Staff Services Officer

DSHS is committed to hiring skilled and dedicated individuals who share a passion for public health to pursue our vision of A Healthy Texas. If you are looking to make an impact and tackle new challenges, we encourage you to consider a career with us.

Employee Benefits:

DSHS offers insurance coverage and other benefits available through the State of Texas Group Benefits Plan administered by the Employee Retirement System of Texas (ERS). To learn more about all the benefits available to you as a DSHS employee and other DSHS opportunities for early career pathways, visit the DSHS Careers Page.

Review our Top 10 Tips for Success when Applying to State of Texas Jobs.

Functional Title: Staff Services Officer 
Job Title: Staff Services Officer III 
Agency: Dept of State Health Services 
Department: Epidemiology & Surveillance 
Posting Number: 18264 
Closing Date: 07/07/2026 
Posting Audience: Internal and External 
Occupational Category: Office and Administrative Support 
Salary Range: $4,020.33 - $5,178.00 
Pay Frequency: Monthly
Salary Group: TEXAS-B-19 
Shift: Day 
Additional Shift: Days (First) 
Telework: Eligible for Telework 
Travel: Up to 5% 
Regular/Temporary: Regular 
Full Time/Part Time: Full time 
FLSA Exempt/Non-Exempt: Nonexempt 
Facility Location:  
Job Location City: AUSTIN 
Job Location Address: 201 W HOWARD LN STE 200 
Other Locations:  
MOS Codes: 0102,0111,0147,0160,0161,0170,0171,0430,0431,0491,2102,3152,4801,4802,4803,4804,4810,4821,6607,8411 
8412,8840,8862,120X,16GX,20C0,2G0X1,30C0,36A,36B,38FX,3F0X1,3F1X1,420A,42A,42B,42H,4A1X1,51C,60C0 
63A,63AX,63G0,63S0,641X,70C,70F,89A,8A200,8U000,90A,920A,920B,92A,92Z,FIN10,F&S,LS,LSS,PERS,PS,SEI11 
SEI15,SK,WEPS,YN,YNS 

General Job Description:

The Staff Services Officer III reports to the HIV/STD/HCV Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit Director and provides professional administrative and technical assistance to the Unit Director and five (5) Group Managers. Duties include evaluation and coordination of complex administrative activities; contributing to development and evaluation of administrative goals and objectives; Maintaining and developing confidential records systems including human resource, payroll, and personnel documents. Work involves coordinating, assigning and/or monitoring work of other staff within the Section and/or participating in workgroups and committees within the Section and agency, assisting staff with system access, IT troubleshooting, submitting help desk tickets, administration of invoice payments, coordinating of agendas, review or organizational chart, travel activities, and other staff services functions. May provide guidance to others. Works under limited direction with extensive latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. Work may require some irregular hours.

Essential Job Functions (EJFs):

(35%) Provides professional administrative and technical assistance to the Unit Director and five (5) Group Managers. Directly coordinates travel, schedules meetings, and maintains calendar for Unit Director. Responsible for processing all Personnel Actions for the Unit Office, ensuring information is correct and appropriate documents are attached. Reviews and edit all incoming and outgoing documents including confidential correspondence, reports, policies, position descriptions, procedures, travel requests, travel vouchers to ensure accuracy, proper format, and adherence to policies and procedures and verifies budget information. Reserves meeting space and schedules Unit meetings. Assigns suspense and assignment items to appropriate Unit staff, responds, coordinates, and combines responses to suspense requests within due dates. Compiles and/or completes final responses to suspense assignments from the Unit within timeframes following correct formats. Completes or coordinates responses to routine monthly reports such as PIA reporting, vacancy report, key contact lists, travel forecasts, and other various reports. Composes and/or consolidates responses to routine and special correspondence.

(20%) Serves as Team Lead to the Administrative Assistant staff. Plans, assigns, reviews, and prioritizes work assignments. Monitors and evaluates Unit administrative activities. Provides input on administrative team employee performance evaluations and makes recommendations regarding disciplinary or reward actions. Assists with the hiring and training of new staff including screening applications, serving on interview panels, and providing relevant program area orientation and training. Assists managers and staff with coordinating human resource management. Coordinates the posting of vacancies, assists in screening applications, participates in the interview process, and participates in selection of the new employee. Work with IT and Telcom to set up new employee workstations. Coordinates work order requests. Serves as Records Retention Coordinator for Unit. Processes changes in approved security access for Unit staff.

(15%) Compiles and formats correspondence, or special reports as requested by the Unit Director. Work includes gathering information, processing confidential human resources documents, and designing and completing electronic forms or charts using several software applications. Reviews, manpower reports, organizational charts, and expenditure reports for accuracy. Provides status of purchases or other accounting information as requested from Unit management staff.

