Senior HMIS Data Analyst

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Overview of City of Philadelphia

With a workforce of over 25,000 people, and opportunities in more than 1,000 different job categories, the City of Philadelphia is the fifth largest city in the United States and one of the largest employers in Southeastern Pennsylvania. As an employer, the City of Philadelphia operates through the guiding principles of service, integrity, respect, accountability, collaboration, diversity, and inclusion. Through these principles, we strive to effectively deliver services, to resolve the challenges facing our city, and to make Philadelphia a place where all of our residents have the opportunity to reach their potential.

Agency Description

The mission of the Office of Homeless Services (OHS) is to make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring. OHS works collaboratively with a broad-based network of public and private providers focused on using practices that are informed by data, honor the different perspectives of all stake holders and are trauma informed. OHS works to maximize resources while monitoring emerging trends, tracking progress, and shifting priorities as needed.

OHS is the lead agency in Philadelphia for the Continuum of Care and the lead for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) mandated Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). Through the HMIS, data on homelessness is collected and reported including participant counts, use of services and effectiveness of local homeless assistance. The HMIS also enables OHS to take part more fully with other City of Philadelphia Health and Human Services departments to identify areas where we can collectively improve coordinating efforts to better help our most vulnerable citizens. In addition, through the HMIS, OHS will be able to comply with data reporting requirements of other federal partners such as the Veterans’ Administration and Runaway Homeless Youth.

Position Summary

The Senior HMIS Data Analyst will provide support to homeless services providers in an effort to assure that data quality is maintained in HMIS as it pertains to monitoring accuracy, relevancy, timelessness, consistency, reliability, and completeness of data entered in the system. This position will ensure that HMIS activities and the quality of data entered in HMIS align with HMIS data standards and are met by all providers taking part in HMIS, which includes homeless service providers receiving and not receiving funding through HUD’s Continuum of Care (CoC).

The Senior HMIS Data Analyst will assist the Lead HMIS Performance and Data Quality Officer in monitoring performance and data quality control plans to identify where improvement is needed and improve report accuracy. The Senior HMIS Data Analyst will also assist with analyzing Annual Performance Reports for submission to HUD when added support is needed and provide HMIS technical support to ensure that the needs of system end-users are addressed and resolved timely manner. This employee will report to the Lead HMIS Performance and Data Quality Officer in the Policy, Planning and Performance Management Division.

Essential Functions

The Senior HMIS Data Analyst will build and maintain relationships with internal staff, homeless service providers, other member of the CoC community, while collaborating effectively with a diverse range of partners and stakeholders.

The Senior HMIS Data Analyst will facilitate knowledge sharing to foster cross-learning within OHS and externally (e.g., communities, HUD). This position will ensure all of those working to end homelessness can develop and implement the most effective data quality and data driven strategies that ensure high service qualities are reflected in HMIS.

The Senior HMIS Data Analyst will implement and monitor the effectiveness of the Data Quality Improvement Plan (QIP). This position will generate and analyze reports from HMIS data to identify homeless service providers with low performance scores as it pertains to data quality and also to provide support based on the level of assistance needed. The Senior HMIS Data Analyst will collaborate with OHS’s Housing Division to help providers correct/identify data quality errors to improve report accuracy -- Data Quality Reports, APR, CEA-BHRS reports, and collaborate with the HMIS Administrator over governance to assist providers with improving data quality and educating them on the data quality assurance plan. The Senior HMIS Data Analyst may also provide in-person technical support based on the provider’s needs.

The Senior HMIS Data Analyst will perform routine monitoring of data quality in HMIS to identify common user errors, questions, and mistakes to help the HMIS Content Specialist develop end-user quick guides and manuals, and also work with the Training Unit to identify new trainings that need to be developed and/or to modify components of existing trainings to improve data quality.

The role will also assist with prioritizing, responding to Help Desk tickets submitted in HMIS and requests emailed to the PhilaHMIS Service Desk (as needed), and special projects as assigned.

System Performance Measures (SPM)

• Assist the HMIS Data Manger of the Reports Unit with the submission of the annual report as needed

Longitudinal Systems Analysis (LSA)

• Assist the HMIS Data Manger of the Reports Unit with the submission of the annual report as needed

HUD Annual Performance Reports (APRs) and Data Quality Reports (DQRs)

• Review APRs and DQRs for errors when requests for assistance is submitted by the Housing Division and/or homeless service providers (both HUD Direct and Non-HUD Direct) to ensure that the reports are free of errors and submitted in a timely manner
• Work closely with OHS’s housing analysts and homeless service providers (both HUD Direct and Non-HUD Direct) to resolve any issues that preventing the APRs from being accepting by HUD to ensure that report is successfully resubmitted

HUD Point-in-Time and Housing Inventory Count (HIC/PIT)

• Assist the Senior Project Manager leading the HIC/PIT team with the submission of the annual report as needed
• Review and resolve any questions regarding the Sheltered Point-in-Time Count survey/HMIS data quality
• Serve as the HUD data expert for the sheltered committee; especially for the homeless service providers taking part in HMIS

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The candidate should possess the following qualities:

• Knowledge of and experience with HMIS is required; experience with ClientTrack is preferred
• Knowledge of HMIS Data Standards
• Demonstrated keen sense of detail and accuracy
• Must possess strong analytical skills and be detail-oriented
• Strong technical, analytical, communication & organizational skills
• Excellent communication skills both verbal and written
• Ability to work independently and in teams to accomplish goals and drive outcomes
• Ability to effectively multi-task and problem-solve
• Prominent level of customer focus
• Proficient in data entry
• Excellent project management skills
• Project management experience evidenced by strong organizational skills, diligence, ability to multi-task and manage multiple deadlines in a demanding environment
• Experience with data tracking, analysis, reporting and program evaluation
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a collaborative working style
• Excellent computer skills and proficient Microsoft Office suite programs. Including but not limited to Excel, Word, Outlook, Access, PowerPoint, and Microsoft Teams

Ability to:

• Analyze and resolve complex problems
• Present ideas effectively and clearly both orally and in writing
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates and departmental officials
• Proficiency in SQL preferred

Qualifications (Education and Experience)

• Bachelor’s degree preferred in a related field and four (4) years’ work experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience deemed to be adequate
• Previous experience in working with a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) preferred
• Understanding of homeless services/poverty/low-income housing and best practices in ending homelessness preferred

Additional Information

Salary: $70,000

The City of Philadelphia is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not permit discrimination based on race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, source of income, familial status, genetic information or domestic or sexual violence victim status.

If you are interested, please email a cover letter and resume to MaryBeth Gonzales at MaryBeth.Gonzales@phila.gov.

PHMC is an E-Verify and Equal Opportunity Employer.

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