Closing Date: April 4, 2025

Salary:  $38,480.00

Commensurate with education and experience

Job Code:  GST051

Pay Grade: G

Location: This position is DECAL Headquarter based and may require statewide travel

#Positions- 5

Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is responsible for meeting the child care and early education needs of Georgia's children and their families. It administers the nationally recognized Georgia's Pre-K Program, licenses child care centers and home-based child care, administers Georgia Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) program, federal nutrition programs, and managers Quality Rated, Georgia's community powered child care rating system.

The department also houses the Head Start State Collaboration Office, distributes federal funding to enhance the quality and availability of child care, and works collaboratively with Georgia child care resource and referral agencies and organizations throughout the state to enhance early care and education.

Job Summary:

Under limited supervision of the Program Administration Director and/or Administrative Services Manager, the CAPS Administrative Assistant II will represent the unit, division, and Department by providing a wide range of office administrative duties for assigned functions of program areas in support of division units and managers. Duties may be complex in nature and may involve access to confidential information. May research, investigate and or resolve program data or unit issues. The CAPS Administrative Assistant II will support a statewide team of managers and staff who are responsible for the programmatic and operational activities of the Program Administration, Family Support, Scholarship Administration, Provider Relations, and Development & Partnership functions/sections of the Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) program within the Department of Early Care and Learning. Will partner with DOAS to perform purchases for the department. The position requires the incumbent to possess a Purchase Card (P-Card), which will require a credit check. May administer or provide high level support for various projects, grants, contracts, implementation of procedures, and/or specialized functions. This position is based at DECAL headquarters in Atlanta. May require some statewide travel.

 Job Responsibilities:

• Assists with office and file organization of Deputy Commissioner for Federal Programs, CAPS Directors and/or Unit Managers.
• Provides administrative support for CAPS management including data entry, scanning, copying and sending outgoing faxes and mail.
• Provides support for unit Directors, Managers, Consultants and Specialists including maintaining and distributing supplies and handling submitted processed work and travel.
• Performs and completes tasks and assignments associated with personnel support functions for assigned organizational unit or program to include the processing of all related documents. May include purchase orders, travel arrangements, expense statements, scheduling meetings and clearing voicemail.
• Works directly with the Program Administration Manager, CAPS Directors and unit Managers to process Open Records Requests. Pulls and forwards requested documentation to Manager to provide to Legal to ensure that the turnaround deadline is met. 
• Registers all new/redetermination applications for the Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) program in the Integrated Eligibility System (Gateway).
• Maintains facility files including tracking and filing of visit reports and official correspondence.
• Maintains organization of files including filing, shelving, and purging as required.
• Uses Microsoft Word, Excel and program and agency specific database software to register applications, prepare documents and correspondence.
• Attends all required trainings and meetings as scheduled related to the Childcare and Parent Services program (CAPS), professional development and/or departmental initiatives.
• Receives and upload paper documents to the appropriate system(s) pertaining to Families and/or Providers.
• Receives and upload provider payments to the appropriate system(s).
• Make purchases for the division using the State’s Purchasing Card and Team Georgia Marketplace, which requires the incumbent to meet credit criteria.
• Serves as front desk receptionist as needed or requested. Provides daily coverage in office during core hours of Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Handles incoming calls from public regarding questions and processes related to Childcare and parent Services (CAPS).
• Maintains current knowledge of Department and division/unit rules, policies, and procedures.
• Maintains and processes Leave Grids and Timesheets.
• Provides support to Program Administration, Family Support, Scholarship Administration, Provider Relations, and Development & Partnership staff. The staff will need support in areas related to CAPS. Support may be related to task involving:
• registering all new and redetermination applications
• processing new applications for CAPS scholarships to determine eligibility
• processing ongoing renewal applications for CAPS scholarships to determine ongoing eligibility
• processing referrals from Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) for CAPS scholarships to determine eligibility
• providing resolution to Governor’s Office and/or customer concerns and issues that arise
• providing initial consumer education
• Provides support to and collaboration with all sections of the CAPS division to ensure seamless service delivery to all families and providers, and exemplary customer service.
• Conducts research using a variety of sources to complete, prepare, assemble, process, and/or generate reports and other documentation, or to respond to inquiries, questions or requests.
• Enters data from forms, records, reports, and/or other sources into computer for purposes such as maintaining databases.
• Facilitates and participates in communication within the division and with other divisions of the agency.
• Creates, builds, and maintains cooperative, positive and team-oriented working relationships within the CAPS division, with other DECAL divisions, and with other agencies, providers, and stakeholders to include all applicable partnering state and community agencies.
• Understands that all staff have external and/or internal customers that they provide services and information to; honors all of the State's commitments to customers by providing helpful, courteous, accessible, responsive, and knowledgeable service.
• Cooperates with others to accomplish common goals; works with employees within and across his/her department to achieve shared goals; treats others with dignity and respect and maintains a friendly demeanor; values the contributions of others.
• Delivers required business results; sets and achieves achievable, yet aggressive, goals; consistently complies with quality standards and meets deadlines; maintains focus on Agency and State goals.
• Accepts full responsibility for self and contribution as a team member; displays honesty and truthfulness; confronts problems quickly; displays a strong commitment to organizational success and inspires others to commit to goals; demonstrates a commitment to delivering on his/her public duty and presenting oneself as a credible representative of the Agency and State to maintain the public's trust.
• Analyzes problems by evaluating available information and resources; develops effective, viable solutions to problems that can help drive the effectiveness of the department and/or State of Georgia.
• Providing general customer service support to clients and child care providers who call the CAPS customer service number, in addition to forwarding clients and child care providers to the appropriate CAPS Representative to resolve customer service issues.
• Documenting customer service calls and customer/child care provider resolutions in the CAPS Share Point Database.
• Handles special projects and other responsibilities as assigned.

