Office Support Specialist - Social Services

Douglas, County of•Mn 56308, MN

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Office Support Specialist provides front desk, telephone, and walk-in reception services for Douglas County Social Services and Horizon Public Health, along with office support to agency staff. The role determines clients’ needs and directs them to appropriate staff, helps clients complete program forms, provides information about community resources, and responds to general inquiries. It also includes entering data into state systems and databases, scanning and indexing client documents in an Electronic Document Management System (EDMS), and maintaining accurate administrative and fiscal records. The position prepares routine correspondence and reports, processes applications and other materials, handles incoming and outgoing mail, accepts front-desk payments and prepares receipts, maintains office supplies, and copies or faxes materials. The Office Support Specialist maintains and troubleshoots office equipment, assists with training new office support staff, follows safety policies, and protects confidential data in accordance with Minnesota’s Data Practices Act. The role is full-time at 37.5 hours per week, generally Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is based in a public building and office setting and is supervised by the Office Services Supervisor.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Computer and typing skills.
Valid Minnesota driver's license.
Knowledge of business English, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Knowledge of basic mathematics.
Knowledge of general office practices and equipment.
Ability to operate a variety of office machines.
Ability to understand and apply oral and written instructions.
Ability to organize and prioritize one's own work.
Ability to interact positively and work constructively with clients and other employees.
Ability to type accurately at a satisfactory rate of speed for positions where sustained typing is required.
Ability to maintain the confidentiality of non-public information in accordance with laws, rules, and policies.
Ability to organize information into written documents and reports.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of agency programs, procedures, and policies.
Knowledge of specialized computer software, for positions where applicable.
Knowledge of record-keeping systems used to maintain administrative and fiscal data and prepare reports.
Knowledge of legal or other technical terminology, for positions where applicable.
Knowledge of community resources sufficient to refer clients when needed.

Responsibilities

Provide front desk, telephone, and walk-in reception and switchboard services for Social Services and Horizon Public Health.
Ask clients questions to determine their needs and direct them to appropriate staff members.
Assist clients with completing program forms and provide information about community resources.
Respond orally and in writing to general inquiries about agency programs, policies, and procedures.
Respond to information requests from employees in person, by phone, or by email.
Type and edit materials, determine appropriate formats, identify missing or incorrect information, and follow up with authors as needed.
Compose form letters and other routine correspondence.
Prepare special reports using specialized software.
Assemble and send application materials, attachments, and other forms according to agency procedures.
Code, record, match, post, tally, verify, and correct data to maintain accurate records and mailing lists.
Maintain administrative or fiscal data and assist with report preparation.
Sort and distribute incoming mail and prepare outgoing mail, including USPS and UPS shipments.
Accept front-desk payments and prepare receipts.
Maintain adequate inventory of office supplies and forms.
Copy information for agency staff and send faxes as requested.
Enter information into and retrieve information from databases and state computer systems.
Scan and index client documentation in the Electronic Document Management System.
Maintain and troubleshoot office equipment and provide information needed for repairs.
Assist in training new office support staff.
Comply with workplace safety rules and policies and maintain reliable, punctual attendance.
Protect non-public data by limiting access and use to job-related needs, securing it, and storing or disposing of it properly under the Minnesota Data Practices Act.
Perform other duties as assigned or apparent.

Benefits

No-cost or low-cost health insurance plan option.
County contributions to a Health Savings Account.
PERA pension plan, with stated employee and employer contributions and vesting in as little as three years.
Anniversary salary step increases.
Annual cost-of-living adjustments under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Eligibility as a qualified employer for the Public Sector Loan Forgiveness Program.
$40,000 life insurance coverage at no expense; supplemental coverage is available for the employee, spouse, and dependents.
Official paid holidays, including a personal floating holiday.
Vacation allowance that increases with length of service, from 10 working days for 0–4 years to 30 working days for more than 20 years.
Sick leave and Earned Sick and Safe Time accrual.
Payroll-deduction options including deferred compensation, credit union, flexible spending, long- and short-term disability, dental, vision, accident, critical illness, and supplemental life insurance.