The Mentor position will receive direct supervision from the Director of the DYS Training Center and oversight and coordination by the Regional Administration and Central Office Human Resource Liaison. Each Mentor will be assigned to a primary region which will consider their regular work region. Duties will be regional and statewide based on hiring needs at any given time in each region. Position requires attendance at DYS Training Center, Grafton, MA as described below.

For additional information about the Department of Youth Services and its programs please watch: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gyP0kCJ181nBakh9Cc0pNNEyPw7kAoI6/view

Duties and Responsibilities (these duties are a general summary and not all inclusive):

• Engage with new employees on the first day of Basic Training at the DYS Training Center to introduce the Mentor program and meet individually with newly hired direct care employees within your primary region and other regions as assigned by the Training Director. Generally, the Mentor will not be required to attend the entire Basic Training. Most often, they will attend the first day of Basic Training to meet their region’s new employees and attend their graduation. Mentors may need to attend other days of Basic Training to acquire knowledge of the Basic Training subjects and modules to ensure consistency in mentoring across the state. Mentor will also be required to know the curriculum being taught through the Training Center to ensure consistency in those subject matters.
• Provide individual support to newly hired direct care state employees at their work locations. Within one week of hire, schedule an in-person meeting with all newly hired direct care staff after the first week of Basic Training at their designated work locations to support their onboarding and training needs. The Mentor shall continue to meet the employee and their supervisor at scheduled and intermittent times throughout the new employee’s first year of work.
• Throughout the first year of employment, the Mentor will provide on the job support/training with the employee and their supervisor(s).
• Coordinate with DYS Training Center staff to ensure new hires have completed Basic Training including all online and regional trainings.
• Assist supervisors of new employees in completing supervisory competency forms.
• Provide support to residential programs and existing employees to ensure and enhance ongoing skill development.
• Attend regional and Central Office meetings, including but not limited to those with Regional Training Coordinators, Program or community staff, Program Monitors, Administrative Team, and senior staff as needed to discuss needed support, progress with the program and/or individual staff and outstanding issues.
• Ensure new state employees complete the employee 6th month survey.
• Hold regular monthly meetings with Supervisor, other mentors, and any other relevant party to ensure that support/training is consistent, and the development and messaging is the same in all regions.
• Complete documentation requirements as determined by the DYS Training Director including an Outlook schedule for the Mentor’s appointments with staff, records of meetings and any other contacts with employees and supervisors as requested.
• Assist the Regional locations and Central Office Human Resource Liaison Office in recruiting and retention efforts as work duties allow and as needed.
• Work with the DYS Training Director, Training Center’s administrative staff, Human Resources and Regional and Central Office senior staff to conduct evaluations of the DYS Training Mentor program including review of retention, job satisfaction, and other relevant outcome measures and data points as identified.
• Other duties as identified and agreed upon by DYS Training Director, Regional Director, and DYS HR Liaison.
• Candidate should have the following skills and qualifications:
  • 24/7 residential experience working with DYS youth, including knowledge of agency policies, processes, and practices regarding residential programming.
  • Experience with setting behavioral limits with youth and expectations for employees, while maintaining positive interactions.
  • Ability to clearly communicate and build strong respectful relationships with youth and staff using motivational techniques and active listening
  • Effective supervisory experience identifying staff strengths and growth areas and giving practical feedback to individual employees and supervisors of those employees.
  • Confidence in communication about policy, duties, and expectations. Respected by peers with the ability to assess staff strengths and growth areas.
  • Ability to give feedback to both staff and managers in a positive and solution- focused way.

Schedule Shift: 4-day work week - Hours will generally be 8:30AM-6:30PM but there is flexibility to work some weekends, and third shifts based on operational needs.

Days off Generally, Saturday, Sunday and one weekday with flexibility depending on workforce and hiring.

About the Department of Youth Services:

As the Juvenile Justice agency for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Department of Youth Services promotes positive change in the youth in our care and custody. Our mission is to make communities safer by improving the life outcomes for youth in our care. We achieve our mission by investing in highly qualified staff and a service continuum that engages youth, families, and communities in strategies that support positive youth development. For more information, please go to: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-youth-services

Pre-Hire Process:

Candidates must pass a pre-employment screening which includes the following:

• Drug Screening
• Psychological Screening
• Medical Examination
• Physical Abilities Test (PAT)

If you would like more information, please logon to the DYS website www.mass.gov/dys to access detailed information on the Pre-Employment

A criminal background check will be completed on the recommended candidate as required by the regulations set forth by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services before the candidate is hired. For more information, please visit http://www.mass.gov/hhs/cori and click on "Information for Job Applicants".

Education, licensure, and certifications will be verified in accordance with the Human Resources Division’s Hiring Guidelines

Education and license/certification information provided by the selected candidate(s) is subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law and may be published on the Commonwealth’s website.

ADA Reasonable Accommodation: If you require reasonable accommodation with the application/interview process, please contact us at: EOHHS Candidate ADA Requests

For questions, please contact the CYF Office of Human Resources at 1-800-510-4122 and select option #4.

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS: Applicants must have at least (A) four years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, professional, administrative or managerial experience in business administration, business management or public administration the major duties of which involved program management, program administration, program coordination, program planning and/or program analysis, and (B) of which at least one year must have been in a supervisory capacity, or (C) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below.

Substitutions:

I. A Bachelor's degree with a major in business administration, business management or public administration may be substituted for a maximum of two years of the required (A) experience.*

II. A Graduate degree with a major in business administration, business management or public administration may be substituted for a maximum of three years of the required (A) experience.*

III. A Bachelor's or higher degree with a major other than in business administration, business management or public administration may be substituted for a maximum of one year of the required (A) experience.*

*Education toward such a degree will be prorated on the basis of the proportion of the requirements actually completed.

NOTE: No substitutions will be permitted for the required (B) experience.

Salary placement is determined by a combination of factors, including the candidate’s years of directly related experience and education, and alignment with our internal compensation structure as set forth by the Human Resources Division’s Hiring Guidelines. For all bargaining unit positions (non-management), compensation is subject to the salary provisions outlined in the applicable collective bargaining agreement and will apply to placement within the appropriate salary range.

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!

Title 101 CMR 23.00 (“Regulation”): requires certain agency staff to have received the COVID-19 vaccination and Influenza vaccination, or have taken required mitigation measures, to prevent viral infection and transmission in State Hospitals and State Congregate Care Facilities. If you decline to vaccinate you will be required to take mitigation measures mandated by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) that are consistent with guidance from the Department of Public Health. Failure to take those mitigation measures, including masking, could lead to discipline, up to and including termination.

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.