Benefit Programs Specialist III

Virginia Department of Social Services•Newport News, VA

2d•$49,459 - $65,533

About The Position

This position involves interviewing and screening customers seeking financial assistance, explaining financial services programs, rights, and responsibilities, and assisting customers with completing applications. The role requires evaluating documentation, issuing initial eligibility determinations, and serving as a resource for Eligibility Workers, assisting with difficult eligibility determinations and policy clarifications. The specialist will also provide training in fraud and overpayment interviewing and investigative techniques, troubleshoot problems, and diffuse difficult customer situations. Maintaining electronic eligibility application statuses, identifying suspected fraud cases, preparing summaries for fraud and overpayment, and representing the agency in hearings and court appeals are key responsibilities. The role includes responding to case review inquiries, maintaining program and policy manuals, and preparing reports. Additionally, the position coordinates error management and prevention, develops standard operating procedures, evaluates accuracy and productivity, and implements corrective action plans. It also involves determining initial and ongoing eligibility for benefits and public assistance programs, coordinating work requirements with employment services, verifying customer statements, completing evaluations, setting up records, and keeping applicants informed. The specialist will attend training sessions, represent the agency on committees, develop rapport with customers and organizations, make service referrals, and resolve customer concerns. Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Experience in interviewing and screening customers.
Experience explaining financial services programs, rights, and responsibilities.
Experience assisting customers with completing applications.
Experience evaluating documentation and requesting verifications.
Experience issuing initial eligibility determinations.
Experience serving as a resource for Eligibility Workers.
Experience assisting with difficult eligibility determinations and policy and procedural clarification.
Experience providing assistance, direction, monitoring, and training in the areas of fraud, overpayment interviewing, and investigative techniques.
Experience troubleshooting problem situations.
Experience diffusing difficult customer situations.
Experience maintaining eligibility applications statuses electronically.
Experience performing necessary inquiries, system searches, and updates.
Experience identifying suspected fraud cases.
Experience preparing summaries of facts for fraud and overpayment.
Experience representing the agency in hearings and court appeals.
Experience responding to state, federal, and internal case review inquiries.
Experience reviewing and maintaining program and policy manuals.
Experience preparing reports.
Experience coordinating error management and prevention of financial services programs.
Experience developing standard operating procedures.
Experience evaluating accuracy and productivity utilizing quality and quantity data.
Experience developing and implementing corrective action plans.
Experience identifying error trends.
Experience conducting and coordinating targeted case readings.
Experience determining initial and ongoing eligibility for benefits and public assistance programs.
Experience coordinating Virginia’s Initiative for Employment not Welfare (VIEW) work requirements with employment services.
Experience processing cases by verifying customer statements, completing evaluations and review sheets, setting up records and files, keeping applicants informed, advising of alternatives, and maintaining records.
Experience attending in-service and other training sessions and conferences.
Experience developing and maintaining rapport with customers, other organizations, and the general public.
Experience making service referrals within the department and to other agencies.
Experience resolving a variety of customer’s concerns.

Responsibilities

Interviews and screens customers seeking financial assistance.
Explains financial services programs, rights, and responsibilities.
Assists customers with completing applications.
Evaluates documentation and requests verifications to issue initial eligibility determinations.
Serves as a resource for Eligibility Workers and assists with difficult eligibility determinations and policy and procedural clarification.
Provides assistance, direction, monitoring, and training in the areas of fraud, overpayment interviewing, and investigative techniques.
Troubleshoots problem situations and assists in diffusing difficult customer situations.
Maintains eligibility applications statuses electronically and performs necessary inquiries, system searches, and updates.
Identifies suspected fraud cases, prepares summaries of facts for fraud and overpayment.
Represents the agency in hearings and court appeals and takes appropriate action as required.
Responds to state, federal, and internal case review inquiries.
Reviews and maintains program and policy manuals and prepares reports as needed.
Coordinates error management and prevention of financial services programs.
Develops standard operating procedures.
Evaluates accuracy and productivity utilizing quality and quantity data and developing and implementing corrective action plans.
Identifies error trends and conducts and coordinates targeted case readings.
Assists with determining initial and ongoing eligibility for benefits and public assistance programs.
Assists with coordinating Virginia’s Initiative for Employment not Welfare (VIEW) work requirements with employment services.
Assists with processing cases by verifying customer statements, completing evaluations and review sheets, setting up records and files, keeping applicants informed, advising of alternatives, and maintaining records.
Attends in-service and other training sessions and conferences.
May represent the agency on committees or task force groups.
Develops and maintains rapport with customers, other organizations, and the general public.
Makes service referrals within the department and to other agencies as needed.
Resolves a variety of customer’s concerns.
Performs other duties as assigned.