Benefit Programs Specialist III/IV

Virginia Department of Social Services•Covington, VA

About The Position

Benefit Programs Specialist III performs advanced technical functions or projects requiring considerable knowledge of public assistance programs, with special training and proficiency in TANF and/or Long-Term Care. The role conducts initial and ongoing eligibility determinations requiring advanced program knowledge or performs quality control reviews of cases completed by other eligibility workers. Work is performed independently under established guidelines and standards, with the most complex situations reviewed with a supervisor. Benefit Programs Specialist IV performs lead work related to benefit programs. The role provides training and guidance to other specialists and supports the supervisor by ensuring staff coverage, balancing workloads, training staff, reviewing case files, and providing back-up supervision. It may include consulting on complex cases and handling sensitive and confidential information. The work is performed independently within established policies and guidelines, with supervisory assistance sought for unusually complicated situations. Both levels may carry complex public-assistance caseloads, conduct eligibility and quality-control work, explain programs and recipient rights and responsibilities, provide information to staff and the public, maintain case records, and prepare required reports and summaries.

Requirements

Education and experience equivalent to the requirements for Benefit Programs Specialist II, with additional related work experience in benefit programs, or an equivalent combination of training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Considerable knowledge of laws, codes, policies, and procedures related to public-assistance programs; basic human behavior; financial-assistance programs and eligibility; human-services programs and their interrelationships; strategic planning; mathematics for calculating percentages, formulas, and averages; and interviewing techniques including data collection, interrogation, and investigation.
Skill operating a personal computer and associated office and agency software.
Demonstrated ability to manage complex cases and independently interpret public policies and regulations in making decisions across public-assistance programs.
Ability to train staff, speak publicly to promote agency programs, develop brochures and pamphlets, and use audio-visual equipment.
Ability to share information with coworkers and communicate effectively and diplomatically, orally and in writing, with customers, employers, courts, medical professionals, and others, in person and by phone.
Ability to interview clients, gather information, reevaluate their situations, make referrals, determine ownership shares in multi-ownership situations, and assess needs using employment history and relevant personal, family, and cultural information.
Ability to use automated technology to establish and maintain case records, access data such as estates, retirement accounts, and real estate, and generate reports and manipulate data.
Ability to maintain professional confidentiality and exercise sound judgment, discretion, tact, and resourcefulness in solving problems and drawing logical conclusions.
Ability to establish and maintain effective, positive, and tactful working relationships with applicants, recipients, public and private agencies, associates, and the public, including under stressful circumstances.
Ability to identify customers’ needs and explore ways to address them using available community resources.

Responsibilities

Conduct initial and ongoing eligibility determinations requiring advanced program knowledge.
Review cases completed by other eligibility workers for accuracy and uniformity; identify significant errors or problems and determine whether they originate with a section, unit, or employee.
At Level IV, serve as a lead worker by training and guiding other Benefit Programs Specialists, ensuring staff coverage, balancing workloads, reviewing cases, and providing back-up supervision.
Contact vendors for services and ensure payments that allow services to be restored or continued.
Monitor program effectiveness and trends, and complete seasonal, quarterly, and yearly reports.
Participate in task forces and strategic planning; mentor volunteers, students, and new employees; teach classes; and conduct outreach.
Provide statistical data and other information to support budget requests.
Interview clients who provide questionable or potentially fraudulent information and determine program eligibility.
Document gathered information and compare findings with established eligibility guidelines.
Prepare quality-control reports and recommend actions to the supervisor.
Explain programs and the rights and responsibilities of applicants and recipients, and conduct follow-up as needed.
Carry a caseload involving complex public-assistance issues.
Serve as a resource to staff and the public on public-assistance programs and eligibility requirements; answer policy and procedure questions.
Maintain records and prepare and submit required reports, summaries, and information.
Consult on complex cases and, as applicable, handle sensitive and confidential case assignments.