DHSES Program Administrator 3

You must review important information on the New York State Department of Civil Service COVID-19 policy that applies to all candidates sitting for in-person Civil Service examinations being administered at a New York State test center. You can access our full policy on the Department of Civil Service website.

Due to current testing space limitations, candidates may need to travel to a test site to take this examination. Candidates will be notified of their test site location on their admission notice.

Appointees who work in the five boroughs of New York City or in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, or Westchester Counties will receive an additional $3,026 annual downstate adjustment. Appointees who work in Dutchess, Orange, or Putnam Counties will receive an additional $1,513 annual mid-Hudson adjustment.

The Positions: These positions exist in the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and are located in Albany.

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before October 22, 2022, you must have:

Either 1. eight years of qualifying experience*, which must include one year of supervision of subordinate staff;

Or 2. an associate degree and six years of qualifying experience*, which must include one year of supervision of subordinate staff;

Or 3. a bachelor's degree and four years of qualifying experience*, which must include one year of supervision of subordinate staff;

Or 4. a bachelor's and a master's degree and three years of qualifying experience*, which must include one year of supervision of subordinate staff;

Or 5. a bachelor's degree and a juris doctorate and three years of qualifying experience*, which must include one year of supervision of subordinates staff.

*Qualifying experience in one or more of the following areas:

• administration of federal, state or locally funded grant programs;
• preparing and processing applications for disaster mitigation/recovery projects;
• processing requests for grant project payments and performing financial reviews required for final payment;
• damage assessment and identification of appropriate assistance funding programs;
• review of action plans or planning, organizing and coordinating disaster recovery programs involving local, state and federal agencies.

**If verifiable, we will accept and prorate appropriate part-time and volunteer experience.

If you expect to meet the educational requirements by June 30, 2023, you can take the written test. You MUST submit proof of successful completion of the educational requirements to the Appointing Authority at the time of the employment interview or you will not be considered for appointment. Failure to meet the educational requirements by June 30, 2023, may result in your removal from the eligible list.

Your required educational credentials must have been awarded by an educational institution accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the United States (U.S.) Department of Education/Secretary of Education. If awarded by an institution outside of the U.S. and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. A list of companies that provide these services (fees must be paid to the company you choose) can be found at: http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm.

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Duties

As a DHSES Program Administrator 3, you would serve as the primary contact on various disaster related recovery programs and supervise the daily activities of the professional staff. Typical duties include: overseeing all daily activities of the assigned Recovery unit; organizing, prioritizing and coordinating the preparation of section work plans and identifying key deliverables, lead responsibility and critical dates; reviewing staff work and ensure staff is trained and proficient in all tasks; coordinating recovery resources for declared and undeclared events and program information with established local Long Term Recovery Groups; providing subject matter expertise and interpreting rules and regulations as required for staff and other stakeholders; facilitating the delivery and production of training courses and constituent briefings throughout the state; monitoring and tracking multiple grants, projects, financial information and reconciliations, and issues from start through final resolution and make recommendations concerning program effectiveness; deploying staff to support the State Emergency Operations Center or field offices during emergency or disaster activations and ongoing events; deploying and acting as the liaison to operational FEMA/State Joint Field Offices during declared disasters; preparing and delivering comprehensive written and verbal status reports, briefings, presentations, correspondence and related critical data; and supervising subordinate staff.

***Notes

1. New York State residency is not required.
2. A promotion examination will also be held for these positions.
3. If you are eligible for appointment from a promotion list, you may not be appointed in your own agency from the list resulting from this examination open to the public.

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Subject of Examination

To be considered for appointment to this title, you must pass the written test. The written test evaluates your knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in the following areas:

1. Preparing reports and official documents - These questions test for the ability to prepare reports and other official documents for use within and among governmental agencies, in legal or regulatory settings, or for dissemination to the public. Some questions test for a knowledge of correct grammar, usage, punctuation, and sentence structure. Others test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, to use the proper tone, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly.
2. Working and interacting with others - These questions test for knowledge of how to effectively approach work and maintain professional relationships with others in the workplace. Each question presents a situation and a number of possible approaches for handling it. Question topics may include working with supervisors and coworkers, interacting with members of the public, handling conflict, and managing workplace demands and priorities. The questions are not specific to any job title or place of work.
3. Understanding and applying administrative principles - These questions test for knowledge of how to effectively manage and direct an organization or an organizational segment. These questions cover such areas as developing objectives, formulating policies, making decisions, forecasting and planning, developing personnel, organizing and coordinating work, communicating information, providing leadership, and delegating authority and responsibility.
4. Administrative supervision - These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices involved in directing the activities of a large subordinate staff, including subordinate supervisors. Questions relate to the personal interactions between an upper level supervisor and his/her subordinate supervisors in the accomplishment of objectives. These questions cover such areas as assigning work to and coordinating the activities of several units, establishing and guiding staff development programs, evaluating the performance of subordinate supervisors, and maintaining relationships with other organizational sections.
5. Understanding and interpreting written material - These questions test how well you comprehend written material. You will be provided with brief reading selections and will be asked questions about the selections. All the information required to answer the questions will be presented in the selections; you will not be required to have any special knowledge relating to the subject areas of the selections.
6. Evaluating conclusions based on factual information - These questions test your ability to evaluate and draw conclusions from factual information presented. Each question consists of a set of factual statements and a conclusion. You will be asked to determine whether the conclusion can be proven to be true by the facts, proven to be false by the facts, or if the facts are inadequate to prove the conclusion.

