Commonwealth of Massachusetts
State government provides public services
Career, Vocational, and Employability Support Specialist
About the job
- At least four years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, professional, administrative, or managerial experience in business administration, business management, or public administration involving program management, program administration, program coordination, program planning, and/or program analysis.
- At least one year of the required experience must have been in a supervisory capacity, with no substitution permitted for this experience.
- Knowledge of human resource management principles and practices, including behavioral techniques, planning, forecasting, and organizational development.
- Knowledge of work simplification methods; preparation of charts, graphs, and tables; and general report writing.
- Ability to understand, explain, and apply laws, rules, regulations, policies, and procedures governing assigned unit activities.
- Ability to analyze data, draw conclusions, and make appropriate recommendations.
- Ability to assemble information according to established procedures and determine the proper format and procedure.
- Ability to maintain accurate records and prepare charts, graphs, tables, and general reports.
- Ability to write clearly and concisely and develop ideas in a logical sequence.
- Ability to communicate, follow, and provide precise and understandable written and oral instructions.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with diverse stakeholders.
- Ability to adjust to changing or emergency program requirements.
- Ability to exercise sound judgment and discretion when handling confidential information.
- Knowledge of the Department of Youth Services and its continuum of care.
- Experience operating and working in residential and community programming for youth involved in the juvenile justice system.
- Working knowledge of Department of Youth Services policies and procedures.
- Knowledge and ability to use Microsoft Word, Microsoft Edge, Microsoft Excel, and other software to produce electronic documents and reports.
- Ability to understand, analyze, and apply regulations, policies, procedures, and guidelines governing operations and assigned program activities, including Commonwealth of Massachusetts procurement procedures.
- Ability to coordinate the efforts of others to accomplish assigned work objectives.
- Ability to work within a team and independently while receiving supervision from a manager.
- Ability to assist in indirectly supervising and supporting direct care staff, program managers, regional managers, and other senior staff.
- Ability to manage crises and solve immediate problems.
- Cultural competency.
- Ability to pass drug, psychological, medical, and physical abilities screenings, and a criminal background check.
- Provide regional technical assistance and coaching to Skill Up providers and Arts and Music providers.
- Meet regularly with Skill Up providers and regional staff, maintain knowledge of programs, and support best-fit referrals among program staff, caseworkers, district offices, and providers.
- Act as the regional liaison among residential programs, community programs, the training department, DYS families, Career Navigators, and the DYS Central Office.
- Build connections between providers and residential and community operations and communicate program changes to relevant DYS offices and programs.
- Support programming administered by the DYS Director of Transition Services and Programming.
- Create additional regional community partnerships to increase youth program opportunities through non-funded collaborations.
- Use data dashboards, including JJEMS, to quality-assure Career Navigator e-career-readiness files and assess trends in referrals, enrollments, exits, and outcome achievement.
- Identify opportunities for technical assistance and facilitate data-driven provider coaching.
- Facilitate discussions and review monthly Regional Employment Outreach Specialist and Career Navigator activity and data collection through JJEMS-Virtual Gateway.
- Monitor youth progress through contracted Skill Up services to support outcome achievement.
- Facilitate the Skill Up provider onboarding process, including scheduling providers for annual mandatory DYS101 training and communicating with the Regional Training Unit.
- Facilitate the DYS youth payroll onboarding process by assisting local program staff with onboarding paperwork, uploading vital documents to JJEMS, and requesting care and custody letters from the local payroll point of contact.
- Support work program operations so youth can access employment opportunities through funded and non-funded community partners.
About the company
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts runs state government operations to deliver public services and enforce laws for residents and communities. Government services are organized through agencies; residents interact with programs by applying for benefits, renewing licenses, or accessing records, and services are delivered via offices, websites, and call centers. It differs from private firms because it uses public funds to serve all residents and is guided by public policy and transparency rather than profits. Its goal is to improve residents’ lives by delivering reliable services and implementing public actions that respond to people’s needs.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Boston, Massachusetts
Founded
1788
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- July 2026 Sagamore Bridge renderings advance a visible $2.1 billion megaproject.
- June 2026 Quantum Systems Laboratory adds $25 million state backing and regional research talent attraction.
- FY2026 transportation funding boosts MassDOT to $670.1 million, supporting project delivery hiring and capital work.
What critics are saying
- Governor Healey’s May 2025 executive hiring freeze still restricts Executive Branch staffing in 2026.
- The FY2026 budget delays $125 million earmarks, signaling tighter cash management and slower execution.
- Federal grant litigation and funding fights in 2026 threaten Medicaid, education, and transportation operations.