Physical Requirements necessary to perform the job:

• Work is performed in an office setting with extended periods of sitting and standing and occasional shorter periods of walking (up to 10-15 minutes);
• Requires the ability to review, classify, categorize, prioritize, and/or analyze data. Includes exercising discretion in determining data classification.
• Requires the ability to exercise judgment, decisiveness and creativity in situations involving the evaluation of information against sensory, judgmental, or subjective criteria, as opposed to that which is clearly measurable or verifiable.
• The ability to speak clearly, to hear and understand at a normal conversational level, and to receive detailed information through verbal communication
• Close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data; viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading and visual inspection.
• The employee occasionally lifts or moves objects of a light to medium weight up to 25 pounds.
• Full range of hand and finger motion is required for computer and phone use.

Technical Competencies required to perform the job:

• Excellent customer service skills and the ability to integrate exemplary customer service such that it is woven into all processes and procedures.
• Excellent oral, written, analytical, presentation and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage a process with accuracy and within standards of promptness (SOP).
• Demonstrated ability to form and maintain collaboration among partners.
• Computer skills in Microsoft Office to include WORD, EXCEL, and POWERPOINT.
• Ability to manage own time, set priorities, work without direct supervision, and contribute to team atmosphere.
• Experience working with diverse communities and sensitivity to needs and concerns of various cultural groups.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and work independently as well as in team environments, often under tight deadline situations.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of work-related information and materials.

Agency Required Minimum Qualifications:

High school diploma/GED and three (3) years of job-related experience; or one (1) year of experience required at the lower level Admin Assistant 1 (GST050) or position equivalent.

Agency Preferred Qualifications:

Preference will be given to applicants who, in addition to meeting the required minimum qualifications, possess two or more of the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in business or office management from an accredited college/university and one year of experience of related experience working for a government entity. 
• Experience in Concur Government Edition
• Experience with Peoplesoft Queries and Reports
• Experience with State Purchasing
• Computer skills in state program software such as MAXSTAR/NOVA, SUCCESS, KOALA, and GEORGIA GATEWAY
• Competent to answer questions related to child care quality and health and safety, as well as community resources quickly and accurately.
• A comprehensive understanding of early care and education settings, as well as both state and community programs and resources for eligible families.
• Strong knowledge/experience of programs within the Department.
• Knowledge of organization policies and procedures.
• Proven excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.

Submissions without documented work history listed in the Work Experience or Achievements section cannot be evaluated and therefore will not be considered. 

Bright from the Start:  Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is a family-friendly employer, offering flexible work schedules (at supervisory discretion) and a comprehensive compensation package, to include healthcare, retirement, 401-k match, and elective options for dental, vision, AD&D, short and long-term disability, and life insurance.  Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is an equal opportunity employer and drug-free workplace.  A background check will be completed upon hire, which may consist of any or all of the following: criminal and employment histories, credit history (as applicable to the position), education credentials, and motor vehicle driving records.

If you are an individual with a disability who may require assistance or other reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the selection process for this position, you may contact our HR department at: 678-879-2993. Due to the volume of submissions received by this office, information concerning application or interview status cannot be provided in writing, over the phone, or in person. All applicants who submit a complete application package will be considered but may not necessarily receive notification or an interview. The job posting may be subject to being closed at any time without notice. Only those qualified candidates who are selected for an interview shall receive notification upon the filling of this vacancy. Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning is an equal opportunity employer.