CLIENT ADVOCATE

City of New York; New York (NY); On-site; USD 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of New York seeks a Principal Administrative Associate in the External Affairs division to advocate for clients, resolve inquiries, and stop adverse actions when applicable. The role involves coordinating with DSS/HRA/DHS units and documenting outcomes in the IQ system.

You will manage about 30 phone inquiries daily and 7–8 written cases, communicating results by phone or letter, and producing clear memos for constituents and officials.

Qualifications

• A baccalaureate degree and 3 years of progressively responsible clerical/administrative experience, including supervisory experience.

Responsibilities

• Advocate for clients by addressing inquiries and stopping adverse actions when applicable.
• Provide excellent customer service with empathetic listening and professional interaction.
• Research and resolve inquiries using multiple systems (WMS, POS, IQ, HRA One Viewer).
• Coordinate with Job Centers, SNAP Centers, Medicaid offices and other agencies to resolve cases.
• Prioritize inquiries from telephone, email, fax, and mail and communicate outcomes clearly.
• Prepare letters, emails, and memos for constituents using IQ templates.

Skills

Empathetic listening

Professional communication

Data entry accuracy

Interagency collaboration

Education

Baccalaureate degree

Associate degree

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Intranet Quorum (IQ)

Welfare Management System (WMS)

Paperless Office System (POS)

HRA One Viewer

Job description

• Job Category: Constituent Services & Community Programs
• Salary Band: $60,000 to $70,000
• Compensation: USD 59,715 - USD 68,672

Job Description

APPLICANTS MUST BE PERMANENT IN THE PRINCIPAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE CIVIL SERVICE TITLE. The External Affairs division of DSS tells the story of how our agency, comprised of over 16,000 dedicated individuals, is proudly fighting poverty and homelessness, with care and compassion, every single day. We do this by engaging New Yorkers in multiple ways. From advertisements on the streets and in the subways, to the responsiveness of our call center operators, we bring every program, every resource, every employee’s hard work to bear in telling our story. The work we do isn’t easy. New Yorkers come to us in their times of need, seeking assistance to put food on the table, access basic health care, or get a roof over their heads. We know our staff helps people navigate some of life’s most challenging circumstances, and our job is to share with the outside world how our work makes an impact. Under the direction of the Constituent Communications Supervisor, with considerable latitude for independent action or decision, performs difficult and responsible administrative work by advocation on behalf of the clients to resolve clients’ phone or written inquiries and stop any adverse action taken when applicable, and providing timely notification to clients regarding the outcome of their inquiry. Each Client Advocate processes about 30 telephone inquiries daily and between 7-8 correspondences cases daily. All case inquiries are data entered into the Intranet Quorum (IQ) system for tracking and monitoring.

• Advocate on behalf of clients who call or write to inquire about their case or services with various DSS/HRA/DHS units to ensure all concerns are addressed, proper resolution is obtained and provides effective and immediate intervention to stop any adverse actions on cases when applicable.
• Provide excellent customer service with active and empathetic listening skills and a clear focus on the clients' needs, interacting in a professional manner and handling frustrated callers in a calm, reassuring demeanor.
• Use multiple computer systems to research and resolve inquiries while conversing with callers, using most HRA database systems, including the Welfare Management System (WMS), Paperless Office System (POS), HRA One Viewer, etc., to determine and assist with the next steps to resolve the constituent's issue.
• Liaise with Job Centers, SNAP Centers, Medicaid offices, HASA, other HRA programs, and other government agencies to take the necessary actions on cases and let the constituent know the outcome by phone or letter.
• Review and prioritizes inquiries received as telephone calls and as written inquiries by email, fax, and mail from participants and applicants in BRA programs, elected officials, and the general public.
• Report findings by summarizing and writing on cases into clearly organized and plainly communicated letters, emails, and memos, including written responses that are sent to constituents on behalf of the Mayor and the Commissioner utilizing templates available in the Intranet Quorum (IQ) system.

Work Location: 4 World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. Hours/Schedule: Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

PRINCIPAL ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOC - 10124

Qualifications

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and three years of satisfactory full-time progressively responsible clerical/administrative experience, one year of which must have been in an administrative capacity or supervising staff performing clerical/administrative work of more than moderate difficulty; or 2. An associate degree or 60 semester credits from an accredited college and four years of satisfactory full-time progressively responsible clerical/administrative experience including one year of the administrative supervisory experience described in "1" above; or 3. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent approved by a State's department of education or a recognized accrediting organization and five years of satisfactory full-time progressively responsible clerical/administrative experience including one year of the administrative supervisory experience as described in "1" above; 4. Education and/or experience equivalent to "1", "2", or "3" above. However, all candidates must possess the one year of administrative or supervisory experience as described in "1" above. Education above the high school level may be substituted for the general clerical/administrative experience (but not for the one year of administrative or supervisory experience described in "1" above) at a rate of 30 semester credits from an accredited college for 6 months of experience up to a maximum of 3½ years.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.