Child Support Specialist

Marathon County•Wausau, WI

9d•$24

About The Position

The Marathon County Department of Social Services is recruiting a full-time Child Support Specialist to join our team. The ideal candidate is dedicated to helping others and making an impact in a positive and evolving child support system. Our philosophy is to engage with those we serve and support them in meeting their goals. This includes specialized case management and financial management tasks to ensure the establishment and enforcement of court-ordered child support obligations. Work involves evaluating referrals for qualifying services, interpretation, and application of court orders, and making recommendations to the courts. Work extends to drafting legal documents, monitoring ongoing cases for compliance, conducting research, interviews and performing and explaining mathematical calculations. Work also involves serving vulnerable populations and connecting them to support services through the ELEVATE Program. As an employee of the Department of Social Services and Marathon County, you will play a crucial role in managing and safeguarding confidential and sensitive information. This position requires a high level of impartiality, integrity, neutrality, and confidentiality. As an employee of the Department of Social Services and Marathon County, you will play a crucial role in managing and safeguarding confidential and sensitive information. This position requires a high level of impartiality, integrity, neutrality, and confidentiality.

Requirements

Four-year degree with an emphasis in paralegal studies, legal secretarial science, criminal justice, or closely related field. May substitute required education degree with a minimum of three years of work experience in the child support system or related field and an associate degree in criminal justice, social services, human services or similar fields of study or a minimum of five years of related work experience without a degree.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) fingerprinting and criminal background checks are required prior to successful employment.
Demonstrate the ability to actively listen and offer effective solutions to challenges.
Build and maintain strong connections with families, partnering agencies and other entities to achieve strong outcomes.
Ability to exercise compassion and sympathy to individuals may be paying or receiving child support.
Knowledge of child support programs and related rules, regulations and laws, and the ability to use this knowledge effectively when completing work assignments.
Considerable skill knowledge of investigative techniques and procedures used in securing information from legal and financial records, agencies, employers, and other public and private sector entities.
Considerable skill in conducting interviews and achieving cooperation from others in difficult situations.
Considerable skill in arithmetic or accounting.
Considerable skill in analyzing information and exercising sound judgment in arriving at conclusions.
Must have the ability to work accurately with a strong attention to detail.
Must have the ability to perform detailed work independently in compliance with stringent time limits with minimal direction and supervision.
Must have considerable skill in operating a computer and utilizing extensive software applications inclusive of Microsoft Office Applications.
Must have considerable skill and accuracy in typing.
Must have the ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing and accurately document findings, communications and actions taken.
Must maintain strict confidentiality of information and resources.
Ability to work and thrive in a stressful and adversarial environment.

Responsibilities

Determines parents’ ability to support their children through collection of data on income, assets, liabilities, employment, barriers, educational levels, etc. and through interviews with relatives, employers, attorneys, and other appropriate parties.
Manages ongoing assigned cases to meet the identified needs of families. Identifies and resolves barriers to compliance.
Utilizes a wide variety of state computer systems and external tools to locate customers and information for case establishment and management.
Interprets court orders and drafts legal documents.
Performs extensive interviewing of customers, relatives, attorneys, and other entities necessary to effectively perform work functions.
Answers inquiries from families, attorneys, partnering agencies and the public regarding court orders, questions, complaints, resource information, etc.
Calculates support and arrears and determines financial adjustment if applicable. Performs reconciliations of financial records.
Identifies and addresses delinquent payment situations.
Negotiates and mediates settlement agreements between parties and drafts the applicable legal documentation.
Prepares cases for litigation and makes recommendations as to the issues to be addressed in court. Appears as a witness in court testifying to case establishment and/or management actions taken.
Refers customers to appropriate services within the community.
Participates in establishing professional development goals that are aligned with the County vision and mission.
Maintains regular and predictable attendance and performs related work as required.