What makes Commonwealth of Massachusetts unique
- Massachusetts pairs $60.9 billion FY2026 budgeting with statewide capital megaproject execution.
- MassDOT’s $4.5 billion Cape Cod Bridges Program spans 2026 through 2037.
- Mosaic and MA BEST modernize statewide finance on CGI Advantage in 2026.
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Benefits
Hybrid Work Options
Wellness Program
Mental Health Support
Company News
Conway embankments slated for repairs. Shelburne Falls Road erosion exacerbated by 2023 flooding CONWAY - Residents may see repairs to failing embankments along Shelburne Falls Road as the town seeks funding for the long-awaited project. According to Town Administrator Véronique Blanchard and Selectboard Chair Christopher Waldo, erosion, worsened by flooding in 2023, has severely damaged three key embankments supporting Shelburne Falls Road. Waldo described the failing embankments as a "huge issue" in town. "The floods of 2023 really exacerbated the problem," Blanchard said in a phone interview on Tuesday. Blanchard envisions nature-based solutions stabilizing the failing embankments to mitigate future erosion. To fund the project, the town plans to use its $75,000 earmark from the state's fiscal year 2026 supplemental budget that state Sen. Paul Mark secured. Considering the high price tag for the project, Blanchard worked with the Franklin Regional Council of Governments to secure an additional $50,500 through the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's Local Early-stage and Actionable Planning (LEAP) Program, which assists city and town governments with the early designing and planning for projects related to transportation and infrastructure. As part of the LEAP Program, MassDOT recommended the town work with Bowman Consulting Group Ltd. on the design engineering, leading the Selectboard to sign a contract with the company on Monday night. Blanchard stressed that the LEAP Program has made the project possible for a small community like Conway. "I'm absolutely thrilled with MassDOT and how much they've been helping FRCOG," she said after the Selectboard meeting. Down the line, Blanchard hopes to enroll the project in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), a multi-year program that helps city and town governments earn federal funding for transportation improvement projects. With designing, planning and funding still to come, the timeline for when work on stabilizing the embankments will begin is uncertain. "It's a long process," Blanchard said. "This is the first step to get us moving on that."
Massachusetts has selected Impruvon's Electronic Medication Administration Record (eMAR) platform as its statewide solution for medication management across healthcare settings. The platform has achieved full compliance with the Commonwealth's Medication Administration Program standards. The state-funded system is now available at no cost to all MAP providers, covering software access, training, and support. The platform was developed through collaboration with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services and constituent agencies including the Department of Public Health, Department of Mental Health, and Department of Developmental Services. Impruvon specialises in medication management technology for intellectual and developmental disabilities, behavioural health, and home and community-based services settings. The company aims to reduce medication errors and administrative burden whilst improving health outcomes.
MassDOT unveils renderings showing new Sagamore Bridge. Massachusetts Department of Transportation unveiled new renderings in July 2026 for the replacement Sagamore Bridge over the Cape Cod Canal. The updated design features wider lanes, expanded shoulders, and dedicated pedestrian and cyclist paths as part of the $2.1 billion Sagamore Bridge project within the $4.5 billion Cape Cod Bridges Program, officials said. The new Sagamore Bridge design will be wider and longer than the existing 91-year-old structure, with two 12-foot travel lanes in each direction and an additional lane on each side to accommodate entering and exiting traffic, effectively creating a third lane for ramps and merging, according to Luisa Paiewonsky, MassDOT's megaproject delivery executive director. The bridge will feature expanded shoulders to improve safety and operations, and its profile will have a reduced incline of approximately 4.5%, down from the current 6% grade, to ease driving conditions and enhance accessibility. MassDOT's July 2026 renderings reveal a barrier-protected, 14-foot-wide multi-use pathway for pedestrians and cyclists, separate from vehicle lanes, allowing two-way non-motorized traffic. The design includes a bench and lookout area near the midpoint of the bridge, facing west toward the sunset over the Cape Cod Canal, as described by Paiewonsky. Lighting on the bridge will be low and subdued to minimize disruption to nearby homes while meeting safety standards, with the capability to illuminate the structure in colors, including purple. Distinct arches will define the new Sagamore Bridge, aligning with the twin-arched design planned for both the Sagamore and Bourne bridges as part of the Cape Cod Bridges Program, officials said. Unlike the existing bridge, which has piers extending into the canal, the replacement's piers will be located on land and designed with a viewing platform at Canal Service Road level, offering public access and new vantage points over the canal. MassDOT plans to construct the main spans off-site and transport them through the canal for installation using cranes, a method similar to that employed for the Iway Bridge over the Providence River in 2009, according to project documents. MassDOT has released flythrough videos of the Recommended Sagamore North and South interchange alternatives, showing reconfigured approach and departure