Professional Career Opportunities - Job Title Details

Program Operations Specialist 1, G-18

Occupation Group

Health and Human Services

Salary Information

Starting Salary

$61,270

Career Ladder Information

Salary Information for Program Operations Specialist Trainee 1
Title Grade Hiring Rate/yr Job Rate/yr
Program Operations Specialist Trainee 1 14 $52,198 $66,634
Program Operations Specialist Trainee 2 16 $58,247 $74,135
Program Operations Specialist 1 18 $65,001 $82,656
Program Operations Specialist 2 23 $84,156 $106,454
Program Operations Specialist 3 25 $93,530 $117,875
Program Operations Specialist 4 29 $114,976 $140,815

All salary grades for trainees titles are non-statutory (NS) equated to the salary grade identified. These grade equations apply to the starting salaries in their respective salary schedule for the traineeship levels.

Job Description

Program Operations Specialist perform professional, administrative, and technical duties to promote the planning, development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of programs and services for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.

Agencies with this Title

Minimum Qualifications

You must meet the requirements below to qualify for this title.

Either 1. A bachelor's degree in anthropology, audiology, child and family studies, community mental health, counseling, education, gerontology, guidance counseling, health administration, hospital administration, human development, human services, marriage and family therapy, mental health counseling, nursing, nutrition, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychoanalysis, psychology, public health, rehabilitation counseling, social work, sociology, special education, speech communication, speech and language pathology, therapeutic recreation, vocational counseling AND two years of professional clinical, treatment, or administrative experience in a federal, state, or local human services program, Experience must have been in a program dedicated to serving individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.OR

2. A master's or higher degree anthropology, audiology, child and family studies, community mental health, counseling, education, gerontology, guidance counseling, health administration, hospital administration, human development, human services, marriage and family therapy, mental health counseling, nursing, nutrition, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychoanalysis, psychology, public health, rehabilitation counseling, social work, sociology, special education, speech communication, speech and language pathology, therapeutic recreation, vocational counseling AND one year of professional clinical, treatment, or administrative experience in a federal, state, or local human services program. Experience must have been in a program dedicated to serving individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.

Example of qualifying and non-qualifying experience:

Professional Clinical or Treatment Experience is defined as the provision of professional level care, treatment, or instruction to individuals in the disciplines of nursing, nutrition, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychology, mental health counseling, rehabilitation counseling, vocational counseling, audiology, speech/language pathology, social work, recreation therapy, psychotherapy, behavior analysis, creative arts therapy, or habilitation services.

Examples of non-qualifying professional clinical or treatment experience include, but are not limited to: intern/externships; and providing direct care and/or support services, such as those provided by caseworkers, direct support assistants, nursing assistants, and therapy aides.

Professional Administrative Experience: professional administrative experience is defined as experience performing one or more of the following:

  • Program planning, development, design, implementation, administration, and/or evaluation of services for individuals.
  • Review and analysis of program data to determine program effectiveness and adherence to federal, State, and/or local regulatory requirements.
  • Investigation, review, monitoring and tracking, and/or analysis of serious reportable incidents, and allegations of abuse and neglect for programs operated by the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities or voluntary providers.

Examples of non-qualifying professional administrative experience include, but are not limited to: supervision of community or residential sites providing services to individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities; and case management and/or treatment and care planning activities conducted as part of your responsibility to provide direct services to individuals.

How to Apply

The November 2022 PCO Examination is closed, applications are no longer being accepted