Test Guide & Sample Test Material: A General Guide to Written Tests is available at http://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm. Sample Test Material for the subject areas described above is available at http://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/sampletestmat.cfm.

Your final score must be 70 or higher in order to pass. Your final score on the eligible list will be determined after adding any wartime Veterans' and Civil Service Law Section 85-a credits.

Note: The Department of Civil Service may administer tests either online or with paper booklets and answer sheets.

Admission To The Test: If approved for a written test, you will receive an admission notice which will indicate your assigned test date and the way your test will be administered. Your test may be administered with paper and pencil or online at a state test site using a state-provided Chromebook. You cannot request to change your scheduled day or request a specific type of test administration.

Applicants are required to have a Personal NY.gov account and keep their email address up to date. The Department of Civil Service and other state agencies will communicate with you through email correspondence. This may include the notification of your test arrangements, examination results, and canvassing you for interest in appointment. It will be important for you to keep your email address, phone number, and mailing address current by logging into https://www.cs.ny.gov/home/myaccount.

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How To Apply

Important: Unless waived, you must pay the non-refundable processing fee. For information on fee waivers, visit https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/types/oc/appinfo.cfm##Fee. Any past due application processing fees must be paid in full prior to submitting an application. Please email FeeUnitMail@cs.ny.gov regarding inquiries about any past due fee. It is important that you verify that you entered the correct examination number and title on your online or paper application prior to submitting. If you apply online, you should immediately review your email confirmation notice to verify that you applied for the correct examination.

Additional Information

New York State is an Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of the State of New York to provide for and promote equal opportunity employment, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment without unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran or military service member status, marital status, domestic violence victim status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, arrest and/or criminal conviction record, or any other category protected by law, unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.

Appointment to many positions in State government require candidates to undergo an investigative screening. This may include a thorough character investigation, a Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Record History Check, a Child Abuse Registry clearance, or other similar procedures. Candidates may be fingerprinted and may be required to pay any necessary fees for that procedure. Depending on the nature of the job, the criminal convictions discovered, or any falsified or omitted information revealed, the investigative findings may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment.

Eligibility for Employment

You must be legally eligible to work in the United States at the time of appointment and throughout your employment with New York State. If appointed, you must produce documents that establish your identity and eligibility to work in the United States, as required by the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, and the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Religious Accommodation

Most written tests are held on Saturdays. If you cannot take the test on the announced test date, due to a conflict with a religious observance or practice, check the box under “Religious Accommodation.” We will make arrangements for you to take the test on a different date (usually the following day).

Reasonable Accommodations in Testing

It is the policy of the Department of Civil Service, in accordance with the New York State Human Rights Law and the Americans with Disabilities Act, to provide qualified persons with disabilities equal employment opportunity and equal opportunity to participate in and receive the benefits, services, programs, and activities of the Department. It is the policy of the Department to provide such persons reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications as are necessary to provide equal opportunity. Persons with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in an examination must note this on their application. Further information is available from the Test Administration Unit of the Department of Civil Service. In the Albany area, call 518-457-2487. Outside of the Albany area, call toll free at 1-877-697-5627. For TDD services, call NY Relay at 711 (requires a fee) or 1-800-662-1220.

Admission to Examination

Notice to appear for the test may be conditional as review of applications may not be made until after the test. If you have not received your notice to appear for the written test three days before the date of the test, email us at AdmissionNotices@cs.ny.gov. Please provide your first and last name, address, and the last four digits of your social security number, and we will provide you with the information you need to attend your written test. If you have an issue other than not receiving your admission notice, please contact our office at (518) 474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627. Please leave a clear concise message and provide your first and last name, last four digits of your social security number and a daytime phone number.

Taking State and Local Examinations Scheduled for the Same Day

If you have applied to take a written test announced by either one or several local jurisdictions (county, town, city) scheduled to be held on the same test date as this written test, you must notify each of the local jurisdictions no later than two weeks before the test date to make arrangements for taking all tests at one test site. All tests will be held at the state examination center. For your convenience, contact information for all local civil service agencies is available on our website at: https://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/local.cfm.

Cell Phones or Electronic/Communication Devices at the Test Site

The use of cell phones, beepers, headphones, or any electronic or other communication devices at your personal testing site or in the test room, hallways, restrooms, building, grounds, or other areas, except as expressly authorized by the Department of Civil Service, could result in your disqualification.

S2/TC1 LAK-klr
Issued: 8/9/22
**Revised material: 8/12/22
***Revised Material: 8/19/22

This announcement is subject to amendment or cancellation without notice. Do not copy it, or post it to any other site, but link to it instead.

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