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Section 1: Agency Information

Number of positions filled with this proposal

1

Agency Name

Department of Civil Service

Agency Code

08000

Agency Website

www.cs.ny.gov

Career Track

Human Resource Management

Unit

Staffing Services Section 5

Unit Description

The New York State civil service system is the oldest State merit system in the nation. As New York State's central personnel agency, the Department of Civil Service is responsible for providing the State of New York with a trained, capable and motivated public workforce selected on the basis of excellence, merit and fitness and equal opportunity. The Department has been recognized for excellence in personnel management and public administration by a number of sources, including the National Academy of Public Administration, New York State Federation of Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, International Personnel Management Association, Academy of State Public Administrators and the Vietnam Veterans of America.

The Division of Staffing Services provides State agencies with personnel selection and placement services. The Division coordinates the Department's response to agency personnel operations, and develops and administers a variety of tests for State positions, including oral, performance, training and experience, and performance assessment tests. The Division certifies lists of individuals qualified for appointment to State positions.

Section 2: Title Information

Journey Level Title

Senior Staffing Services Representative

Street Address

Division of Staffing Services - Section 5

Line 2

Alfred E. Smith Office Building

City

Albany

State

NY

Zip

12239

Section 3: Supervisor Information

Name

Erika Bacher

Title

Chief Staffing Services Representative

Phone No.

5184736523

Email Address

Erika.Bacher@cs.state.ny.us

Supervisor's Background

Erika joined the NYS Department of Civil Service's Staffing Services Division in 2003 to serve as a Chief Staffing Services Representative. In this capacity, she currently oversees a Section comprised of four units engaged in providing staffing and examination services to all New York State agencies, ensuring that agencies receive streamlined services to appropriately staff critical program areas. Additionally, Erika serves as the Public Management Institute Director, overseeing New York State's prestigious management internship program.

Previously, Erika served with the Department's Division of Classification and Compensation as a Chief Classification and Pay Analyst, overseeing the Human Services Section. As Section Chief, she was the Division's expert for health care services, directed all Section classification activities for over seventy appointing authorities, and represented the Division on a variety of inter-departmental and inter-divisional steering committees and task forces.

Prior to joining the Department, Erika worked for the NYS Department of Social Services' Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped; served as a consultant to the NYS Office of the Advocate for Persons with Disabilities representing that Office on the Governor's Task Force on Long Term Care; and worked for the Quality Assurance Division in the NYS Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities.

Erika received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University at Albany, and her Master's Degree in Public Administration from the Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy. She is a Past-President of the Albany-Capital Region Chapter of the International Personnel Management Association-HR (IPMA-HR) and has served in a variety of committees for IPMA-HR including Chair of the IPMA Eastern Region 2001 Conference Host Committee. She has been honored as an Albany Ambassador by the Albany Visitors and Convention Bureau for her work in bringing business to Albany.

Section 4: Mentor Information

Name

Nancy B. Kiyonaga

Title

Director of Workforce and Occupational Planning

Phone No.

5184736411

Email Address

Nancy.Kiyonaga@cs.state.ny.us

Street Address

Department of Civil Service

Line 2

Alfred E. Smith Office Building

City

Albany

State

NY

Zip

12239

Mentor's Background

Nancy Kiyonaga has been assigned as the mentor for this internship. As the Director of Workforce and Occupational Planning in the New York State Department of Civil Service, Ms. Kiyonaga oversees the Department's statewide workforce and succession planning initiatives, including the coordination of research and development of policies on deployment and succession management strategies. Previously, Ms. Kiyonaga served in several capacities in the Department of Civil Service, primarily in the Division of Classification and Compensation where she rose to the position of Director. In this capacity, she led the Division through the implementation of an award winning computerized processing system which greatly enhanced service to agencies. Earlier in her career, she served as the Assistant Director of the Public Management Intern Program and as a Staff Analyst for the Civil Service Commission.

Ms. Kiyonaga is an active member of several professional organizations. She is a Board Member of the State Academy of Public Administration and a member of the American Society of Public Administration. She has held several offices at the chapter and regional levels of the International Public Management Association for Human Resources IPMA-HR and is currently President of the Eastern Region of that organization. She has been an adjunct professor of Public Administration for Cornell University and Russell Sage College. She holds a Bachelor's degree in History and a Master's degree in Public Administration.

