Public Guardian 1/2 (02-1625)

Job Description

This position is open to Alaska Residents only. Please check our

residency definition

to determine if you qualify.

What You Will Be Doing

This position works with adults not children.

As a Public Guardian 1 Trainee you will:

Receive on the job training to conduct tasks associated with managing adult client finances, property, housing, court reports and client visitation.

Learn to provide surrogate or substitute decision making regarding client mental health care, vocational training and education, residential placement, choice of service providers, and protection of legal rights and human rights.

Assist and shadow team members with specific case assignments.

Will demonstrate an understanding of core functions of guardianship.

Will study and implement national standards of guardianship in every day practice.

As a Public Guardian 2 you will:

Manage client finances, property, housing, court reports and client visitation.

Provide surrogate or substitute decision making regarding client mental health care, vocational training and education, residential placement, choice of service providers, and protection of legal rights and human rights.

Maintain regular contact with clients through home visitation or directing home visitation, correspondence, telephone, and office visitation and/or regular communication with case managers, care coordinators or home administrators and staff.

Participate in scheduled treatment and case planning meetings in guardian capacity.

Obtain required certification as a registered guardian within one year.

Our Organization, Mission, and Culture

The Office of Public Advocacy (OPA) provides legal advocacy and guardianship services to vulnerable Alaskans throughout Alaska out of four separate offices. OPA also advocates for abused and neglected children in protective proceedings, provides attorney services for respondents in adult guardianship proceedings for parents in Child in Need of Aid cases, and for conflict criminal cases received from the Public Defender Agency in other units within the Agency.

The Benefits of Joining Our Team

The Public Guardian Section of OPA is a fast-paced environment made up of individuals who care deeply about our responsibilities to the wards to whom we are appointed. We are the appointment of last resort for these vulnerable adults and a place where compassion and problem solving are needed to meet our obligations to some of Alaska’s most vulnerable adults.

The Working Environment You Can Expect

This position located in the OPA/Anchorage Public Guardian unit is located in downtown Anchorage. We offer free parking and are within walking distance of many great restaurants and coffee shops.

Who We Are Looking For

We are interested in candidates who possess some or all of the following position specific competencies:

Advocacy: Organizes and leads advocacy efforts with local, state, and federal government entities and elected officials that support the mission of an agency.

Decision Making: Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.

Self-Management: Sets well-defined and realistic personal goals; displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner; works with minimal supervision; is motivated to achieve; demonstrates responsible behavior

Minimum Qualifications

Competency Based Minimum Qualifications Instructions

This job class uses competency based minimum qualifications.

Please ensure your application

(through work history, volunteer experience (duties summary), training, education, licenses, certifications, etc.) supports how you have gained the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors (competencies) and that you possess the minimum required competencies for the job class.

Competency Description

The competency description(s) listed below have been designed to promote a common understanding of the essential elements of the job class. They highlight the more general and customary knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), tasks, and behaviors used to describe the competency. They typically list expectations, as opposed to specific tasks, and are to be used only as parameters and guidelines. A competency’s description is not intended to exclusively define every KSA, task, and behavior needed to successfully meet the competency, but rather to provide the manager/agency with a broad reference of options as to how an applicant can meet the job expectation.

Public Guardian 1

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in

Integrity/Honesty:

Contributes to maintaining the integrity of the organization; displays high standards of ethical conduct and understands the impact of violating these standards on an organization, self, and others; is trustworthy.

Interpersonal Skills:

Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.  Has experience effectively dealing with children, adults, or persons with a mental illness, developmental disability, traumatic brain injury, age-related dementia, or other form of disability.

Oral Communication

: Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.

Writing:

Recognizes or uses correct English grammar, punctuation, and spelling; communicates information (for example, facts, ideas, or messages) in a succinct and organized manner; produces written information, which may include technical material, that is appropriate for the intended audience.

Equivalent to those typically gained by:

Educational coursework or training in a social science, behavioral science, guidance or counseling, or a closely related field and/or experience such as coordinating or providing social or legal services information or referrals to the public; coordinating or facilitating child, adult, family, or group case management, licensing, or probationary services; providing care or services to delinquent or incapacitated persons.

Public Guardian 2

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in

Integrity/Honesty:

Contributes to maintaining the integrity of the organization; displays high standards of ethical conduct and understands the impact of violating these standards on an organization, self, and others; is trustworthy.

Interpersonal Skills:

Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.  Has experience effectively dealing with children, adults, or persons with a mental illness, developmental disability, traumatic brain injury, age-related dementia, or other form of disability.

Oral Communication

: Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cue