Investigations Manager

The Education Secretariat is committed to equity and valuing the unique and diverse characteristics and experiences of every member of its workforce. We encourage an authentic workplace where colleagues show up as their full selves, where collaboration, innovation, and connections are key to realizing our mission that all children, youth, and families thrive socially, academically, and economically.

We seek teammates who are committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive work environment, where everyone is valued and engaged. We encourage you to apply and identify your strengths in these areas.

This position offers some flexibility of office location within the hybrid work model currently being observed.

The work of the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) is steeped in the notion that brain building is in progress for young children in enriching environments with caring adults and meaningful and engaging interactions. EEC is focused on strengthening the system of early education and care in Massachusetts as a critical element of increasing positive child outcomes. The child outcomes that EEC is trying to achieve require investment in four critical areas: teacher quality; program quality; screening and assessment; and engagement of communities and families.

The on-site licensing and investigative operations by the agency field staff ensure that the agency's State and Federal statutory mandates and mission statement are communicated to, and supported within, child care programs across the Commonwealth, assuring that the highest quality of child care and education is available to children and families in every community from every background and representing all cultures and ethnicities and all social and economic statuses.

The EEC Investigations Manager is responsible for the intake and assignment of all investigation reports created by EEC Investigators. They will also be responsible for the review, editing and final approval of all investigation reports created by the Investigators they directly supervise.

The incumbent of this role must make timely and accurate assessments of the risks to children to ensure that the Department is responding effectively to allegations or incidents that involve serious risks to the health and safety of children. They are responsible for maintaining knowledge of the investigators' caseloads in a manner that would ensure appropriate assignments of investigations

Key Responsibilities:

Supervise, oversee and manage Investigations Unit staff.

Edit investigation reports submitted by investigators for approval, ensuring that determinations are consistent with the EEC regulations.

Triage the reports sent to EEC Investigations to determine potential risk to children. Assign new cases to Investigators in an efficient and effective manner using knowledge of current caseloads.

Maintain a knowledge of EEC investigators' caseloads and assign new cases to investigators in an efficient and effective manner.

Communicate with other state agencies, including but not limited to DCF Central, Regional, and Area offices to obtain information necessary to complete EEC investigations.

Assist with high profile, statewide investigations involving allegations that place children at immediate risk and complete all duties of an investigator for the assigned cases in times of need.

Collect, maintain, and analyze data. Advise EEC leadership on patterns of investigation findings and make recommendations for preventive actions to be taken by the department, such as policy and regulation change.

Represent EEC on various working groups/task forces as designated by the Associate Commissioner for Field Investigations.

Preferred Qualifications:

Subject Matter Knowledge:

Criminology: the study of crime as a socio-pathological phenomenon, the behavior of criminals, the psychological and social bases of criminal law and criminal justice systems, penology, rehabilitation, and recidivism

Early childhood and elementary education: learning and teaching at the early childhood and elementary levels, including teaching methods, program planning, and subject matter.

Psychology: the study of individual and collective behavior, including its physical and environmental bases, the analysis and treatment of behavior problems and disorders, research methods, and psychological assessment and testing methods

Sociology: group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, cultures, ethnicity, and origins.

Complex Skills and Processes:

Analytical Thinking: analyzing information, and using logic to address work or job issues and problems

Documenting/Recording Information: entering, transcribing, recording, storing or maintaining information in either written form or by electronic/magnetic recording

Evaluating Information against Standards: evaluating information against a set of standards and verifying that it is correct

Monitor Processes, Material, Surroundings: monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, often to detect problems or to find out when things are finished.

Organizing, Planning and Prioritizing: developing plans to accomplish work; prioritizing and organizing one's own work

Synthesis/Reorganization: reorganizing information to get a better approach to problems or tasks

System Evaluation: looking at many indicators of system performance, taking into account their accuracy

Systems Perception: determining when important changes have occurred in a system or are likely to occur

Knowledge and ability to use relevant computer software

At least 2 years conducting child abuse/neglect investigations and completing complex reports.

Travel will be required for this position.

Questions regarding this position or the application process should be directed to Dawn.E.DeRoche@mass.gov.

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must have at least (A) five (5) years of full-time or, equivalent part-time, professional, administrative, supervisory, or managerial experience in business administration, business management, public administration, public management, clinical administration or clinical management of which (B) at least one (1) year must have been in a project management, supervisory or managerial capacity or (C) any equivalent combination of the required experience and substitutions below.

Substitutions:

I. A certificate in a relevant or related field may be substituted for one (1) year of the required (A) experience.

II. A Bachelor's degree in a related field may be substituted for two (2) years of the required (A) experience.

III. A Graduate degree in a related field may be substituted for three (3) years of the required (A) experience.

IV. A Doctorate degree in a related field may be substituted for four (4) years of the required (A) experience.

Comprehensive Benefits

When you embark on a career with the Commonwealth, you are offered an outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package. We take pride in providing a work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future.

Want the specifics? Explore our Employee Benefits and Rewards!

An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role.