Senior Program Associate

POSTING TYPE: Open, Competitive
DEPARTMENT: Community Corrections

HOURS: Full-time

PREFERRED HIRING RANGE: $50,194- $56,468annually
FULL SALARY RANGE: $50,194- $78,428annually (Grade 105)
LOCATION: Hastings, MN/West Saint Paul, MN; and Apple Valley, MN/West Saint Paul, MN
UNION: AFSCME 450
CLOSE DATE: 4:30pm on 10/10/2025

What you will do: The work of a Community Corrections Senior Program Associate includes answering the main phone line and greeting clients at the window, email correspondence with clients and business partners. This position interprets Court orders; processes face to face intake with clients after they have been sentenced and completes data entry from various documents. The work also supports department program functions and completes routine audit reports and ad-hoc data entry clean-up projects. Senior Program Associates use Microsoft Office, MGA, CSTS, OnBase, and BCA daily to complete their work.

Community Corrections' Mission Statement: To transform lives, promote equity and increase community safety.

Community Corrections' Diversity and Inclusion Mission Statement: As a system we are committed to dismantling institutional racism and healing historical trauma. We are moving forward as a place where inclusion, respect, acceptance, growth and teaching are expected. We will recognize our individualities. We will listen to every voice, recognize our biases, and grow towards a more equitable and inclusive culture. We will help each other learn by modeling, teaching and listening.

This posting is for two vacancies, one at the JDC in Hastings, MN/NSC in West St Paul, MN, and one at the WSC in Apple Valley, MN/NSC in West St Paul. These positions work traditional hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm, excluding county observed holidays and will be onsite daily. These positions will include travel to WSC, NSC, JDC and the JSC as needed. This posting may be used for future vacancies located at various Dakota County locations for up to a 6-month period.

• Associate's degree in business administration, criminal justice, human services or related field AND One (1) year of progressively responsible administrative experience in an office environment.

OR

• High School Diploma AND Three (3) years of administrative experience in an office environment.

OR

• An equivalent combination of education and experience to equal three years.

Nice to Have Qualifications:

• Experience in working with diverse populations and clients with limited English proficiency
• Bilingual skills are desirable
• High level of skill with Microsoft Office applications
• Experience in electronic databases and records management systems
• Typing ability of at least 50 wpm for some position

NOTE: Some positions may require a valid Driver's License.

To be eligible for hire, an applicant must successfully complete a background check and meet the criminal history background criteria required to access certain networks/systems necessary to perform the essential functions of this position. The law and/or County policy will disqualify applicants with a particular criminal history background from employment in this position.

These examples do not include all possible tasks in this work and do not limit the assignment of related tasks in any position of this classification. Regular attendance according to the position's management approved work schedule is required for all positions.

1. Serves as program or department liaison for community partners, customers, and clients in order to respond to inquiries or resolve service issues.

1. Serves as a resource regarding information maintained in state and county databases, as well as tracking or updating information in state and county databases
2. Processes program information, verifies and enters information into appropriate data systems specific to program, assuring data integrity.
3. Provides administrative support for multiple program areas.
4. Recommends and develops internal work methods and assists with establishing new procedures and processes to accommodate administrative and program activities.
5. Answers incoming phone calls and emails and triages to appropriate department, staff or program area.
6. May provide administrative support to the department or in support of programs, including but not limited to: organize, prepare, maintain forms, documents and other program materials; maintain office equipment, call for maintenance; process incoming and outgoing mail and faxes; photocopies documents and distributes to appropriate parties.
7. Performs special projects in support of department programs.
8. Other duties as assigned.

Intake Sr. Program Associate Essential Functions:

1. Coordinates and conducts initial intake process for correctional programs for adult and juvenile clients.

1. Assesses and acts on adult and juvenile client needs including those of literacy, language and culture to ensure effective communication and comprehension.

1. Create and enter adult and juvenile client information into the computer database.
2. Answers incoming phone calls and emails triaging to various departments, staff and program areas.
3. Interprets sentencing orders and related information to facilitate intake process.
4. Monitors and processes database workflows, Outlook inboxes and OnBase queues.
5. Refers adult and juvenile clients to appropriate internal and external resources.
6. Manages workload, complies with deadlines, and communicates with clients to assist with questions relating to their probation.
7. Prepares and assists in preparation of required reports from information systems.
8. Responds to requests for program and client specific information.
9. Complies with confidentiality and data privacy regulations.

• Knowledge of State, Federal and County guidelines for appropriate programs.
• Ability to deal effectively with multiple and sometimes conflicting demands while maintaining composure and professionalism.
• Ability to work effectively with clients and staff from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
• Ability to recognize and comply with HIPAA and other data privacy regulations.
• Knowledge of productivity application software (Microsoft Office, CSTS, OnBase etc.).
• Understanding of mission and vision of department and program operational guidelines, business practices, staff needs, and client service outcomes.
• Considerable ability to conduct research, analyze, prioritize and coordinate work according to client and agency needs.
• Ability to utilize County electronic data management system to organize and manage confidential documents in a centralized method.
• Ability to problem solve while demonstrating good judgment.
• Ability to work independently and as a team member.

Work Environment
The work is performed in a Dakota County building. Some of the work is sedentary and may have extensive use of computer. Incumbents may need to lift up to twenty pounds on an occasional basis. Travel may be required for some departments.

• Comprehensive and affordable medical, dental, vision, and other benefits
• Excellent work-life balance
• Generous paid time off (accrual rate starts at four weeks per year)
• Eleven paid holidays and one floating holiday each year
• Pension with a generous employer contribution
• Ability to work from home some of the time

• You submit an online application that includes supplemental questions
• We assign you a score based on your qualifications
• Top scoring candidates are referred to the hiring manager for interview consideration
• We conduct interviews and reference checks before extending an offer
• We extend an offer and conduct background checks