Planning Manager, Travis County Health and Human Services Research & Planning (R&P) Division
Position Titles: Planning Manager
Location: 5325 Airport Blvd, Austin, Texas
Department: Health & Human Services
Employment Type: Full Time | Flexible/Hybrid
Salary Range: $79,564.83 - $103,434.28 Annually
Job Summary
The Health and Human Services Research & Planning (R&P) Division is seeking two Planning Managers to fill key leadership roles on the R&P team. The Planning Manager performs, coordinates, and oversees professional research and planning work in the field of health and human services. One Planning Manager position will focus on investments related to the voter approved Child Care and Out of School Time (CCOST) fund while the other Planning Manager position will oversee investments across 9 social services issue areas and have responsibilities across a variety of County and community initiatives. Both roles will work towards the goal of building an efficient and effective service delivery system for human services in Travis County.
The Planning Manager works with the R&P Division Director or CCOST Strategic Advisor to coordinate the Division’s workplans to promote the strategic direction and goals of the Division, supervise planning staff, and serve as a project manager for complex projects.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:
This is the third in a series of three planner-related job classifications within the Planning and Research job family. This classification is distinguished by that the incumbents typically performing broad and diverse planning, management analysis, and research project and program management responsibilities, complex tasks, a role of a project manager and a supervisor, and required additional experience.
Responsibilities
The duties of the Planning Manager fall into three basic areas:
Division Management and Staff Supervision: Works with Director or Strategic Advisor to manage the division’s human resources and workplan, supervise staff, and coordinate Division administrative operations and office management functions.
Social Service Investment System Oversight: Plans and oversees systems for HHS social service investments including procurement and contract management.
Project Management: Coordinates, designs, and manages complex projects and programmatic initiatives for the Department and/or County in alignment with Department and County goals and in collaboration with other County Departments, partner agencies, service providers, community collaborations, and community representatives.
Specific tasks may include:
Primary and secondary research
Legislative and policy analysis
Writing reports and other documents
Presentation before peers, the public, and/or elected officials
Participation in collaborative group processes
Leading or supporting community and task groups including the development of community plans
Strategic planning support for the HHS department, divisions, and programs
Facilitation of meetings and groups
Program planning, design, and development
Process reviews and program evaluations
Design and conduct surveys and focus groups
Performance measurement
Programmatic and performance oversight of social service contracts
Investment planning: scoping, planning, and implementing competitive processes for social service investments
Investment planning: evaluating proposals and negotiating contracts
Ensure work reflects community planning principles and other relevant professional standards
Interpret and apply policies and procedures and applicable Federal, State and Local laws, codes, rules, and regulations
Represent the County in a range of settings
Work in partnership with community representatives or groups, departments, and outside agencies
Use computer applications and management information systems
Performs other job-related duties as assigned
Qualifications
Minimum Requirements
Education and Experience:
Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Public Policy, Planning, Government, Business Administration, Social Work, one of the Social or Behavioral Sciences, or a directly related field AND six (6) years increasingly responsible experience with strategic planning, planning, coordinating, research, project management, policy research, and program development, including two (2) years of mid- to senior level supervisory or management experience;
OR,
Master’s degree in Public Administration, Public Policy, Planning, Government, Business Administration, Social Work, one of the Social or Behavioral Sciences, or a directly related field AND four (4) years increasingly responsible experience with strategic planning, planning, coordinating, research, project management, policy research, and program development, including two (2) years of mid- to senior level supervisory or management experience;
Any combination of education and experience that has been achieved and is equivalent to the stated education and experience and required knowledge, skills, and abilities sufficient to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities of this job.
Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:
None required.
Preferred:
Experience with social services/health and human services (may include work, volunteer, and/or life experience)
Experience in social services procurement and/or contract management
Experience with project management and oversight
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Knowledge of:
Human service systems and programs.
Childcare &/or out of school time programs and policies.
Governmental agencies and relevant policies (local, state, and federal).
Principles of project management.
Primary and secondary research methods.
Principles of community planning.
Supervisory principles, practices and techniques.
Strategic planning techniques.
Performance measurement and logic models.
Legislative process.
Population characteristics and community conditions pertaining to health and human services.
Computer equipment to include word processing, spreadsheets, databases, statistical packages, project scheduling and management, presentation/graphics and related software applications.
Business letter writing, grammar and punctuation, and report preparation.
Skill in:
Advanced planning.
Developing short-range and long-range comprehensive plans in development of innovative solutions.
Program planning, development and implementation.
Data analysis and policy research/policy analysis
Problem-solving and technical decision-making for developing effective solutions.
Writing reports, briefs, and other documents.
Developing and making presentations.
Coordinating work of others.
Planning and facilitating meetings and groups.
Both verbal and written communication.
Ability to:
Coordinate, plan, and prioritize programs, projects and activities.
Plan, assign, supervise, train and review the work of subordinates.
Initiate and develop projects and programs.
Apply knowledge to data, policy, and process analysis.
Perform complex planning, research and analysis.
Reach sound conclusions and make recommendations.
