CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT
5F58
RESEARCH AND INFORMATION ANALYST SUPERVISOR
Specialties
( MH/MR )
(AIDS )
GENERAL DEFINITION
This is supervisory research and information management work in either the Health Department's Mental Health/Mental Retardation (MH/MR) program or the Auto-Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Activities Coordinating Office (AACO), planning and designing projects and overseeing the implementation of new or revised systems and/or operational changes resulting from these studies. Employees in this class plan, design, participate in and supervise employees in the performance of analytical studies in order to identify client needs and to evaluate the services rendered by the offices in response to these needs. Work involves planning, designing, and adapting mainframe or networking computer systems to MH/MR or AACO program activities and the needs of provider agencies. Defining, implementing and assuring the adherence of program policy in conjunction with MH/MR and AACO governmental requirements are significant aspects of the work. Work is performed under the supervision of a technical superior.
ALLOCATING FACTORS: (The following conditions must be met for a position to be allocated to this class.)
- Positions in this class must supervise all program research and analysis activities through subordinate Research and Information Analysts within the assigned program area of specialization.
- Only four positions will be allocated to the mental health and mental retardation (MH/MR) program.
- Only one position will be allocated to the AIDS Activities Coordinating Office.
TYPICAL EXAMPLES OF WORK (ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY)
ALL SPECIALTIES
- Plans, assigns, and reviews the work of lower level analysts engaged in collecting and analyzing statistical data pertaining to MH/MR or AACO services and programs; provides technical direction to subordinates in research methods including sampling techniques, analytical techniques, applications, and the use of computer resources in research procedures; reviews analysis, findings, and conclusions of subordinates and makes recommendations to administrators for program improvements.
- Reviews and researches established policies of funding sources to determine the impact on funding, operations and information systems; may prepare formal reply to funding source providing comments and recommendations; clarifies and translates state policy into operational procedures; monitors data collection and information reporting methods to ensure that state and/or federal requirements are being met by the office and provider agency staff.
- Provides technical assistance and training to provider agencies either directly or through subordinates in research, evaluation and information management activities; answers inquiries regarding state, federal and city reporting requirements.
- Designs and participates in research projects to define problems in such areas as service delivery, service reporting, information management, and data collection; oversees and performs extensive data analysis using statistical, ethnographic and other methods to determine the correlation between population needs and services rendered; determines effect of operational activities on funding.
- Reviews existing data bases and management information systems to determine if division goals as well as state reporting requirements are met; determines if informational needs of the various divisions are being satisfied.
- Designs, modifies, and implements computer data files, data bases, and informational systems of the office to meet goals, satisfy needs and comply with stated requirements; modifies data collection and data verification procedures; selects hardware and software in conjunction with identified information reporting needs; designs source and output documents.
- Writes computer programs utilizing a non-procedural computer language for purposes which include creating data bases, manipulating and retrieving information from the data bases, and producing informational reports; may create or modify existing systems to respond to technical changes and informational needs in addition to enhancing efficiency.
- Prepares research reports of findings which include written and graphic descriptions; may provide training for office staff in conjunction with operational changes; develops manuals, handbooks and other instructional material as needed.
- Acts as liaison and consultant within the department on projects and issues which impact research, evaluation and information management; attends conferences and reviews periodicals in the field to learn of and investigate new techniques in program analysis and evaluation.
- Researches grant opportunities and prepares grant proposals for the funding of research, evaluation and information management projects.
- Performs other related work as required.
MENTAL HEALTH /MENTAL RETARDATION SPECIALTY
- Performs duties described above for Mental Health and Mental Retardation programs, agencies and related services.
AIDS ACTIVITIES COORDINATING OFFICE SPECIALTY
- Performs advanced analytical work designating, implementing, and applying computer-based management information systems to improve operating efficiency and facilitate management reporting and analysis for AACO.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
KNOWLEDGE OF:
- social science research and investigative methods and their application to a variety of problems
- the methods employed in the presentation of research results
- the standard sources and uses of information in the social sciences
- the design, methodology and techniques of program evaluation as applied to mental health and mental retardation programs for the MH/MR specialty
- research activities in the field of mental health and mental retardation and their implications for local programs in the MH/MR specialty
- the theory and practice of systems design and analysis as they relate to the configuration and maintenance of computer-based management-information systems utilizing nonprocedural languages and microcomputers for the AIDS specialty
- the principles, practices of utilizing computers for management reporting and analysis in a large governmental organization for the AIDS specialty
- the current uses and programming principles of one or more non-procedural languages, such as RAMIS or SPPS, as they relate to social science research
- the current uses and capabilities of electronic data processing equipment with particular emphasis on microcomputers, minicomputers, and mainframe operations
- the principles, practices, and procedures of data analysis as related to social science research
- the theory and practice of systems design and analysis as they relate to the configuration and maintenance of computer-based management-information systems utilizing non-procedural languages and microcomputers for the AACO specialty
- supervisory methods and techniques
- design and lead research projects to obtain needed information for analysis
- data collection methods
ABILITY TO:
- design and lead research projects to obtain needed information for analysis
- translate mandated policies into office directives
- supervise the work of subordinate employees
- prepare detailed analytical reports documenting research findings and recommended actions
- evaluate and select appropriate social science research and analytical methods
- communicate effectively both orally and in writing
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE (The following statement represents the minimum training and experience standards which will be used to admit or reject applicants for tests. Applications submitted by candidates for this class will be reviewed based on training and experience requirements as approved on 01/03.)
EDUCATION
- Completion of a master's degree program at an accredited college or university with major coursework in psychology, sociology, anthropology, public health or a related field.
AND
GENERAL EXPERIENCE
- One year of experience conducting social science research studies and performing advanced statistical analyses or gathering or analyzing data in a technical or administrative field.
AND
SPECIFIC EXPERIENCEMENTAL HEALTH/MENTAL RETARDATION
- Two years of experience conducting social science research studies and performing advanced statistical analyses utilizing computer applications for information system design, reporting and analysis in a MH/MR environment at the full performance level.
- Or any equivalent combination of education and experience determined to be acceptable by the Personnel Department which has included a master's degree in one of the aforementioned areas as an educational minimum.
AND
SPECIFIC EXPERIENCEAIDS ACTIVITIES COORDINATING OFFICE
- Two years of advanced analytical work in AACO designing, implementing and applying computer-based management information systems to improve operating efficiency and facilitate management reporting and analysis.
- Or any equivalent combination of education and experience determined to be acceptable by the Personnel Department which has included a bachelor's degree in one of the aforementioned areas as an educational minimum.
CLASSES that typically meet the training and experience requirements for this class:
- Research and Information Analyst 2 for the MH/MR specialty.
- Information Management Analyst 3 for the AIDS specialty.
PHYSICAL AND MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS
- Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required of
a position in this class.
PAY RANGE: EP23
Class Established: 6/87
Spec. Revision:
CSC: 6/02, Ad Board: 9/02
Latest Spec. Revision:
CSC: 10/02, Ad Board: 01/03
JHS/sb
END OF JOB CLASS SPECIFICATION - 5F58