Human Services Associate - Screening Clerk (GRANT-FUNDED)

City-of-Suffolk; Suffolk (VA); On-site; USD 34,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Suffolk is seeking a Screening/Intake Officer to perform clerical and administrative duties in determining eligibility for multiple benefit programs through the City Social Services Department. You will interview and screen clients, assist with applications, and maintain case files while handling inquiries and coordinating services.

The role requires a high school diploma with secretarial coursework or related experience, strong communication skills, and the ability to work under

Qualifications

• Graduation from high school including or supplemented by course work in secretarial sciences or business practices.
• 1 to 2 years of experience in clerical-administrative work; or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.

Responsibilities

• Utilizes computer-driven data entry and file maintenance programs to retrieve files and other information as requested by eligibility workers or supervisor; opens, establishes and updates case files with provided information; prepares photo identification.
• Interviews and screens clients for multiple benefit and service programs; initiates clients' applications, assists clients in completing applications as necessary; calculates income and expenses of applicants; determines eligibility for expedited services.
• Answers telephone and receives inquiries; provides information pertaining to multiple benefit service programs or refers inquiries to appropriate personnel.
• Updates and maintains Employment Board with a list of jobs available through various sources; conducts background checks; tracks programs; mails applications to clients; orders and maintains forms; tracks lawsuits; conducts tax credit inquiries.
• Contacts students to confirm class start dates and times; assists in Orientation preparations by compiling folders.
• Provides tours and maintains computer lab.
• Types materials from typed or handwritten copy; ensures accuracy of spelling, punctuation, format and grammar.
• Provides forms to applicants and explains program policies and procedures; refers clients to other divisions and agencies.
• Retrieves case files and distributes cases to workers; provides basic demographic and program information to determine interview needs.
• Sorts and distributes incoming/outgoing mail; maintains various records and files.
• Attends training and workshops; may operate the Career and Resource Center and assist clients with career-oriented tasks.
• May serve as back-up for receptionist and provide support to other staff.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Skills

Communication

Organization

Multitasking

Customer service

Telephone etiquette

Discretion

Education

High school diploma with secretarial coursework

Tools

Word processing

Spreadsheets

Data entry

Job description

THIS IS A GRANT FUNDED POSITION

Under general supervision, performs clerical and clerical-administrative duties in determining eligibility of applicants for assistance through multiple benefit programs administered by the City Social Services Department. Work involves interviewing and screening clients explaining the terms and policies regarding the receipt of benefits, scheduling appointments, and preparing documents and forms. Employee is responsible for handling a variety of routine inquiries by telephone and in person; maintaining a variety of records and files. The Screening/Intake Officer, under the direct supervision of the Program Coordinator, provides clerical and administrative support to the Fifth Judicial District Community Corrections Program and its officers. Ability to exercise considerable tact and courtesy when dealing with colleagues, clients, and members of the public.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.

• Utilizes computer-driven data entry and file maintenance programs to retrieve files and other information as requested by eligibility workers or supervisor; performs various data entry duties, including opening, establishing and updating case files with provided information; prepares photo identification.
• Interviews and screens clients for multiple benefit and service programs; initiates clients' applications, assists clients in completing applications, as necessary; calculates income and expense of applicant; determines whether applicant qualifies for expedited services.
• Answers telephone and receives inquiries; provides information pertaining to multiple benefit service programs or refers inquiries to appropriate personnel.
• Updates and maintains Employment Board by providing a complete listing of jobs available through various companies and government agencies using the internet, newspapers, and company contacts; conducts fleeing felons inquiries; tracks Food Stamp/TANF, conducts marriage license searches; mails applications to clients; orders and maintains State forms; tracks Medicaid lawsuits; conducts Work Opportunity Tax Credit inquiries.
• Contacts students to confirm class start dates and times; assists in Orientation preparations by compiling the folders for the attendees.
• Provides tours as requested; maintains computer lab.
• Types materials from typed or handwritten copy or machine dictation, which requires use of a variety of complicated formats for preparing correspondence, reports, files and cards; assumes responsibility for correctness of spelling, punctuation, format and grammar.
• Provides forms to applicants and explains program, policies, and procedures; refers clients to other social service divisions and ancillary agencies.
• Retrieves case files and distributes cases to workers in accordance with workers' schedules; provides workers with basic demographic and program information prior to interview; appropriately distributes files.
• Sorts and distributes incoming mail; sorts outgoing mail and delivers to mail room.
• Maintains various records and files.
• Attends training and workshops as required.
• May operate the Career and Resource Center; assists clients with career-oriented tasks and provides support to Self Sufficiency Specialist.
• May act as back-up for receptionist and provides support to other staff.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Employee must be willing to work disaster related assignments, including emergency shelter duty, in the event of a natural disaster or emergency.

Graduation from high school including or supplemented by course work in secretarial sciences or business practices, and 1 to 2 years of experience in clerical-administrative work; or any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. Requires a valid driver's license.

• Knowledge of arithmetic, grammar, spelling, punctuation and vocabulary.
• Knowledge of modern office practices, procedures, equipment and standard clerical techniques.
• Knowledge of the policies, procedures, rules and regulations of multiple benefit programs as administered through the City Social Services Department.
• Skilled in the operation of electronic data-entry equipment, including popular computer-drive word processing, spreadsheet and file maintenance programs.
• Ability to make minor administrative decisions in accordance with laws, ordinances, regulations and departmental policies and procedures.
• Ability to maintain a variety of moderately complex records and to compile reports from such information.
• Ability to type with accuracy at the speed required by the position.
• Ability to communicate effectively in oral and written form.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment, discretion and initiative in completing assignments.
• Ability to exercise considerable tact, courtesy and discretion in frequent contact with program clients and the general public.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.
• Ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
• Ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving assignments, instructions and/or directions from superiors.
• Ability to read a variety of reports, correspondence, forms, etc.
• Ability to prepare correspondence, reports, forms, logs, etc.
• Ability to speak with poise, voice control and confidence, and to articulate information to others.
• Ability to plan work and develop procedures; to learn and/or evaluate complex information in order to make judgments and decisions.
• Ability to make independent judgments in absence of supervision.
• Ability to acquire knowledge of topics related to primary occupation.
• Ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to communicate effectively and efficiently using Standard English.
• Ability to utilize mathematical formulas; add, subtract, multiply and divide.
• Ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.
• This position is subject to a background check.