Decision Support Specialist I, IT Project Management Branch, 603755

$102,960 - $145,746/Yr

Hawaii State Department Of Education - Honolulu, HI

Full-time - Entry Level

Honolulu, HI

About the position

The Decision Support Specialist I position within the IT Project Management Branch of the Hawaii State Department of Education is a critical role that focuses on project initiation, planning, execution, control, and conclusion. Under the general supervision of the Information Technology Director, the specialist will engage in various activities aimed at improving organizational processes and ensuring that project requirements are met effectively. This position is a limited term temporary appointment, meaning that probationary service credit and tenure are not granted. The role requires a comprehensive understanding of the current organizational structure and processes, allowing the specialist to identify improvement opportunities and gaps in the existing systems. In the project initiation and planning phase, the specialist will work closely with business owners and end users to gather and elicit business requirements, use cases, and user stories. This involves analyzing and defining requirements in detail to facilitate the investigation of possible solutions. The specialist will also provide necessary requirements and analyses to project managers for the development of project charters, plans, and resource allocations. Participation in solution demos and project planning meetings is essential to ensure that the project aligns with the defined requirements. During project execution and control, the specialist will conduct fit-gap analyses to identify where the selected solutions meet or miss the requirements. This includes managing the requirements documentation lifecycle and ensuring that all changes are documented and validated throughout the project. The specialist will coordinate user acceptance testing and ensure that project deliverables are implemented according to the established requirements. At the conclusion of the project, the specialist will collaborate with the project manager to review milestones and deliverables, ensuring that all requirements are met before final sign-off. This includes updating all relevant documentation and participating in lessons-learned sessions to provide insights based on their area of responsibility. Daily operations will also involve participating in branch staff meetings and recommending improvements for operational efficiencies.

Responsibilities

• Identify and understand the current organizational structure, processes, and 'as is' state.
• Leverage information gathered to identify improvement opportunities and map out a 'to be' state.
• Gather and elicit business requirements, use cases, and user stories from business owners and end users.
• Analyze and define requirements in detail for possible solutions investigation.
• Provide requirements and analyses to project managers for project charters and plans development.
• Participate in solution demos and reviews to determine if solutions meet requirements.
• Work with business owners to identify where the selected solution meets or misses requirements and develop options to address gaps.
• Manage the requirements documentation life cycle, including documenting changes and validation activities.
• Ensure requirements alignment during project execution by tracing activities back to requirements.
• Coordinate and facilitate the development and execution of test plans and user acceptance testing.
• Review project milestones and deliverables with the project manager to ensure completion of all requirements.
• Provide updated documents to the project manager for appropriate hand-off and storage.
• Participate in lessons-learned sessions and provide input based on area of responsibility.
• Provide input and recommendations for operational and procedural efficiencies within the branch.

Requirements

• Educational Officers, Teachers, or other qualified individuals may apply.
• Experience in project management and decision support processes.
• Strong analytical skills to define and analyze business requirements.
• Ability to work collaboratively with business owners and end users.
• Experience in documenting and managing requirements throughout the project lifecycle.
• Familiarity with solution demos and fit-gap analysis.

Nice-to-haves

• Knowledge of emerging technologies that could impact operations and projects.
• Experience in user acceptance testing and test plan development.

Benefits

• Vacation and sick leave provided according to applicable regulations.