Job Duties The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) engages families for success. Its Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) manages nearly 246,000 cases to ensure that child support payments of $598 million per year reach families across the Commonwealth. Support Enforcement Specialists establish and sustain helping relationships with parents who have payment obligations as well as parents who depend on those payments.
The Support Enforcement Specialist (SES) serves as program agent for assigned child support cases, engaging families to ensure the financial and family support they need to grow and thrive.
Duties in this position may include:
• locating non-custodial parents
• working with other state and country child support agencies
• establishing paternity
• determining and assessing child support obligations and health care coverage
• ensuring parents comply with child and/or medical support orders through a number of administrative and judicial enforcement actions
• providing testimony in court proceedings when required
• connecting parents with resources and partners that support their ability to be self- sufficient and active participants in their child lives
The SES position manages a large caseload equal in volume and complexity and draws on a wide range of case management and communication skills to influence noncustodial and custodial parents toward supporting their children. Employees are expected to meet defined performance benchmarks and goals to ensure efficiency and accountability in our fast-paced work environment.
The ideal candidate enjoys:
• delivering a high level of customer service while maximizing payment collection efforts and addressing other customer service inquiries
• handling sensitive case information (legal, financial, medical and other personal circumstances)
• researching, analyzing and following up on accounts to verify established protocols have been achieved
• interacting with customer to resolve their challenges and questions using multiple communication channels
• developing effective partnerships within and across teams that create a culture of continuous support for each other and customers
• the challenge of building strong relationships through proactively calling customers who may be evading or distrust the child support system
• a high-volume and detail-oriented role where multiple conflicting priorities are consistently part of the daily workload.
The Division of Child Support Enforcement offers an interactive team setting, where staff receive structured training, and the benefit of on-the-job coaching. Support Enforcement Specialists are given the tools to develop the competence and independence to successfully meet the challenges of engaging in this fast-paced, performance-driven environment.
VDSS engages its employees for success by offering comprehensive pay and employee benefits, development, and unique job and career opportunities in public service. VDSS employees make a vital difference for Virginia’s families.
Minimum Qualifications
Ability to interact with a diverse public in a service setting to tactfully solve problems, sometimes in difficult situations where conflict is encountered.
Skill in information collection through interviewing and obtaining/reviewing records, documents and reports and the ability to analyze, determine and document the appropriate action in order to achieve results.
• Ability to work independently: plan, organize, and handle multiple priorities in a case management/caseload setting.
• Ability to interpret and apply laws, regulations, policies and/or procedures to ensure compliance and produce positive outcomes and results.
• Skill in the use of a personal computer using remote access technology, email, automated information systems and Microsoft Office applications.
• Demonstrated strong and effective listening and negotiating skills combined with outstanding written and oral communications.
• Demonstrated skills in performing basic mathematical computations.
• Ability to work in a considerate and respectful way as a team member to set, clarify and achieve individual and team goals.
Additional Considerations
Work experience in gathering and organizing client documentation to process financial transactions and/or account reconciliation.
Knowledge of and/or working experience in legal processes, to include preparing legal documents and providing court testimony.
Work experience in child support enforcement.
Work experience in the collection of past due accounts.
Where “work experience” is listed above, it is preferred that working experience to ensure relevance to current technology, work practices and methods, and familiarity with current laws, regulations, policies and procedures is recent.
Where “work experience” is listed above, it is preferred that jobs whose duties show that the “working experience” was a primary purpose of employment.
Special Instructions
You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.
This position may be eligible for telework opportunities; availability, hours, and duration will be in accordance with the Commonwealth's Teleworking policy on a case-by-case basis.
To be considered for this position, you must submit a Commonwealth of Virginia application or resume through the on-line “Virginia Jobs” (RMS) employment site no later than 11:55 p.m. on the closing date listed. Each application is reviewed for documentation that shows the applicant meets the minimum and preferred qualifications stated in the job announcement. The decision to interview an applicant is based on the information provided. This website will provide a confirmation of receipt when the application is submitted for consideration. Please refer to your RMS account for the status of your application and this position.
VDSS values the service and experience of our Veterans. As such, Veterans are encouraged to apply and receive preference in the hiring process. AmeriCorps, Peace Corps and other national service alumni also are encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodations are available to applicants, if requested, during the application and/or interview process.
Virginia Department of Social Services does not provide sponsorship. The Virginia Department of Social Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages diversity within its workforce.
We are a “Virginia Values Veterans” (V3) official certified company and state agency that provides hiring preference to Veterans and Members of the Virginia National Guard in support of Executive Order 29, (2010). If you are a Veteran or Virginia National Guard Member, we urge you to respond accordingly on your state application or resume. Minorities, Individuals with disabilities, Veterans and people with National Service experience are encouraged to apply. For more information about our employment practices, please visit our “Vision, Mission and Strategic Plan”. Multiple positions may be filled from this recruitment within 90 days of the closing date.
In addition to a rewarding work experience, VDSS offers excellent health and life insurance benefits, pre-tax spending accounts, state funded Short and Long Term Disability, paid holidays, vacation, tuition assistance, free wellness programs, and a state retirement plan with options for tax-deferred retirement savings including employer matching – Employee Benefits.
If you have been affected by Policy 1.30 Layoff as a state employee and possess a valid Interagency Placement Screening Form (Yellow Form) or a Preferential Hiring Card (Blue Card), you must submit this document through the “Virginia Jobs” (RMS) employment site when you apply.
Contact Information
Name: Division of Human Resources
Phone: ov (applications/resumes or any other supporting documents are not accepted)
Email: ov (applications/resumes or any other supporting documents are not accepted) In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter.
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