(10%) Represents Unit in administrative work groups. As a team member or team lead, addresses administrative issues within the Unit. Seeks resolution through identifying systematic or process protocol or by participating in the development and implementation of policies and procedures. Coordinates and participates in workgroups to execute plans for division and administrative retreats and conferences. Keeps Unit Director informed of concerns and suggestions identified by the work groups.

(10%) Tracks expenditures and monitors budget balances for multiple funding sources. Maintains tracking log for all purchases and travel vouchers. Participates in Unit activities related to legislative issues, the Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR), including capital requests and exceptional item requests; Performance Measures; out-of-state travel forecast and tracking; legislative bill tracking, analysis, and cost estimates; and routine and special reports, briefing documents, and other requests.

(5%) Develops and implements Unit administrative policies and procedures. Identifies need for, solicit input from Unit staff, and writes administrative policies and procedures. Adopts policies and procedures following Section guidelines once final approval is obtained from Unit Director. Interprets Unit and DSHS policies to Unit staff. Provides guidance to Unit staff regarding personnel policies, procedures, and benefits such as requests for sick leave pool, extended sick leave. Identifies, develops, and revises administrative procedures and standards, both independently and as assigned by Unit Director. Works in liaison with Unit Director and Group Managers to assure compliance with applicable Unit, Section, and agency policies and procedures.

(5%) Other duties as assigned include but are not limited to actively participating and/or serving in a supporting role to meet the agency’s obligations for disaster response and/or recovery or Continuity of Operations (COOP) activation. Such participation may require an alternate shift pattern assignment and/or location.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs):

• Knowledge of general state policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of modern methods of office administration.
• Knowledge of proper English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Ability to apply principles of time management.
• Ability to communicate both in writing and verbally.
• Ability to take initiative to improve processes, respond to urgent issues, maintain confidentiality.
• Skill in using office software such as Sharepoint and Microsoft (including Excel, Outlook, and Word).
• Skill in building and maintaining effective working relationships, exercising professional judgment, tact, discretion and diplomacy.
• Skill in independently prioritizing, planning, coordinating, and organizing multiple tasks simultaneously and quickly adapting to changes and timeframes.

Registrations, Licensure Requirements or Certifications:

N/A

Initial Screening Criteria:

• Experience working with confidential records.
• At least two years of customer service and/or administrative experience.
• Experience with email, word processing, spreadsheet and database programs, such as Word, Excel, Access and Outlook, preferred.

Additional Information:

This position will be in-person daily at the HIV/STD Section office located at 201 W Howard Lane. This position is not eligible for telework.

Active Duty, Military, Reservists, Guardsmen, and Veterans:

Military occupation(s) that relate to the initial selection criteria and registration or licensure requirements for this position may include, but not limited to those listed in this posting. All active-duty military, reservists, guardsmen, and veterans are encouraged to apply if qualified for this position. For more information see the Texas State Auditor’s Military Crosswalk at https://hr.sao.texas.gov/CompensationSystem/JobDescriptions/.

ADA Accommodations:

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), DSHS will provide reasonable accommodation during the hiring process for individuals with a qualifying disability. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the interview process, please notify the person who contacts you to schedule the interview. If you need assistance completing the on-line application, contact the HHS Employee Service Center at 1-888-894-4747 or via email at HHSServiceCenter.Applications@ngahrhosting.com.

Salary Information, Pre-employment Checks, and Work Eligibility:

• The salary offered will follow DSHS starting salary guidelines. Any employment offer is contingent upon available budgeted funds.
• Depending on the program area and position requirements, applicants selected for hire may be required to pass background and other due diligence checks.
• DSHS uses E-Verify. You must bring your I-9 documentation with you on your first day of work.

Active Duty, Military, Reservists, Guardsmen, and Veterans:

Military occupation(s) that relate to the initial selection criteria and registration or licensure requirements for this position may include, but not limited to those listed in this posting. All active-duty military, reservists, guardsmen, and veterans are encouraged to apply if qualified for this position. For more information see the Texas State Auditor’s Military Crosswalk at https://hr.sao.texas.gov/CompensationSystem/JobDescriptions/.

ADA Accommodations:

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), DSHS will provide reasonable accommodation during the hiring process for individuals with a qualifying disability. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the interview process, please notify the person who contacts you to schedule the interview. If you need assistance completing the on-line application, contact the HHS Employee Service Center at 1-888-894-4747 or via email at HHSServiceCenter.Applications@ngahrhosting.com.

Salary Information, Pre-employment Checks, and Work Eligibility:

• The salary offered will follow DSHS starting salary guidelines. Any employment offer is contingent upon available budgeted funds.
• Depending on the program area and position requirements, applicants selected for hire may be required to pass background and other due diligence checks.
• DSHS uses E-Verify. You must bring your I-9 documentation with you on your first day of work.  Download the I-9 form