Title: Support Enforcement Specialist, DCSE - Valley District, (#W2374) - Repost

State Role Title: Prog Admin Specialist I

Hiring Range: $44,192 - $50,000 per year (salary commensurate with experience)

Pay Band: 4

Agency: Department of Social Services

Location: DCSE - Valley District

Agency Website: www.dss.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

At the Virginia Department of Social Services, we put people at the center of everything we do. We believe that every Virginian can live a life of dignity and that all voices, ideas and experiences contribute greatly to our pursuit of excellence. Inspired by continuous improvement, we commit ourselves to listening, learning and cultivating environments of trust, respect and positive engagement. Together, we are mission-driven, eager to achieve, and passionate about bringing the best of who we are to those we serve.

We design and deliver high-quality human services that help Virginians achieve safety, independence, and overall well-being. We are a $2 billion agency – one of the largest in the Commonwealth of Virginia – partnering with 120 local departments of social services and 31 community action agencies, along with faith-based and non-profit organizations, to promote the well-being of children, adults, and families statewide. We proudly serve alongside 1,650 (state) and 12,200 (local) human services professionals throughout the Social Services System, who ensure that thousands of Virginia’s most vulnerable citizens have easy access to the services and benefits available to them.

The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) engages families for success. Its Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) manages nearly 246,000 cases to ensure that child support payments of $598 million per year reach families across the Commonwealth. Support Enforcement Specialists establish and sustain helping relationships with parents who have payment obligations as well as parents who depend on those payments.

The Support Enforcement Specialist (SES) serves as program agent for assigned child support cases, engaging families to ensure the financial and family support they need to grow and thrive.
Duties in this position may include:
• locating non-custodial parents
• working with other state and country child support agencies
• establishing paternity
• determining and assessing child support obligations and health care coverage
• ensuring parents comply with child and/or medical support orders through a number of administrative and judicial enforcement actions
• providing testimony in court proceedings when required
• connecting parents with resources and partners that support their ability to be self- sufficient and active participants in their child lives

The SES position manages a large caseload equal in volume and complexity and draws on a wide range of case management and communication skills to influence noncustodial and custodial parents toward supporting their children. Employees are expected to meet defined performance benchmarks and goals to ensure efficiency and accountability in our fast-paced work environment.

The ideal candidate enjoys:
• delivering a high level of customer service while maximizing payment collection efforts and addressing other customer service inquiries
• handling sensitive case information (legal, financial, medical and other personal circumstances)
• researching, analyzing and following up on accounts to verify established protocols have been achieved
• interacting with customer to resolve their challenges and questions using multiple communication channels
• developing effective partnerships within and across teams that create a culture of continuous support for each other and customers
• the challenge of building strong relationships through proactively calling customers who may be evading or distrust the child support system
• a high-volume and detail-oriented role where multiple conflicting priorities are consistently part of the daily workload.

The Division of Child Support Enforcement offers an interactive team setting, where staff receive structured training, and the benefit of on-the-job coaching. Support Enforcement Specialists are given the tools to develop the competence and independence to successfully meet the challenges of engaging in this fast-paced, performance-driven environment.

VDSS engages its employees for success by offering comprehensive pay and employee benefits, development, and unique job and career opportunities in public service. VDSS employees make a vital difference for Virginia’s families.

Minimum Qualifications

• Ability to interact with a diverse public in a service setting to tactfully solve problems, sometimes in difficult situations where conflict is encountered.
• Skill in information collection through interviewing and obtaining/reviewing records, documents, and reports, and the ability to analyze, determine, and document the appropriate action in order to achieve results.
• Ability to work independently: plan, organize, and handle multiple priorities in a case management/caseload setting.
• Ability to interpret and apply laws, regulations, policies and/or procedures to ensure compliance and produce positive outcomes and results.
• Skill in the use of a personal computer using remote access technology, email, automated information systems and Microsoft Office applications.
• Demonstrated strong and effective listening and negotiating skills combined with outstanding written and oral communications.
• Demonstrated skills in performing basic mathematical computations.
• Ability to work in a considerate and respectful way as a team member to set, clarify and achieve individual and team goals.

Additional Considerations

• Work experience in gathering and organizing client documentation to process financial transactions and/or account reconciliation.
• Knowledge of and/or working experience in legal processes, to include preparing legal documents and providing court testimony.
• Work experience in child support enforcement.
• Work experience in the collection of past due accounts.

Where “work experience” is listed in a preferred requirement above, prefer recent working experience to ensure relevance to current technology, work practices and methods, and familiarity with current laws, regulations, policies and procedures.

Where “work experience” is listed in a preferred requirement above, prefer jobs whose duties show that the “working experience” was a primary purpose of employment.

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

Selected candidate(s) must successfully pass a fingerprint-based criminal history background check. A record of criminal history does not automatically bar an applicant from consideration. Employment verification will be conducted to include current/previous supervisory employment reference checks.

VDSS will record information from each new employee’s Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) into the Federal E-Verify system to confirm identity and work authorization.

This position may be eligible for telework opportunities; availability, hours, and duration will be in accordance with the Commonwealth’s Teleworking policy.

To be considered for this position, you must submit a Commonwealth of Virginia application or resume through the on-line “Virginia Jobs” (PageUp) employment site no later than 11:55 p.m. on the closing date listed. Each application is reviewed for documentation that shows the applicant meets the minimum and additional considerations as stated in the job announcement. The decision to interview an applicant is based on the information provided. Multiple positions may be filled from this recruitment within 90 days of the closing date.

The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages diversity within its workforce.

VDSS does not provide sponsorship.

VDSS is an official certified state agency that values the service and experience of our Veterans. As such, Veterans are encouraged to apply and receive preference in the hiring process. AmeriCorps, Peace Corps and other national service alumni also are encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodations are available to applicants, if requested, during the application and/or interview process.

If you have been affected by Policy 1.30 Layoff as a state employee and possess a valid Interagency Placement Screening Form (Yellow Form) or a Preferential Hiring Card (Blue Card), you must submit this document through the “Virginia Jobs” (PageUp) employment site when you apply.

Contact Information

Name: VDSS - Division of Human Resources

Phone: dssrecruitment@dss.virginia.gov

Email: dssrecruitment@dss.virginia.gov

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.