Is mentor in the same unit/office as the supervisor?

No

Previously a PMI Mentor?

Yes

Section 5: Career Ladder

Title	Negotiating Unit	Salary Grade	Salary
Senior Staffing Services Representative	M/C	18	49,391
Associate Staffing Services Representative	M/C	23	63,853
Principal Staffing Services Representative	M/C	M-2	76,436
Chief Staffing Services Representative	M/C	M-3	84,834
Assistant Director Staffing Services	M/C	M-5	104,183
Director Division Staffing Services	M/C	M-6	115,352

Section 6: Intern Assignments

Activity

Staffing the State Service

Description

The staff of the Division of Staffing Services provides personnel selection and placement services for all State agencies. The Intern will be assigned to Staffing Services Section 5, which is responsible for delivering interdepartmental examinations and assisting state agencies with their staffing needs. In this assignment, the Intern will work with the Division of the Budget and the Office of Employee Relations. Specific components related to this assignment include: (1) Exposure to the Civil Service Law through reading assignments, day-to-day discussions and training sessions as it pertains to Staffing the State Service. § Review of personnel transactions for compliance with Civil Service Laws, Rules, Regulations, policies and procedures. (2)Interaction with personnel department representatives through telephone contact, site visits and planning meetings to resolve personnel problems and schedule examinations. (3) Administration of examination planning components announcement development, application review, establishing eligible lists, etc.

Activity

Administration of the Public Management Institute

Description

The Intern will be assigned to the PMI Unit of the Division of Staffing Services, S-5. In this capacity he/she will function as a program assistant in the administration of the Public Management Institute. During the first months of the internship, the primary assignment will focus on the development and administration of a recruitment and selection plan for the 2007 PMI Program. This will involve evaluation of the previous program, analysis of comparable programs in other jurisdictions, and the development of new materials for both the campus recruiting and examinations components. The Intern will assist in the design of a new program announcement and on-line application form; evaluation of the process for selecting appropriate internship proposals; evaluation of candidate applications; and drafting of oral test questions for use in the Assessment Center where necessary. The Intern will assist the PMI Staff in all aspects of the implementation processes: recruitment, administration of oral tests, interviews, and selection. Tasks will include: (1) Recruitment: developing recruitment materials, researching areas to increase qualified applicants, conducting recruitment sessions at universities, responding to telephone inquiries and e-mail requests for information. (2) Application Process: developing an announcement, application, and rating process using on-line technology, responding to telephone inquiries requesting application information, filing, and reviewing applications. (3) Administration of Oral Tests: scheduling candidates, securing examiners for the Assessment Center, securing test sites, implementing the test. (4) Interviews: coordinating and scheduling interviews, determining appropriate selection mechanisms. (5) Selection and Hiring: discussions with agency representatives to select appropriate candidates to fill internship positions, making job offers, assisting agency representatives with hiring guidelines, ensuring appropriate minimum qualifications are upheld, coordinating training. In this assignment, the Intern will also be exposed to the systems established to monitor the on-going internship program through interactions with the program staff at the Rockefeller Institute and Cornell University, School of Industrial and Labor Relations. The Intern will also assist in computer processes such as web page design, database design and upkeep of database files to carry out program functions. Throughout the internship, the emphasis will be on pushing the program to an even higher level of effectiveness while providing the Intern with opportunities to become skilled in the merit system and program administration.

Activity

Project Management

Description

The Intern will participate in a major initiative to improve our services through technology. These projects will include: (1) Working to streamline and update the PMI web page to incorporate the new designs and the look and functionality of the pages for the user. Converting information usually distributed to customers in hard copy format to Internet formats, i.e. procedure manuals, candidate and agency instructions, charts and graphs, etc. (2) Increasing the functionality of the on-line application and rating system. (3) Working with the Information Resources Management Division to find methods to computerize services to increase the ease of communication in all PMI processes. These projects will present the intern with the opportunity to develop his/her project management skills, information systems expertise, interpersonal/team-building skills, written and verbal communication skills, and analysis and decision-making skills. The intern will be expected to coordinate meetings, develop agendas and presentations, and participate in ad-hoc committees, research and analyze issues, make recommendations on his or her findings, and justify those recommendations. Depending on the needs of the unit, the intern may also become involved in such areas as developing training programs and designing new recruitment and examination methodologies.

