. Assists in the creation and implementation of RLHO Division policies and procedures affecting operations. Coordinates with DSHS Requisition Team, DSHS Contract Management Section (CMS), Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Procurement and Contracting Services (PCS), and others as needed to resolve issues. Reviews purchasing data to understand purchasing trends and improve purchasing processes. 

15% Creates, provides technical assistance, responds to, and completes Division assignments related to budget, purchasing, contracts, and general operations and business services. Tracks assignment deliverables and due dates to ensure submission and completion. Reviews and synthesizes assignment submissions, obtains approvals from leadership, and submits assignments timely. Monitors and responds to inquiries sent to RLHO Division. 

15% In coordination with the RLHO OBS Finance Group Supervisor, acts as a liaison on resource, budget, and procurement issues to other parts of the agency, including DSHS CMS, Accounting, Budget Office, and Funds Coordination and Management Branch; HHSC IT and PCS; and others as relevant. Coordinates activities; works to resolve issues related to funding, purchasing, and contracting; and participates in workgroups and meetings as assigned. Works with internal and external partners to assess and plan for the resolution of technical problems and evaluate and monitor the outcomes. Builds cooperative relationships that support good customer service. 

10% Assists with planning for the budgeting, allocation, and coordination of funding and resources in the RLHO Division for programs, projects, and special initiatives. Develops and implements systems for reviewing and monitoring Division resources and resource allocation. Assists with developing plans, policies, and procedures for allocation and use of resources in the Division. Provides consultation and technical assistance to RLHO Division staff on development, management, and utilization of Division resources. Prepares spreadsheets and sophisticated reports as requested. Produces reports from CAPPS financials as needed. 

5% Other duties as assigned include but are not limited to actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency’s obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) activation. Such participation may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location.

Registrations, Licensure Requirements or Certifications: 

Certified Texas Contract Manager (CTCM) certification required within one year of start date for this position.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (Required):

Knowledge, skills and ability to plan and manage projects and resources. 
Knowledge of programmatic resource monitoring processes 
Knowledge of state and federal laws, regulations, policies, procedures, and processes relating to accounting, procurement, contracting, and budget.

Skill in developing goals and objectives, problem solving techniques, and procedures to monitor and evaluate progress. 
Skill in project planning and management 
Skill in program organization & financial management techniques 
Skill in developing cooperative, professional, and collegial relationships with internal and external partners. 
Skill in using personal computer application software such as Microsoft Office applications (especially Excel and Word), or similar programs. 
Skill in oral communication, including the ability to make public presentations and train staff, contractors, and others. 
Skill in written communication, including the ability to write technical information in an understandable format and produce sophisticated reports. 
Skill in developing goals and objectives, problem solving techniques, and procedures to monitor and evaluate progress. 
Skill in developing and monitoring program or project budgets. 
Skill in tracking deliverables and timelines.

Ability devise and implement solutions to problems. 
Ability to interpret legal documents such as contracts. 
Ability to develop, research, interpret, apply, and evaluate policies and procedures. 
Ability to research, assemble, correlate, and analyze facts, and devise solutions to problems. 
Ability to assess and manage priorities, and meet deadlines. 
Ability to effectively work with individuals and groups. 
Ability to lead teams, facilitate workgroups, and work with stakeholders.   

Initial Screening Criteria:

Experience in financial management, monitoring, or evaluation work; or experience in procurement or purchasing.
Graduation with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university.
Experience and education may be substituted for one another on a year-for-year basis. 

Additional Information:

The full salary range may not be offered due to budget constraints.
An in-basket exercise will be required at the time of interview.  

Active Duty, Military, Reservists, Guardsmen, and Veterans:

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 for this position. For more information see the Texas State Auditor’s Military Crosswalk at https://hr.sao.texas.gov/CompensationSystem/JobDescriptions/.

ADA Accommodations:

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), DSHS will provide reasonable accommodation during the hiring process for individuals with a qualifying disability. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the interview process, please notify the person who contacts you to schedule the interview. If you need assistance completing the on-line application, contact the HHS Employee Service Center at 1-888-894-4747 or via email at HHSServiceCenter.Applications@ngahrhosting.com.

Salary Information, Pre-employment Checks, and Work Eligibility:

• The salary offered will follow DSHS starting salary guidelines. Any employment offer is contingent upon available budgeted funds.
• Depending on the program area and position requirements, applicants selected for hire may be required to pass background and other due diligence checks.
• DSHS uses E-Verify. You must bring your I-9 documentation with you on your first day of work.  Download the I-9 form