ELIGIBILITY PROGRAM SPECIALIST V

State of Hawai'i; Hawaii; On-site; USD 67,000 - 82,000; Full time

Job summary

State of Hawai'i is seeking an Eligibility Program Specialist V for SNAP Office in downtown Honolulu. The role develops state plans, implements rules and supervises contract services to ensure efficient program delivery.

The position requires a bachelor’s degree in a related field and 1.5 years of general experience plus 2 years in income maintenance; supervisory and administrative aptitude are essential. Apply to DHS Human Resources Office.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Education, Recreation, Human Services, or related field.
• Excess work experience may be substituted for education on a year-for-year basis; must demonstrate ability to write clear reports and solve problems.
• General Experience: 1.5 years analyzing, interpreting or evaluating technical material and writing narrative reports clearly.
• Specialized Experience: 2 years in income maintenance laws, rules, and regulations; knowledge of social welfare programs and program administration.
• Work experience in income maintenance programs (GA, AFDC, SNAP, SSI, AABD, Refugee Resettlement, Energy Assistance).
• Supervisory Aptitude demonstrated via leadership roles or supervisory coursework; Administrative Aptitude evidenced by planning, organizing, budgeting, and staff guidance.
• Substitutions: Master’s degree may substitute for 1 year General Experience; excess specialized experience may substitute for General Experience.

Responsibilities

• Formulate, complete, and submit State plans; develop and implement rules and procedures for the SNAP Office.
• Procure contract services and monitor and evaluate contracted services and expenditures for SNAP Office.

Job description

Recruitment number DHS 26-03

The immediate vacancies are with the State of Hawai'i, Department of Human Services, Benefit, Employment and Support Services Division, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Office and are located in downtown Honolulu on the island of O'ahu.

SALARY: $6,043 to $7,351 per month (SR-24, Step D to I)

Note: *Hiring rates will be based on availability of funds, the applicant's qualifications and other relevant factors.

The State Recruiting Office will refer all inquiries regarding this delegated position to the Department of Human Services, Human Resources Office.

The Benefit, Employment and Support Services Division (BESSD) is the largest division in the Department of Human Services (DHS). Staff and administrators provide a continuum of services through programs that serve different populations. These programs provide clients with monthly benefits to assist them with such essentials as food, shelter, and child care, as well as employment support and work-training and dependency diversion and prevention.

The function of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Office (SNAPO) is to plan the scope and content of program objectives, provide services and necessary support to implement objectives, formulate rules and procedures, implement and clarify program requirements and policies, monitor and evaluate program services, accomplishments, and expenditures, with the overall objective of providing low-income households with an effective and efficient means of obtaining a healthy and nutritious diet, while meeting federal regulations governing the SNAP.

Eligibility Program Specialist (EPS) V

Serves as a principal program specialist for SNAPO whose primary purpose is to formulate, complete, and submit State plans, develop and implement rules, policies, and procedures, procure contract services, and to monitor and evaluate contracted services and expenditures for the SNAP Office.

To qualify, you must meet all of the following requirements:

Basic Education/Experience Requirements

Graduation from an accredited four (4) year college or university with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Education, Recreation, Human Services, Human Development, or a branch of science that deals with the institutions and functioning of human society or with the interpersonal relationships of individuals as members of society such as Psychology or Sociology.

Excess work experience as described under the Specialized Experience, below, or any other responsible administrative, professional or analytical work experience that provided knowledge, skills and abilities comparable to those acquired in four (4) years of successful study while completing a college or university curriculum leading to a baccalaureate degree in the above majors may be substituted on a year-for-year basis. To be acceptable, the experience must have been of such scope, level and quality as to assure the possession of comparable knowledge, skills and abilities.

The education or experience background must also demonstrate the ability to write clear and comprehensive reports and other documents; read and interpret complex written material; and solve complex problems logically and systematically.

