Benefit Programs Specialist III

Virginia Department of Social Services•Newport News, VA

About The Position

This position involves interviewing and screening customers seeking financial assistance, explaining financial services programs, rights, and responsibilities, and assisting with application completion. The role includes evaluating documentation, issuing initial eligibility determinations, and serving as a resource for Eligibility Workers. Responsibilities also encompass providing training in fraud and overpayment investigation, troubleshooting problem situations, and managing electronic eligibility application statuses. The specialist will identify suspected fraud cases, prepare summaries for fraud and overpayment, represent the agency in hearings and appeals, and respond to case review inquiries. Additionally, the role involves coordinating error management and prevention for financial services programs, developing standard operating procedures, evaluating accuracy and productivity, and identifying error trends. The position assists in determining initial and ongoing eligibility for benefits and public assistance programs, coordinating work requirements with employment services, and processing cases by verifying statements, completing evaluations, and maintaining records. The specialist will also develop rapport with customers and other organizations, make service referrals, and resolve customer concerns. Attending training sessions and conferences, and potentially representing the agency on committees or task forces are also part of the role. Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Experience in interviewing and screening customers.
Experience explaining programs, rights, and responsibilities.
Experience assisting with application completion.
Experience evaluating documentation and requesting verifications.
Experience issuing initial eligibility determinations.
Experience serving as a resource for others and assisting with complex determinations.
Experience providing training in fraud and overpayment interviewing and investigative techniques.
Experience troubleshooting problem situations and diffusing difficult customer situations.
Experience maintaining electronic application statuses and performing system inquiries and updates.
Experience identifying suspected fraud cases and preparing summaries.
Experience representing an agency in hearings and court appeals.
Experience responding to case review inquiries.
Experience reviewing and maintaining program and policy manuals.
Experience preparing reports.
Experience coordinating error management and prevention.
Experience developing standard operating procedures.
Experience evaluating accuracy and productivity using data.
Experience developing and implementing corrective action plans.
Experience identifying error trends and conducting case readings.
Experience determining initial and ongoing eligibility for benefits and public assistance programs.
Experience coordinating work requirements with employment services.
Experience processing cases by verifying statements, completing evaluations, and maintaining records.
Experience developing and maintaining rapport with customers and organizations.
Experience making service referrals.
Experience resolving customer concerns.
Ability to attend in-service and other training sessions and conferences.
Ability to represent the agency on committees or task force groups.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Virginia’s Initiative for Employment not Welfare (VIEW) work requirements.

Responsibilities

Interviews and screens customers seeking financial assistance.
Introduces and 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 to coordinate related information.
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, including developing 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.
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.
Attends in-service and other training sessions and conferences.
May represent the agency on committees or task force groups.
Performs other duties as assigned.