roads intended to improve traffic flow to and from Route 3 and Route 6 near the canal. These visualizations highlight changes to the southbound Sagamore interchange, including added lanes and new ramp configurations. Officials noted that approach and departure road configurations remain subject to refinement as public feedback continues to be collected through meetings and virtual sessions. The Sagamore Bridge replacement is scheduled as the first of the two Cape Cod Canal bridges to be rebuilt, with state approval to proceed expected in fall or winter 2027, according to Paiewonsky and project schedules. The southbound bridge span is planned to "float in" around fall 2031, indicating a major segment's installation via barge transport. Substantial completion of the new bridge is targeted for winter 2034, with demolition of the existing bridge slated for winter 2033. All work, including associated roadway and finishing tasks, is expected to conclude by spring 2037, according to MassDOT's published timeline. The current Sagamore and Bourne bridges, constructed between 1933 and 1935, carry two lanes of traffic in each direction without dedicated shoulders or separated pedestrian facilities comparable to the proposed design, records show. The Cape Cod Bridges Program is a major state megaproject with an estimated total cost of about $4.5 billion to replace both bridges. The Sagamore Bridge replacement alone is estimated at $2.1 billion, according to Paiewonsky. The program is overseen within MassDOT by an executive director of megaproject delivery, reflecting its scale and complexity. Public information efforts for the project include news releases, virtual drives, flythrough videos, and meetings designed to keep residents informed on design developments and scheduling. Earlier concept renderings and design options for both bridges were unveiled publicly, with MassDOT actively seeking input from residents and stakeholders to guide the ongoing design process.
CGI has launched Mosaic, a new cloud-based financial management system for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The platform, built on CGI Advantage, replaces legacy infrastructure as part of the Massachusetts Business Enterprise Systems Transformation (MA BEST) Program. The system modernises the Commonwealth's financial operations with integrated workflows and self-service capabilities designed to reduce manual processes. It provides enhanced enterprise reporting and greater visibility across government financial operations. The launch follows a long-standing partnership between CGI and Massachusetts, where the technology firm has supported the state's financial systems for decades. The new software-as-a-service platform aims to improve efficiency, transparency and data-driven decision-making across government agencies. CGI Advantage is a unified enterprise resource planning platform designed specifically for state and local government requirements, covering financial management, human resources, procurement and business intelligence operations.
Six MassDOT employees resign amid allegations of overtime fraud. The employees who resigned were facing "imminent termination proceedings," according to MassDOT officials. June 2, 2026 | 1:13 PM 1 minute to read Six Massachusetts Department of Transportation employees who are being investigated for possible overtime fraud resigned recently, according to officials. The resignations come after a monthslong Boston 25 News investigation uncovered an alleged pattern of overtime fraud perpetuated by seven MassDOT employees who worked at a facility in Charlestown. MassDOT leaders opened an investigation, and those seven employees were placed on administrative leave after the report was published. A MassDOT spokesperson said Tuesday that most of the employees under fire chose to resign. "Six employees resigned while facing imminent termination proceedings related to allegations of overtime fraud. Prior to their resignations, the employees had been suspended without pay and were scheduled to appear at disciplinary hearings to determine whether they should be terminated for cause," the spokesperson said in a statement. The resignations have no impact on the agency's ongoing investigation or other "potential action" by different authorities, the spokesperson said. MassDOT's records will reflect that the employees "unilaterally resigned in lieu of discharge proceedings." The initial investigation by Boston 25 focused on Highway Maintenance Worker II employees, some of whom made more than $100,000 in overtime last year. One worker with a base annual salary of $84,000 increased his pay to $240,000 last year. Another employee with a base salary of $91,000 ended up making $228,000, according to the report. Reporters from the station staked out the MassDOT facility in Charlestown where the employees worked, taking note of the time they left and comparing this information to timesheets obtained by a public records request. They found a pattern where certain employees allegedly clocked long back-to-back shifts that garnered substantial overtime pay, despite appearing to leave early in their personal vehicles. Officials are working to identify and take back any dollars obtained through deception. "MassDOT is also pursuing all available avenues to recover any improperly obtained compensation and will seek all remedies available under law," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson did not name the employees who resigned. "The employees are no longer employed by the Commonwealth, are not eligible for employment, and MassDOT remains committed to protecting taxpayer dollars and holding individuals accountable for misconduct." Staff Writer Ross Cristantiello, a general assignment news reporter for Boston.com since 2022, covers local politics, crime, the environment, and more. Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.