Human Services Benefit Program Supervisor

Virginia Department of Social Services•Alexandria, VA

1d•$70,884 - $94,953•Onsite

About The Position

The City of Alexandria is bordered by Washington D.C. and the Potomac River, Arlington and Fairfax counties, and Maryland. The small city has a cosmopolitan feel with 150,000 people living within its 15.75 square miles. At the Department of Community and Human Services, we provide essential safety net services to help city residents enjoy a sense of well-being, safety and self-sufficiency. Our behavioral health programs provide compassionate services that support self-determination and recovery. The beauty of our diverse and resilient people and our commitment to race and social equity, coupled with a historic district dating to 1749, charming waterfront, vibrant arts community and unique places for foodies and shopping, make the City of Alexandria a uniquely wonderful place to live, work and play. We invite all qualified candidates to learn more and apply for our Human Services Benefits Programs Supervisor position. This is the supervisory level in the occupational group. Employees supervise Specialists who determine eligibility for government assistance programs and a variety of other staff. Employees train, lead, and develop staff and monitor case management services. The Benefit Programs Supervisor is distinguished from the Benefit Programs Manager by the latter’s responsibilities for supervising Supervisors and managing program performance. A Human Services Benefits Programs Supervisor is a member of the Center for Economic Supervisory Team and the Benefit Programs Leadership team. The Human Services Benefits Programs Supervisor assigns reviews and coordinates the work of staff responsible for the provision of public benefits assistance through supervision of staff, program planning, administration, and evaluation; ensures work quality and adherence to established policies and procedures; and performs the complex tasks relative to the assigned area of responsibility. This position also supervises the staff responsible for generating reports and analysis of data captured in State and local database systems including VaCMS, Data Warehouse, Q-Flow, and other systems. An employee in this class is responsible for developing staff competencies in determining and redetermination the eligibility of individuals and families for financial and medical assistance and participating in SNAP and food distribution programs. Significant independent judgment, leadership, and innovative approaches are required to carry out the responsibilities of this position and ensure the accuracy of case processing and compliance with state guidelines. Work is performed under the administrative supervision of the Manager of Human Services Benefits Programs.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in the human services field and human services program experience in a lead or supervisory capacity OR any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.
Considerable knowledge of public assistance programs, policies and regulations.
Considerable knowledge of the literature in the field of eligibility determination.
Considerable knowledge of casework supervision principles and practices.
Working knowledge of computer systems and standard office software to include the state Department of Social Services human services systems.
Skill in operating a personal computer and the associated office and agency software.
Demonstrated ability to work independently supervising and training others to deal effectively with the public.
Demonstrated ability to interpret laws, policies, and regulations and to make decisions based thereon.
Demonstrated ability to plan and supervise work activities, including service delivery, training, recordkeeping duties and organizational operations.
Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain good working relations with internal and external customers.
Demonstrated ability to evaluate financial assistance programs.

Nice To Haves

Four Year College Degree.
Considerable experience in making eligibility determinations and in using automated systems for public assistance programs, including some experience in a supervisor or lead capacity with some experience with basic computer skills and automated systems for public assistance programs and or a related field; or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.
Some experience in a human services program in a lead role or supervisory capacity.

Responsibilities

Responsible for the effective supervision of assigned staff including selection, performance management, employee relations, training, prioritizing, and assigning work and related activities.
Prepares and conducts monthly and individual meetings with staff and team.
Provide consultative services in complex situations with staff and customers.
Apply customer service skills, including the identification of customer needs and follow-up, to ensure customer commitments have been met.
Effectively listen, meditate, and resolve complaints.
Analyze situations accurately and adopt a useful course of action.
Assists with timely, and reliable statistics on benefit determinations and staffing collected and maintained with applicable federal, state, and local standards and practices and in sufficient detail to allow sound statistical analysis.
Planned, organize, and supervise the administration of various federal, state, and local financial assistance programs; ensure established goals and objectives are met.
Interpret, explain, and train on multiple financial assistance program policies including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid for families, children, the elderly, and disabled, and Energy Assistance.
Research, analyze, and make recommendations on the implementation of policies, procedures, rules, and workflow.
Ability to use available data in decision-making and gather information on understanding opportunities and challenges within the context of current practice.
Track and comply with State mandates for timeliness and accuracy compliance for all the financial assistance programs.
Monitor case records for adherence to policy, accuracy, and timeliness standards; ensure the safeguarding of the confidentiality of all information.
Track, monitor, and respond to Data Warehouse, Virginia Case Management System (VACMS), and state reports; pending applications, renewal, or change reports on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
Prepares and conducts unit and Divisional meetings and training to enhance communication, cohesion, and morale within the Division.
Participate in community events, public speaking engagements, and fair hearing appeals.
May act as Manager of Human Services Benefits Programs when designated and provide coverage for other supervisors as needed.
Performs related work as required.