Human Services Assistant III

Virginia Department of Social Services • Harrisonburg, VA

4d

About The Position

Human Services Assistant III represents the specialist level in the occupational group for Human Services Assistants. This position provides administrative/clerical support and customer/personal services to assist the Family Services Specialists. Transcribes dictated tapes, operates various computer systems to conduct searches for initial applications, renewals and re-certifications and/or to update information. Prepares and mail correspondence, provides written and /or oral documentation regarding clients contact, verifications letter, provides direct administrative support to Family Services Specialist such as transcription, typing, pulling files and creating forms, researches and purges case records, sets up case flies, typing or labeling case files, and completing forms, answers incoming calls and responds to inquires, provides information to client. conducts business with public, employees and other departments, answering questions and providing guidance, requiring the ability to assess the situation and determine a plan of action; interprets, explains and gathers information regarding specific program services, policies, and procedures; proofreads work of others; sets up hardware or loads software under carefully controlled parameters; composes routine , non-routine, sensitive and confidential memos, reports, forms of other correspondence, documents client contact in appropriate record, prepares a variety of financial, statistical forms and reports, case documentation and court reports; keys information in to OASIS, coordinates annual Holiday with Santa for agency clients and other assigned
Considerable knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and person services (including customer needs assessment, meeting of quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction) structure and content of the English language the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar; and administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, spreadsheets, managing files and records, and other office procedures and terminology, mathematics and research methods; and eligibility requirements for programs assigned; and available community resources. Some knowledge of law, regulations, requirements, and policies of Local, State, and Federal social, assistance and housing programs.
General Work Tasks (Illustrative Only) –
Support staff for Family Services Specialists in the Child Protective Services, Adult Protective Services and Foster Care.
Demonstrate the ability to communicate both verbally and in writing effectively with program participants
Researches client information;
Provides information to clients seeking services via phone and email;
Researches a variety of databases to obtain and/or verify information needed to process forms
Skills in operation a variety of automated office equipment including calculator, fax/copier and computer-driven word processing, spreadsheet, graphics and file maintenance programs.
Plan, organize, manage and prioritize own workload;
Schedule; establish and maintain working relationships with clients, professional, co-workers and the public sufficient to exchange ideas and coordinate activities;
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Considerable knowledge of office practices and procedures; agency policies and procedures as related to the subject area; and personal computer and office and agency software. Working knowledge of: basic math, accounting and bookkeeping; English, grammar, and use of the dictionary; and laws, rules, regulations pertaining to the subject area. Some knowledge of technical aspects of program area.
Demonstrated ability to communicate both verbally and in writing effectively with program participants; work independently and as a team member; plan, organize, manage, and prioritize own workload/ schedule; establish and maintain working relationships with clients, professional, co-workers and the pubic sufficient to exchange ideas and coordinate activities; accept direction and follow established procedures from multiple levels of staff; counsel; organize, and postdate from records, reports and other sources using the appropriate format; exhibit solid interpersonal skills, including conflict resolution in working with clients, professionals and employees; create forms, charts, and graphs; add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals; computer ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs; make screening decisions based upon specific criteria's read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operation and maintenance instructions manual; and conduct effective interviews both face-to-face and by telephone.
Skills- Skill in operating a variety of automated office equipment including the calculator, fax/copier and computer-driven word processing, spreadsheet, graphics and file maintenance programs. Skilled in operating a motor vehicle,
Abilities- Demonstrated ability to: interact professionally with all levels of agency personnel and the public; communicate effectively both orally and in writing; analyze and manipulate data and prepare reports; maintain complex records; assemble and organize data and prepare reports; make required mathematical computations; interpret and follow oral and written policies, procedures, rules and regulations; maintain harmonious working and public relations; provide guidance to others; and organize and prioritize work and make independent work processing decisions.
Education and Experience- High school diploma supplemented with post-secondary coursework in office or business administration, accounting, computer science or related field, and clerical or administrative experience OR any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.
Current or previous experience in a local social services agency. Skilled in working with DSS computer systems such as OASIS, Spider, VACMS.
Special Requirements: Applicants may be subject to Criminal History Background search, Central Registry search, OMV/driving record check and /or pre-employment drug screen. The investigation may include: fingerprint checks (State Police, FBI), local agency checks, employment verification and references, verification of education (relevant to employment), credit checks (relevant to employment) and other checks requested by the hiring authority.
All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory results of the required checks and screenings
May require reporting for shelter duty during emergencies and/or disasters.
Requires valid Commonwealth of Virginia driver's license to include driving record that meets the agency standard.

