Job Classification: Technical Writer 3/TW3
Contract Length: Thru Fiscal Year- extension to FY19 highly likely
Interview Process: On-site interviews. Local Candidate are highly preferred.
Will Close to Submissions on: Wednesday 5/9 @ 10AM
Agency Background:
The Division of Liquor Control is responsible for controlling the manufacture, distribution and sale of all alcoholic beverages in Ohio. Spirituous liquor (intoxicating liquor containing more than 21 percent alcohol by volume) is sold in Ohio through more than 460 private businesses, known as contract liquor agencies.
Our regulatory functions include the issuance of permits to the state’s approximately 25,000 privately owned and operated manufacturers, distributors and retailers of alcoholic beverages. The Division also regulates industry compliance with the laws pertaining to the manufacture, importation, and distribution of beer, wine and mixed beverages containing 21 percent or less alcohol by volume. The Division also registers more than 63,000 beer, wine and low-proof products for sale in Ohio.
The Division’s liquor retail sales exceeded one billion dollars during fiscal year 2017.
The Division of Liquor Control Licensing Section processes approximately 25,000 liquor permits annually and has more than sixty types of liquor permits. The processing of applications for liquor permits is performed within a mainframe application using VSAM files for data storage (acronym “CICS”) and a collection of applications for imaging/capture, document generation, basic workflow management and data exchange with CICS, which is known as LITS.
CICS is an IBM based product that has application servers that interface with LITS. CICS is used to update, view, maintain, or delete information related to applicant or liquor permits. LITS is a document management system developed in 1997 used by the division to be the repository for scanned and faxed paperwork, e-mail communication, liquor control/applicant mail correspondence and investigative work scheduler. LITS has an interface with a correspondence application used to send mail to applicants and with CICS.
Technical Writer Contract:
The Technical Writer will develop the documentation methodology and framework and maintain proper methodology for purposes of consistency and efficiency. This person will prepare the template for documentation by analyzing the business requirements, eliminating inconsistencies and unnecessary steps and acquire senior management approval for the final products. This role prepares and/or maintains documentation pertaining to programming, systems operation and user documentation.
The primary functions of the technical writer would be as follows:
Draft a procedures document from the information already developed by the Division and stored in Microsoft SharePoint for use in a business requirements document to support a Request for Proposals to implement a comprehensive technology solution; Additional and updated information must be developed through meetings with staff and review of CICS and LITS screens, forms and other work-related documents;
Draft electronic and hard copy training manuals for staff members that document licensing processes necessary for issuance, renewal or denial of liquor permits and draft language to record the procedural steps necessary for permit issuance in the current LITS and CICS system;
Draft documents that result from a business process analysis of the business-critical functions that should be transferred to a new comprehensive technology solution for licensing liquor permits that will replace both CICS and LITS;
Draft documents that will incorporate the Renewal, New and Transfer, Investigative Services, and Beer and Wine Licensing Units knowledge transfer goals for each classification currently in use in the units for business continuity.
Draft documents that will capture the compliance procedures used by the Investigative Services Unit to establish inspections of liquor permit premises, establish consistent procedures for processing complaints from permit holders, applicants and local authorities and track the documentation associated with the first, and final approval for premises prior to initial operation.
Draft documents to review the current and future business registration requirements for the Beer and Wine Unit for processing A and B liquor permits, wholesalers, manufacturers, distributors and suppliers.
Scope of Work:
The development of technical documentation to support new licensing processes and capabilities in a project to upgrade and update our technology will require the technical writer to extract data from Microsoft SharePoint and review the existing documentation to rewrite the technical explanations associated with the business procedures and draft the data in a format that is suitable for inclusion in a Request for Proposal summary description. Additionally, the Technical Writer must also meet and work with the ITG development group to review updated business process information. The Technical writer will provide input, analyze and correct information as part of the business requirements team.
The Technical Writer must use documentation that is dynamic and not only includes the knowledge level required for each system task but also should create future state critical components to translate the functions and training tasks that will evolve with new business technology.
The Technical Writer must conduct research to determine if current work processes use the CICS and LITS systems efficiently and effectively and must document the current systems in place while creating methods of system documentation that corresponds to the different levels of user abilities to comprehend complex systems without affecting the accountability for accuracy of the material produced.
The training manuals would be used in the Licensing business units responsible for issuance, renewal and scanning of liquor permits for the division including front desk receiving and processing procedures, new permit issuance, transfers of ownership and location of liquor permit premises location, inspection and compliance requirements.
The Division’s expectation is that the overall project is a high priority project because of the immediate need for these services. It is possible that the contractor will be able to work on the documents simultaneously because the resources available will be similar for all project areas.
In order to perform the work required the contractor will report on all projects to the Deputy Superintendent and Chief of Licensing, and alternately to the Program Manager for Licensing.
Term of contract-The timeframe for completion of the contract should be within one year of the beginning of the contract agreement. The expectation is that the contractor will be available between the business hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. five days a week. Total weekly hours may not exceed 40 hours. The contractor must be on site for a minimum of three days a week for eight hours a day and can report remotely for the other days or may choose to be available on site for five days a week.
Position Description for Senior Technical Writer:
The senior technical writer drives the creation of a documentation methodology and framework and maintains proper methodology for purposes of consistency and efficiency. This role prepares and/or maintains documentation pertaining to programming, systems operation and user documentation. This position translates business specifications into user documentation. The senior technical writer plans, writes and maintains systems and user support documentation efforts, including online help screen. This position is familiar with a variety of the field's concepts, practices and procedures. A wide degree of creativity and latitude is expected.
1. Create documentation methodology and framework.
2. Document core product and customer solution-specific code.
3. Create document flow diagrams.
4. Document programming methodologies and toolkit use.
5. Develop and maintain user-training materials.
6. Document training curricula.
7. Develop on-line help screens.
8. Review and analyze business technology functions.
Competencies:
1. Technical Capacity.
2. Organization Skills.
3. Communication Proficiency.
4. Thoroughness.
5. Problem Solving/Analysis.
6. Teamwork Orientation.
7. Initiative.
Supervisory Responsibility:
This position has no supervisory responsibilities.
Work Environment:
This job operates in a professional office environment. This person will routinely use standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to finger keys, handle or feel equipment; and reach with hands and arms.
Position Type/Expected Hours of Work
Some flexibility in hours is allowed, but the employee must be available during the “core” work hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and must generally work 40 hours each week to maintain full-time status.
Travel
No travel is expected for this position.
Required Education and Experience:
5 Plus Years of previous technical experience and knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite of Products.
5 plus years of experience with technical language used by computer programmers, developers.
5 plus years of experience with Microsoft Visio, Excel and Access
Preferred Education and Experience:
1 year of experience with CICS
Bachelor’s Degree
