Administrative Assistant/Receptionist

Otter Tail County•New York Mills Office Building & Sign Shop 118 North Main New York Mills, MN

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Otter Tail County is seeking a full-time Administrative Assistant / Receptionist for the New York Mills Veterans Services Office. This role provides clerical and administrative support and assists veterans and their dependents in applying for state and federal benefits. The position involves direct client interaction, helping them navigate benefit applications, healthcare enrollment, and referrals to various agencies. The role also includes administrative tasks such as preparing reports, managing correspondence, maintaining filing systems, and data entry.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent
General office or administrative support experience
Driver's License valid in Minnesota
Effective communication skills
Problem-solving skills and ability to multitask
Aptitude to empathize with clients
Self-motivated with teamwork skills

Responsibilities

Performs receptionist duties for all office contacts, screens and routes phone calls and walk-ins to appropriate staff.
Answers inquiries from the general public relating to any active military duty, National Guard, Ready Reserve, military retiree and veteran benefits subjects.
Performs initial contact interviews for clients seeking access to Veteran entitlements.
Helps clients make informed decisions on best ways to satisfy their needs.
Works with clients to develop claims, enrollment in benefit programs, applications for medical/dental/optical care, grant applications, as well as arrange assistance from non-Veteran agencies.
Assists clients access the VA healthcare system; determines eligibility criteria; obtains supporting documentation; assists veterans in completing enrollment application; submits application with documentation to VA eligibility; provides referrals to outside agencies.
Consults with VA business office in response to inquiries and disputes over eligibility, billing statements, co-pays, pharmacy issues & other health insurance issues.
Provides referral assistance on behalf of County veterans and families to various county, state and federal agencies, when appropriate, for physical or mental healthcare, chemical dependency conditions, legal services, financial aid, educational training, and employment.
Assists veterans in procuring delinquent medals and awards, discharge upgrades, and correction of official military records; assists family survivors of veterans with genealogy research by obtaining relevant documents from the National Personnel Records Center.
Manages burial benefits, provides funeral homes with discharges, and orders death certificates.
Maintains and updates knowledge of veteran’s benefits rules and regulations by attending continuing education seminars and conferences.
Performs administrative support; prepares reports and correspondence; establishes and maintains filing system; processes incoming and outgoing mail.
Performs data entry in VetraSpec (veteran’s database).
May assist with duties and responsibilities as outlined in the County Emergency Operations Plan and Continuity of Operations Plan.