Section 7: Development Activities

Intra-departmental Activities

One large part of the Intern's job assignment as a Senior Staffing Services Representative and as a PMI program associate is working with Human Resources personnel from State agencies. The Intern will be exposed to the general operations of a human resources office in an agency to better understand the workings of such an office. The State agency selected for the rotation will be based on the Intern's areas of interest. Examples of agencies that could host an Intern include, but are not limited to: the Department of Taxation and Finance, the Office for Technology, the Division of the Budget, and the Department of Labor.

Inter-departmental Activities

The Intern will be given the opportunity to develop, refine, and enhance skills in the following areas: Verbal Communication and Meeting Skills: The Intern will have regular interaction and participate in meetings with the various internal and external publics we serve: Division staff, Department staff, client agency personnel and program staff, employee organizations, taxpayers, etc. The Intern will have the opportunity to schedule, plan, and participate in meetings including establishing agendas, preparing and presenting information during the meeting, and determining appropriate follow-up actions after the meeting. In these meetings, and through other regular interactions, the Intern will develop verbal communication and negotiation skills, particularly when involved in examination planning meetings. The Intern will have an opportunity to work with and observe section staff in order to develop the expertise to handle sensitive and complex situations independently. Writing Skills: The Intern will have the opportunity to prepare a wide variety of written material directed to different audiences. This written material will include issue papers for Division management, examination planning/scope conference memos, Civil Service Commission memos, examination appeals, and internal memoranda. All written material prepared by the Intern will be reviewed by the Intern's supervisor for tone, content, and technical accuracy. As necessary, the Intern's supervisor will work with the Intern to develop a clear, concise writing style that will allow the Intern to present complex analysis and technical information in a manner that is readily understood by the audience it is intended for. Analysis and Problem Solving Skills: The Intern will be given the opportunity to research, analyze, and make recommendations to resolve a variety of issues and personnel situations. Time Management Skills: The Intern will be given the opportunity to develop management skills such as prioritizing work, establishing schedules and time lines for completion of work, and coordinating intra-office work products to ensure that established timeframes are met. Computer Skills: The Intern's work station is equipped with a computer. The Intern will receive training as needed and will be expected to use word processing, e-mail, and Department personnel systems on a regular basis.

External-Professional Activities

The Intern will be exposed to a variety of professional affiliations and training opportunities related to the job function. Encouragement will be given to attend meetings and/or become a member of the NYS Personnel Council, the International Personnel Management Association IPMA, and the American Society of Public Administrators ASPA. These organizations have several membership meetings throughout the year. Opportunities will be offered to attend personal development seminars both in-house and in other State agencies as they relate to various job responsibilities Department training, Governor's Office of Employee Relations Leadership Forums, NYS Training Council activities, etc.

Section 8: Rotational Assignments

Agency Code

08000

Location

Alfred E. Smith Office Bldg

Program Area

Civil Service Commission

Is rotation internal or external?

Internal

Duration

3-6 Weeks

Description

The Intern will be exposed to one of the central functions of the Department of Civil Service through the observation and participation in one cycle of the Civil Service Commission operations. Prior to the rotation, the Intern will observe the proceedings of one of the Commission meetings. The rotation will consist of working with one of the Commission Staff Analysts for one month in the preparation of materials submitted to the Commission for consideration. These materials would include analyses of requests from operating agencies of State government, local government and public benefit corporations for a variety of actions. The Intern will complete the rotation by submitting the prepared materials at the next Commission meeting.

Agency Code

08000

Location

Alfred E. Smith Office Bldg

Program Area

Personnel Office

Is rotation internal or external?

External

Duration

3-6 Weeks

Description

A significant aspect of the Intern's job assignment as a Senior Staffing Services Representative and as a PMI program coordinator will be working with Human Resources personnel from State agencies. To enhance the Intern's understanding of human resource issues from the perspective of a State agency, the Intern will do a rotation in the Human Resource Management office of an agency. This rotation will expose the Intern to the general operations of a human resources office. The State agency selected for the rotation will be based on the Intern's areas of interest. Examples of agencies that could host an Intern include, but are not limited to: the Department of Health, the Office of the Attorney General, Teacher's retirement System, or the Department of Motor Vehicles.