Benefit Programs Specialist III

Virginia Department of Social Services•Wytheville, VA

10d•$39,948 - $130,865

About The Position

The Benefit Programs Specialist III is an advanced-level position in the occupational group. Employees perform advanced technical functions or projects requiring considerable knowledge of public assistance programs, including fraud or quality-control case review. The role conducts initial and ongoing eligibility determinations requiring advanced program knowledge or examines cases completed by other eligibility workers to assess accuracy and uniformity. Work is performed independently under established guidelines and standards, with the most complex situations reviewed with a supervisor. Unlike a Benefit Programs Specialist IV, this position does not serve as a lead worker or provide back-up supervision. The position may carry a caseload involving complex issues, provide assistance to staff and the public on public assistance programs and eligibility requirements, and perform quality-control reviews and reporting. It also explains programs and the rights and responsibilities of applicants and recipients, conducts follow-up, maintains records, and provides information as required. The employee must be willing to work in the community emergency shelter in the event of a natural disaster or emergency. Applicants may be subject to criminal history, central registry, driving record, and pre-employment drug screening; employment offers are contingent on satisfactory results.

Requirements

Considerable knowledge of applicable laws, codes, policies, and procedures related to public assistance programs.
Considerable knowledge of basic human behavior; financial assistance programs and benefit eligibility; human services programs and how they interrelate; 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.
Ability to manage complex cases and interpret public policies and regulations to make independent 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 learned information with coworkers and communicate effectively and diplomatically, orally and in writing, with a broad range of people, including customers, employers, courts, and medical professionals, in person and by phone.
Ability to interview clients, gather information, reassess client situations, and make referrals.
Ability to determine a client’s ownership share in situations involving multiple ownership.
Ability to assess client needs by collecting and analyzing 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 prepare reports and manipulate data.
Ability to maintain professional ethics concerning 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 and recipients, public and private agencies, associates, and the public, including under stressful situations.
Ability to identify customer needs and explore options within available community resources.
Education and experience equivalent to the requirements for Benefit Program Specialist II, plus additional related work experience in benefit programs, or an equivalent combination of training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing, interview and assess needs, make sound judgments within applicable laws and policies, perform recordkeeping and related activities, and establish and maintain effective relationships.
Skill operating a motor vehicle and a personal computer with associated hardware.
Willingness to work in the community emergency shelter in the event of a natural disaster or emergency.
Applicants may be subject to criminal history, Central Registry, DMV driving record, and pre-employment drug checks and screenings; offers are contingent on satisfactory results.
Applications and resumes must be submitted electronically.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual.
Training in long-term care.

Responsibilities

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.
Review cases for correctness, identify significant errors or problems in caseloads, and determine whether they relate to a section, unit, or employee.
Provide statistical data and other information to support budget requests.
Interview clients whose statements or information are questionable or potentially fraudulent, and determine program eligibility.
Document gathered data and information and compare findings with established program eligibility guidelines.
Prepare quality-control reports and make recommendations to the supervisor.
Explain programs and the rights and responsibilities of applicants and recipients, and conduct follow-up as needed.
Carry a caseload of public-assistance clients with complex issues.
Serve as a resource to staff and the public on public assistance programs and eligibility requirements.
Answer questions about policies and procedures.
Maintain records, prepare reports, and submit summaries and information as required.
Conduct initial and ongoing eligibility determinations or quality-control examinations of cases completed by other eligibility workers.
Use established guidelines and standards to work independently, and consult a supervisor on the most complex situations.