Quality Control Specialist

Commonwealth of Massachusetts•Boston, MA

About The Position

The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) is seeking an experienced quality control professional for the Quality Control Specialist Reviewer-Boston position. The role performs federal quality control reviews and monitors and evaluates agency performance by reviewing work completed by Benefits Eligibility & Referral Social Worker (BERSW) staff, supervisors, and managers. The specialist reviews public assistance cases, assesses the accuracy of casework and financial assistance payments, gathers and verifies information, and identifies operational deficiencies and potential fraud. Reviews include interviews with recipients and contacts with collateral sources statewide. The position also applies state and federal quality control policies and guidelines and monitors court decisions to support compliance. The role requires at least five years of full-time or equivalent part-time professional experience in specified related fields. A bachelor's or higher degree may substitute for up to two years of required non-supervisory experience under the stated education substitution rules. No substitutions are permitted for required supervisory or managerial experience when applicable to assignment. Travel may be required; employees who choose to use a motor vehicle must have a current, valid Massachusetts driver's license or an equivalent license from another state. The selected candidate will undergo a criminal background check. Education, licensure, and certifications will be verified. Candidates are asked to upload a resume and cover letter. First consideration will be given to applicants who apply within the first 14 days.

Requirements

At least five years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, professional experience in social work or social casework, claims adjudication, job placement, recruitment, employment counseling, vocational or rehabilitation counseling, credit investigation, educational counseling, legal advocacy, or legal counseling.
For assignments to second-level supervisory positions, at least one year of the required experience must have been in a supervisory capacity; substitutions are not permitted for required supervisory or managerial experience.
Ability to determine the accuracy of eligibility findings and benefit payment decisions in randomly selected cases.
Ability to integrate multiple program criteria and apply them in quality control reviews of casework actions.
Ability to work independently and in a team, plan and organize work, work accurately with names, numbers, codes, or symbols, and assemble information according to established procedures.
Ability to analyze client data, draw conclusions, make recommendations, prepare general reports, and maintain accurate records.
Ability to establish and maintain harmonious working relationships, remain calm, and exercise sound judgment in stressful or emergency situations.
Proficiency in gathering information through interviews and examination of records and documents, with discretion in handling confidential information.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing and develop ideas in a logical sequence.
Knowledge of state and federal policies, procedures, laws, rules, systems, and regulations governing eligibility for assistance programs and quality control criteria for reviewing eligibility findings and benefit payments.
Knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of supervision.
A bachelor's or higher degree may substitute for two years of required non-supervisory experience, at a rate of two years of education for one year of experience; education toward a degree is prorated, with 30 semester hours equaling one year of education.
If electing to use a motor vehicle for required travel, a current and valid Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Operator's license or equivalent license from another state is required.

Nice To Haves

In-depth knowledge of state and federal policies, procedures, laws, rules, systems, and regulations governing eligibility for assistance programs.
Ability to write clear, concise, accurate, and informative reports.
Ability to work independently and organize multiple work assignments simultaneously.
Ability to exercise discretion in handling confidential information.
A valid Massachusetts state driver's license and ability to travel statewide as assigned.
Bilingual or multilingual fluency.

Responsibilities

Monitor and evaluate staff work against multiple review standards, determine whether actions comply with state and federal guidelines, and report inconsistencies within prescribed timeframes.
Review and analyze statistically valid samples of public assistance cases to determine the accuracy of casework.
Determine the correctness of financial assistance payments and assist in computing and producing state and local office error rates.
Perform state and federal Local Office Quality Control reviews and collect case data for the Federal Government using federal definitions.
Conduct in-depth recipient interviews statewide, in offices and through home visits, including interviews with individuals who may be uncooperative or belligerent.
Evaluate local office operations to identify programmatic and operational deficiencies and facilitate corrective action.
Monitor and implement court decisions to ensure compliance and avoid potential court sanctions.
Conduct high-risk investigatory reviews to determine fraud.
Perform special review projects that may involve external government and private agencies.
Contact collateral sources statewide, including banks, the post office, and other government agencies, to corroborate eligibility findings and benefit payments.
Apply federal quality control guidelines and state policy standards to assess the correctness of cases across assistance categories.