Experience Requirements

General Experience: One and one-half (1 1/2) years of progressively responsible work experience which involved analyzing, interpreting or evaluating technical material; solving technical, managerial or administrative problems through the application of problem solving methods and techniques such as identifying the problem and pertinent causal factors, developing and evaluating alternative solutions, and recommending/implementing an appropriate course of action; and writing narrative reports in a clear and concise manner.

Specialized Experience: Requires two (2) years of specialized experience, as follows: progressively responsible professional work experience which demonstrated knowledge and application of laws, rules, and regulations relative to income maintenance. Such experience must have provided the applicant with knowledge of the principles and concepts of social welfare and government entitlement programs, governmental processes, and basic management principles as they relate to effective work organization and staff utilization.

Work experience in income maintenance programs: include various categorical assistance programs such as General Assistance (GA), Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Aid to Aged, Blind and Disabled (AABD), Refugee Resettlement and Energy Assistance to Low Income Families.

Supervisory Aptitude: Applicants for the EPS V level must possess supervisory aptitude. Supervisory aptitude is the demonstration of aptitude or potential for the performance of supervisory duties through successful completion of regular or specialized assignments which involve some supervisory responsibilities or aspects of supervision, e.g., by serving as a group or team leader; or in similar work in which opportunities for demonstrating supervisory capabilities exist; or by the completion of training courses in supervision accompanied by application of supervisory skills in work assignments; and/or by favorable appraisals by a supervisor indicating the possession of supervisory potential.

Administrative Aptitude: Applicants for the EPS V level must possess administrative aptitude. Administrative aptitude will be considered to have been met when there is strong affirmative evidence of the necessary administrative aptitudes and abilities. Such evidence may be in the form of success in regular or special assignments or projects which involved administrative problems (e.g., in planning, organizing, promoting, and directing a program, including policy and budgetary considerations; and/or providing staff advice and assistance in such matters); interest in administration demonstrated by the performance of work assignments in a manner which clearly indicates awareness of administrative problems and the ability to solve them; completion of educational or training courses in the area of administration accompanied by the application of the principles, which were learned, to work assignments; management's observation and evaluation of the applicant's leadership and administrative capabilities; success in trial assignments to managerial and/or administrative tasks.

Substitutions allowed:

1. Successful completion of all academic requirements for a Master's degree from an accredited college or university may be substituted for one (1) year of the required General Experience.
2. Excess Specialized Experience may be substituted for the General Experience required on a month-for-month basis.

The information provided above represents a summary of the minimum qualification requirement (MQR) for the Eligibility Program Specialist V.

The State of Hawai'i complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodations in completing an application, any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the selection process, please call 808-586-4969 for assistance.

PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS (PSLF) PROGRAM

The PSLF Program is a federal program that is intended to encourage individuals to work in public service by forgiving the balance of their federal student loans. To qualify, the individual must have made 120 qualifying payments while employed by a qualifying employer.

ELECTRONIC NOTIFICATION TO APPLICANTS

The Department of Human Services (DHS) will use electronic mail (email) to notify applicants of important information relating to the status and processing of their applications as part of our ongoing efforts to increase operational efficiency, promote the conservation of resources and minimize delays and costs.

Please ensure that the email address and contact information you provide is current, secure, and readily accessible to you. We will not be responsible in any way if you do not receive our email messages or fail to check your email account in a timely manner. In addition, please be aware that you may not receive notifications about applications submitted if you choose to disable the Job Application Emails feature found in the Account Settings.

TESTING INFORMATION

The examination for this recruitment will be conducted on an unassembled basis where the examination score is based on an evaluation and rating of your education and experience. It is, therefore, important that your employment application provides a clear and detailed description of the duties and responsibilities of each position you held.

In-person interviews and/or further testing in Hawaii may be required at the discretion of the hiring agency. If in-person interviews and/or further testing is a requirement, applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements and are referred to the vacancy must be available to participate in person and at their own expense in this required phase of the selection process.

Agency Information:

Department of Human Services (DHS)

1390 Miller Street, Room 202

Honolulu, HI 96813

Inquiries about this recruitment may be directed to:

DHS // Human Resources Office // Recruitment and Examination Staff

Phone: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]