Manage time well and perform multiple tasks and organize diverse activities.
Interpret planning and program objectives to groups and public.
Bring together several viewpoints into a balanced position.
Compile data and to write clear and comprehensive reports.
Maintain appropriate records.
Establish and maintain effective working relationships with departmental clientele, representatives of outside agencies, other County employees and officials, and the general public.
Work Environment & Other Information
Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 5–20 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to standing, walking, sitting, repetitive motion, reaching, occasional indoor/outdoor activities, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pushing, pulling, balancing, client/customer contact, squatting to perform the essential functions.
Travis County employees play an important role in business continuity. As such, employees can be assigned to business continuity efforts outside of normal job functions.
Work Hours: 8 am - 5 pm, Monday-Friday. May work some holidays, some nights, some weekends
Location: 5325 Airport Blvd, Austin, Texas
Department: Health & Human Services
Criminal, Driving, Education, and Employment Background Checks Required.
Benefits
Benefits
Employment at Travis County comes with a full array of benefits. We offer comprehensive health insurance, a no-cost, on-site Health and Wellness clinic, longevity pay, paid vacations, sick time and personal holidays, not to mention an industry competitive salary structure and a friendly, stable work environment.
FY2025 Travis County Benefit Guide
In this valuable Travis County Benefits Guide you will find benefit summaries, eligibility requirements, costs, contact numbers and addresses as well as other general information on the benefits available to Travis County Employees and Retirees.
Credit Union
Employees may join the Travis County Credit Union which offers low-interest loans, savings plans through payroll deduction, safe deposit boxes and other benefits.
Deferred Compensation
Employees may enroll in a tax- free sheltered investment plan through payroll deduction.
Direct Deposit
Employees may sign up for direct bank deposit.
Employee Assistance Program
Travis County provides a confidential counseling and referral service free of charge to county employees and their family.
Employee Organizations
Membership in the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Union is available through payroll deduction.
Employee Health & Wellness Clinic
Employees may access the clinic for a variety of wellness program and health care services with no co-pay, no deductible and no co-insurance costs.
Holidays
An average of eleven paid holidays are designated by the Travis County Commissioners Court at the beginning of each fiscal year.
Insurance
Employees may select from four plans: an Exclusive Physician Organization (EPO), Choice Plus Preferred Physician Organization (PPO), Consumer Choice or a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with a Health Savings Account (HSA). All four options include a Pharmacy Plan. Travis County’s current policy is to pay 100% of the employee’s health insurance premium for the Consumer Choice and HDHP. Employees will pay a premium for both the EPO and PPO. Other insurance benefits include $50,000 Basic Life and AD&D paid by the County.
The following benefits are employee paid:
Dental
Vision
Supplemental Life, AD&D
Dependent Life
Short Term Disability
Long Term Disability
Long Term Care
New employees are covered on the first day of the month following 28 calendar days of employment.
Longevity
Longevity pay is paid for each year completed after three years of continuous service. Peace Officers in a law enforcement activity, whose job requires state peace officer certification, receive pay after one year of certification.
On the regular payday on or after the employee's fourth and subsequent adjusted service dates, he or she receives a single payment for the previous year.
Parking
A limited number of assigned parking spaces are available to employees in the Courthouse Complex.
Personal Holidays
Regular, full-time employees are eligible for up to three paid personal holidays each calendar year. Part-time employees shall be granted personal holidays on a prorated basis. New employees earn personal holidays for the calendar year in which he/she begins employment, based on the month in which employment begins:
January – March
3 personal holidays
April - June
2 personal holidays
July - September
1 personal holiday
October - December
None
New employees are eligible to take personal holidays after 90 days of employment.
Retirement
Travis County is a member of the Texas County & District Retirement System with mandatory participation by certain classes of employees. Seven percent (7%) of the gross salary is deducted each pay period. An employee is fully vested after eight years of service. Benefits are prorated for part-time employees.
Sick Leave
Regular employees earn sick leave at a rate of eight hours per month with unlimited accrual during employment. Part-time employees earn sick leave on a pro-rated basis.
Parental Leave
Each Full-time Paid Parental Leave Eligible (PPL) Employee is entitled to a total of 320 hours of Paid Parental Leave in a 12 month period. Paid Parental Leave for Part-time PPL Eligible Employees is prorated based on the number of hours that they are regularly scheduled to work.
Tuition Refund
Certain classes of full-time employees may receive reimbursement for fees associated with pre-approved, job related course work completed satisfactorily.
Vacation
Based on years of county service, regular, full-time employees earn vacation time at the following rates:
0 to 5 years
4.0 hours per pay period
6 to 10 years
4.5 hours per pay period
11 to 15 years
5.0 hours per pay period
16 to 20 years
5.5 hours per pay period
21 plus years
6.0 hours per pay period
Part-time employees earn vacation leave on a pro-rated basis.
Workers' Compensation
The county provides all employees workers' compensation coverage with benefits in accordance with state statute, if the employee sustains an injury out of, or in the course of work.
To Apply
