Child Support Specialist

South Dakota State Government; Pierre (SD); On-site; USD 29,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid holidays

Vacation

Sick leave

Retirement benefits

Job summary

The Department of Social Services in South Dakota seeks a dedicated Full-Time Child Support Case Worker to establish and enforce child support payments, locate non-custodial parents, and review court orders. The role requires strong data analysis, communication, and integrity in serving families across the state.

Ideal applicants have experience in casework, collections, or finance; they are compassionate, organized, and able to handle sensitive information with tact and professionalism.

Qualifications

• Experience in casework, collections, finance, accounting, or insurance preferred.
• Demonstrate compassion, respect, courtesy, and tact when interacting with others.
• Recognize sources of interpersonal conflict and resolve problems calmly.
• Gather and analyze data, reason logically, and solve problems.
• Actively listen, elicit needed information and provide concise information.
• Prepare clear documentation, reports, and correspondence reflecting facts.

Responsibilities

• Establish and enforce collection of child support payments owed to families or the state.
• Establish paternity and medical support obligations; locate non-custodial parents and assess ability to pay.
• Review and modify court orders; initiate administrative and judicial actions; prepare cases for hearing.
• Ensure financial support for children and ensure fair recompense for the state.
• Maintain accurate case records and communicate clearly with families and courts.

Skills

Compassion

Active listening

Organization

Integrity

Teamwork

Communication

Job description

Job ID: 37042

Agency: Department of Social Services / Division of Child Support

Location: Sioux Falls, SD

Salary: $24.77 Hourly, depending on qualifications

Pay Grade: H

Closing Date: 08.24.2026

This is a Full-Time 40 Hours Weekly position with the Department of Social Services. For more information on the DSS, please visit https://dss.sd.gov.

Why the Department of Social Services?

At the Department of Social Services (DSS), family is everything. It's the foundation of what we do every day through provision of services to strengthen and support the citizens of South Dakota. Our work is driven with our vision to build Strong Families, South Dakota's Foundation and Our Future. We believe families have the right to be safe and secure. We also believe in respecting individual and cultural differences by treating people with dignity, fairness, and respect. And we believe in collaborative communications, teamwork, partnerships and trust for essential family services. Sound intriguing?

Who we want:

• a highly motivated and experienced person with a passion for serving the public and displays a high level of effort and commitment towards completing assignments and goals;
• a compassionate individual who listens attentively to others and clearly conveys information and ideas;
• a dependable and organized individual who effectively plans and organizes work activities;
• a person who is dedicated and who will represent the Department of Social Services with integrity and enthusiasm;
• an individual who works cooperatively with others and promotes a friendly work climate in order to achieve shared goals.

What you will do:

We are currently looking to hire an individual who is excited to serve the public.

This position will establish and enforce collection of child support payments owed to families or to the state; establish paternity; establish medical support obligations; locate non-custodial parents and determine their ability to pay child support; review and modify court orders; initiate administrative and judicial legal actions; and prepare cases for hearing to ensure financial support for children and fair recompense for the state.

Education/Licenses:

Experience in casework, collections, finance, accounting, or insurance is preferred. Entry level knowledge and abilities may be acquired through any combination of training and/or experience that will enable the incumbent to possess the required knowledge, skills and abilities.

The ideal candidate will:

• demonstrate compassion, respect, courtesy, and tact when interacting with others;
• recognize the sources of interpersonal conflict and take positive steps to effectively resolve problems in conflict situations;
• gather and analyze data, reason logically and accurately, and solve problems using common sense, reasoning and resourcefulness;
• actively listen, elicit needed information and provide concise information;
• conduct interviews with individuals who are reluctant to give information or who are not communicative;
• plan and organize work to meet schedules and deadlines and respond and adjust to multiple demands;
• prepare clear and concise documentation, reports, and correspondence that reflect relevant facts;
• comprehend, interpret and apply pertinent laws, regulations and procedures;
• utilize computerized data systems.

Equally important will be a strong work ethic and the comprehension of critical thinking and problem-solving techniques. If you believe in strengthening and supporting strong families and investing in South Dakota's future, you may have found the dream job you've been waiting for!

This position is eligible for Veterans' Preference per ARSD 55:10:02:08.

Successful applicant(s) will be required to undergo a background investigation. An arrest/conviction record will not necessarily bar employment.

NCRC: If you possess a National Career Readiness Certificate, please submit the certificate with your application. For more information on how to acquire a National Career Readiness Certificate contact a South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation Job Service Office. A certificate is not necessary to be considered.

The State of South Dakota does not sponsor work visas for new or existing employees. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete an Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9. The State of South Dakota as an employer will be using E-Verify to complete employment eligibility verification upon hire.

The State of South Dakota offers $0 premium employee health insurance option plus eleven paid holidays, generous vacation and sick leave accrual, dental, vision, and other insurance options, and retirement benefits. You can view our benefits information here . This position is a member of Class A retirement under SDRS.

South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources and Administration Telephone: [phone] Email: [e-mail] http://bhr.sd.gov/workforus

'An Equal Opportunity Employer'

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