DSHS ESA Public Benefits Specialist 4

State of Washington•King County – Auburn, WA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Economic Services Administration's (ESA) Community Service Division (CSD) has an exciting opportunity for a Public Benefits Specialist 4 (PBS4) to join our team at the Community Service Office in Auburn, WA. This position works full-time in the office, providing hands-on support and leadership to staff and clients alike. The PBS4 serves as lead worker and is expected to possess a high level of proficiency in all public benefit programs. The position is responsible to audit, coach, train and guide lower level Public Benefits Specialists; also, performs case audits/reviews and observational audits. This position will have access to the Washington Health Plan Finder (HPF) system and Personal Identifiable Information (PII).

Requirements

12 months of experience as a Public Benefits Specialist 3.
OR A Bachelor’s degree or higher AND twelve months of experience as a Public Benefits Specialist 2 determining eligibility for public assistance or long-term care services.
OR 5 years of combined higher education and/or equivalent experience may substitute for degree and PBS work experience requirements. Total must include at least one year’s equivalent work experience.
Satisfactory completion of the agency’s Public Benefits Specialist Training Program.

Nice To Haves

Eligibility expertise – You’ll need deep knowledge of Washington’s public assistance programs and the ability to assess and re-determine eligibility with accuracy
Policy fluency – Comfort navigating and applying WAC, RCW, and internal procedural manuals is essential to ensure services are legally sound
Analytical skills – You’ll be interpreting complex data and documentation to make fast, high-stakes decisions—precision matters
Communication – Clear, respectful, and empathetic communication is key—especially when explaining tough decisions or diffusing high-tension situations
Crisis navigation – This role regularly involves working with people in distress. You must stay calm, clear-headed, and grounded in your professional boundaries
Resilience and flexibility – Programs shift. Priorities change. You need to adapt quickly, manage multiple tasks, and keep performance high without burning out
Providing eligibility for services or direct customer service serving historically marginalized communities
Experience examining/processing loan applications
Medical insurance or rehabilitation claims
Unemployment insurance claims
Providing staff support in financial eligibility determination, or in a job analyzing, verifying, and evaluating financial data and information

Responsibilities

Assigns work to Public Benefits Specialist staff who process cash, medical, and/or food benefits
Audits/reviews l work of Public Benefits Specialist staff. Conducts ongoing audits for new and experienced staff.
Establish reports and recommendations to supervisor on staff progress
Detects error trends through audits to identify training needs
Performs more complex duties in relation to establishing financial eligibility, rule interpretation, planning, and procedural development
Reviews cases and independently analyzes case actions for accuracy.
Contacts staff, agencies and the community as necessary for clarifying information
Assists customers with the process of applying for Apple Healthcare by entering information into the Health Plan Finder (HPF) system on behalf of the clients
Conduct intensive interviews when necessary to determine eligibility for financial, Medical and/or food assistance benefits
Process all case actions in accordance with Federal and State processing and accuracy requirements
Supports local, office implementation of regional initiatives
Provide feedback to regional training staff on training gaps
Verifies and establishes overpayments and completes referrals to the Office of Financial Recovery