Compliance Specialist - Upbring

Overview

About Upbring 

At Upbring, we are servants on a mission to break the cycle of child abuse. We are warriors, brave as the thousands of Texas Children and families we serve. We stand up for those who can’t speak for themselves. We are a family who values innovation, empathy, patience, understanding and trustworthiness.

About our Children's Shelters

Many children begin life in the face of serious challenges. Instead of playing pretend and imagining grand adventures, unaccompanied children face perilous conditions alone as they travel to unfamiliar countries, leaving home and loved ones behind to escape war and violence. Our children’s centers, operated through a grant from the Office of Refugee and Resettlement (ORR), provide safety, stability and wraparound services. We help children grow into adults who have received love and kindness, instead of only violence and chaos.

What You'll Do

The Compliance Specialist is responsible and accountable to ensure the program remains up-to-date on all regulatory and licensing requirements in accordance with agency, state, accreditation, and federal regulations. The Compliance Specialist develops, implements, and enforces policies and procedures that keep the agency’s services, processes, and physical sites operating in a legal and ethical manner. If there are suspected violations of compliance, the Compliance Specialist conducts audits or investigations, recommends areas for improvement, and develops roadmaps for remediation.

Our Upbring staff members are servant-leaders in the pursuit of breaking the cycle of child abuse and empowering others to do the same through example while embodying our core values: We are Warriors. We are Servants. We are Family.

All Upbring Children's Shelters employees must comply with ORR's vaccination mandate. 

All staff must be able to show proof of immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases transmitted by the respiratory route if working directly with unaccompanied children (UC). Medical and Religious exemptions may be requested after an offer of employment is accepted. 

Responsibilities

We Are Warriors | We Set the Standards for Child Welfare

Work Standards 

• Maintain audit readiness by ongoing training, competency assessment, audit, monitoring or metrics and corrective action
• Perform regulatory compliance safety walk-throughs of the program to ensure continuous compliance
• Review critical incident reports and carry out root analysis to determine the cause
• Ensure consistency in standards, processes, forms, and best care practices across all Upbring ORR Emergency Shelter programs
• Must be able to adjust quickly to different work situations and remain composed under pressure and in stressful situations
• Design, develop, implement, and evaluate interventions to improve performance for key indicators of program outcomes and business operations, goals, and objectives 
• Analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of programs and operations in meeting established goals and objectives in compliance with Agency, licensing, accreditation, and other regulatory requirements and advise management on any non-compliance through detailed reports.
• Ensure that operations comply with legal regulatory standards, procedures, and policies
• Responsible for monitoring and documenting compliance activities, advising leadership and management on compliance matters, and liaising with regulatory, accreditation, and government agencies
• Identifying, investigating, and reporting compliance issues, irregularities, and violations immediately to leadership and management
• Identify compliance issues and recommend solutions.
• Perform occasional regulatory training for employees with respect to applicable job functions or as a response to audit findings
• Act as an internal resource for compliance related questions, issues, resolutions based on Agency policies and procedures, accreditation, and applicable government standards
• Attend monthly program Safety Committee meetings 
• All other duties as assigned

Communication 

• Possess strong analytical thinking skills and be able to maintain meticulous records of compliance activities

• Ability to express and to communicate thoughts and ideas in a professional, clear, and concise manner, both orally and in written form to a variety of audiences and to all levels of staff.
• Must be willing to express and support management’s ideas to affected staff
• Possess the ability to tactfully and effectively work with collateral agencies, peers, and stakeholders to achieve the mission of the agency  

We Are Servants | We Help Others

Teamwork

• Assist in coordinating audit materials for internal compliance audits and external regulatory and accreditation bodies
• Assist with reviewing compliance related policies annually and recommend changes for management approval as needed
• Assist with reviewing and revising forms for compliance with applicable policies, procedures, and standards.
• Assist with the development of corrective action plans in response to audit discoveries and compliance violations 
• Assist with assuring that all deficiencies noted in Compliance Reports are addressed adequately and in a timely manner
• Assist with receiving, archiving, and distributing all compliance resources as needed
• Helps to build and promote teamwork
• Build and maintain cooperative working relationships with management, program staff, inter-disciplinary teams, volunteers, and service providers to ensure the needs of the UC and program goals and services are being met at the highest quality

We Are Family | We Are Passionate & Compassionate

Building Relationships

• Build and maintain cooperative working relationships with leadership, management, program staff, inter-disciplinary teams, volunteers, and service providers to ensure the needs of the UC and program goals and services are being met at the highest quality
• Work as a team player and exhibit professional behavior and a positive attitude with both internal and external clients that reflects positively on the Agency and is consistent with Agency policies and procedures
• Actively participate in exhibiting cultural awareness and sensitivity when interacting with UC, staff, and the community
• Projects a positive image always along with the ability to work well with others

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in behavioral science, social services fields, or closely related field
• 2-years’ experience working with compliance issues, auditing, data, policies, standards, and best practices
• Must be 21 years of age or older per licensing requirements
• Bilingual (Spanish preferred due to service area and service population)
• Ability to use sound judgment and always maintain confidentially
• Demonstrated ability to establish trust and a positive rapport with the service population
• Demonstrated ability to gather and analyze information and translate into empirical data (metrics, structured reporting, data driven analysis)
• Ability to create scorecards and dashboards with relevant information to influence strategic planning, decision making, and meet department, program, and Agency goals and objectives
• Strong time management and organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines

• Strong interpersonal and people skills with the ability to work independently, within a team environment and with a diverse group of people
• Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in behavioral sciences, social services fields, or closely related fields
• Certified Risk and Compliance Management Professional (CRCMP)
• Prior compliance and/or internal company audit experience in a role like quality assurance
• Advanced knowledge of Licensing minimum standards and Office of Refugee and Resettlement policies

Perks at Upbring

• Competitive PTO & paid holidays 
• Health, dental, vision insurance & more! 
• 403(b) Plan
• Employee Assistance Program
• 24/7 access to telemedicine and counseling services 
• Discounted Gym Memberships 
• Donated Leave Program 

Physical Demands & Work Conditions

• This position requires sitting and looking and using a computer for extended periods of time
• Position works in a child facility and has constant exposure to children
• Lift, push, pull, and move up to 25 lbs.

The physical requirements for this position with or without reasonable accommodation are representative of those that must be met by an employee to perform the essential functions of this position successfully. While performing this position the employee with or without reasonable accommodation should have the ability to walk, stand, sit, kneel, speak, and hear with aid, see, read, reach with arms and hands, lift and/or move up to specified weight, and use equipment that is essential to performing the job, such as a computer, copier, fax machine, telephone, and automobile, if applicable. Specific vision requirements of this position may include color vision, seeing things close up, and the ability to adjust focus.

Diversity. Equity. Inclusion. Belonging  

We are a diverse and inclusive Organization that recognizes our strength is in the efforts of our selfless warriors. Honoring and recognizing the value and dignity of all individuals is the cornerstone of our agency. The more diverse the individuals, thought processes and lived experiences, the greater the opportunity is to combine unique perspectives to make a greater impact. Our trust, respect, and appreciation for one another is demonstrated through our communication, celebration of progress and relentless effort to be at our best TO FULLFILL OUR MISSION OF BREAKING THE CYCLE OF CHILD ABUSE.

Upbring is an Equal Employment Opportunity/AA Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, pregnancy, marital status, national origin, genetic information, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status.