Requirements

• Considerable knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and person services (including customer needs assessment, meeting of quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction)
• Considerable knowledge of structure and content of the English language the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar
• Considerable knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, spreadsheets, managing files and records, and other office procedures and terminology, mathematics and research methods
• Considerable knowledge of eligibility requirements for programs assigned
• Considerable knowledge of available community resources
• Some knowledge of law, regulations, requirements, and policies of Local, State, and Federal social, assistance and housing programs
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate both verbally and in writing effectively with program participants
• Skills in operation a variety of automated office equipment including calculator, fax/copier and computer-driven word processing, spreadsheet, graphics and file maintenance programs
• Considerable knowledge of office practices and procedures; agency policies and procedures as related to the subject area; and personal computer and office and agency software
• Working knowledge of: basic math, accounting and bookkeeping; English, grammar, and use of the dictionary; and laws, rules, regulations pertaining to the subject area
• Some knowledge of technical aspects of program area
• Demonstrated ability to communicate both verbally and in writing effectively with program participants
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as a team member
• Demonstrated ability to plan, organize, manage, and prioritize own workload/ schedule
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain working relationships with clients, professional, co-workers and the pubic sufficient to exchange ideas and coordinate activities
• Demonstrated ability to accept direction and follow established procedures from multiple levels of staff
• Demonstrated ability to counsel
• Demonstrated ability to organize, and postdate from records, reports and other sources using the appropriate format
• Demonstrated ability to exhibit solid interpersonal skills, including conflict resolution in working with clients, professionals and employees
• Demonstrated ability to create forms, charts, and graphs
• Demonstrated ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals; computer ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs
• Demonstrated ability to make screening decisions based upon specific criteria's read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operation and maintenance instructions manual
• Demonstrated ability to conduct effective interviews both face-to-face and by telephone
• Skill in operating a variety of automated office equipment including the calculator, fax/copier and computer-driven word processing, spreadsheet, graphics and file maintenance programs
• Skilled in operating a motor vehicle
• Demonstrated ability to interact professionally with all levels of agency personnel and the public
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing
• Demonstrated ability to analyze and manipulate data and prepare reports
• Demonstrated ability to maintain complex records
• Demonstrated ability to assemble and organize data and prepare reports
• Demonstrated ability to make required mathematical computations
• Demonstrated ability to interpret and follow oral and written policies, procedures, rules and regulations
• Demonstrated ability to maintain harmonious working and public relations
• Demonstrated ability to provide guidance to others
• Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize work and make independent work processing decisions
• High school diploma supplemented with post-secondary coursework in office or business administration, accounting, computer science or related field, and clerical or administrative experience OR any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities
• Requires valid Commonwealth of Virginia driver's license to include driving record that meets the agency standard

Nice To Haves

• Current or previous experience in a local social services agency
• Skilled in working with DSS computer systems such as OASIS, Spider, VACMS

Responsibilities

• Provides administrative/clerical support and customer/personal services to assist the Family Services Specialists
• Transcribes dictated tapes
• Operates various computer systems to conduct searches for initial applications, renewals and re-certifications and/or to update information
• Prepares and mail correspondence
• Provides written and /or oral documentation regarding clients contact, verifications letter
• Provides direct administrative support to Family Services Specialist such as transcription, typing, pulling files and creating forms
• Researches and purges case records
• Sets up case flies, typing or labeling case files, and completing forms
• Answers incoming calls and responds to inquires
• Provides information to client
• Conducts business with public, employees and other departments, answering questions and providing guidance, requiring the ability to assess the situation and determine a plan of action
• Interprets, explains and gathers information regarding specific program services, policies, and procedures
• Proofreads work of others
• Sets up hardware or loads software under carefully controlled parameters
• Composes routine , non-routine, sensitive and confidential memos, reports, forms of other correspondence
• Documents client contact in appropriate record
• Prepares a variety of financial, statistical forms and reports, case documentation and court reports
• Keys information in to OASIS
• Coordinates annual Holiday with Santa for agency clients and other assigned
• Support staff for Family Services Specialists in the Child Protective Services, Adult Protective Services and Foster Care
• Researches client information
• Provides information to clients seeking services via phone and email
• Researches a variety of databases to obtain and/or verify information needed to process forms
• Plan, organize, manage and prioritize own workload
• Schedule; establish and maintain working relationships with clients, professional, co-workers and the public sufficient to exchange ideas and coordinate activities

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED