Senior Program Associate

Dakota County; Hastings (MN); Hybrid; USD 50,000 - 79,000; Full time

Job summary

Dakota County is seeking a Senior Program Associate to support various collections programs within the Finance department. This full-time position offers a hybrid work environment and involves administrative tasks, data management, and client interaction. Ideal candidates will have strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work with diverse populations.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits

Generous paid time off

Pension with employer contribution

Work-life balance

Qualifications

• Knowledge of State, Federal, and County guidelines for programs.
• Ability to work with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

Responsibilities

• Assists with collections programs and administrative functions.
• Processes program information and verifies data integrity.
• Coordinates initial screening for programs.

Skills

Data Integrity

Problem Solving

Communication

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

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General Description POSTING TYPE: Open Competitive DEPARTMENT: Finance HOURS: Full-time (40 hours per week). SALARY GRADE: 105 FULL SALARY RANGE: $50,194-$78,428 PREFERRED SALARY RANGE: $50,194-$62,271 LOCATION: Hybrid: West Saint Paul / Hastings UNION: AFSCME 306 CLOSE DATE: 4:30 p.m. on 5/23/2025 What You'll Do The Senior Program Associate assists a wide variety of collections programs and provides a variety of highly skilled administrative functions and tasks under limited supervision. This Sr. Program Associate position is a part of the Collections Team in the Finance department. The core functions of this position include: Initial Collections fee case set up. This includes reviewing reports to identify new cases, researching various State and County systems and databases for supporting information, communicating with other departments and Collections staff Support other Collections administrative functions including document identification, uploading and indexing into an electronic data management system, and assigning cases to Collections staff Administratively support all Collections program areas including county fees, public assistance overpayments, and estate recovery Respond to certificate of clearance requests for estate recovery Other tasks related to Collections casework This position works traditional hours within a County office building with some future hybrid options. After training, the position will be hybrid allowing some telework at the discretion of the supervisor. Who We Are Dakota County is Minnesota s third largest county and home to more than 400,000 residents. Our motto is Be More and we strive every day to achieve excellence public service, with a focus on four values: Service, Integrity, People, and Innovation. Dakota County aims to create an environment that is welcoming and inclusive of diverse people, backgrounds, and experiences. Our goal is to have a workforce that is reflective of the communities and individuals we serve. We promote an equitable and culturally aware work environment where everyone can be their authentic selves. Duties & Responsibilities These examples do not include all possible tasks in this work and do not limit the assignment of related tasks in any position of this classification. Regular attendance according to the position's management approved work schedule is required for all positions.

• Serves as program or department liaison for community partners, customers, and clients in order to respond to inquiries or resolve service issues.
• Serves as a resource regarding information maintained in state and county databases, as well as tracking or updating information in state and county databases.
• Processes program information, verifies and enters information into appropriate data systems specific to program, assuring data integrity.
• Provides administrative support for multiple program areas, which may include accounting functions.
• Recommends and develops internal work methods and assists with establishing new procedures and processes to accommodate administrative and program activities.
• Coordinates initial screening for programs by assessing service needs in person or on the phone.
• Assesses applicant needs against available community resources and may assist with program application completion and submittal.
• May determine eligibility for certain programs, initiate client or provider contact.
• May provide administrative support to the departments or in support of programs, including but not limited to: organize, prepare, maintain forms, documents and other program materials; maintain office equipment, call for maintenance; process incoming and outgoing mail and faxes; photocopies documents and distributes to appropriate parties.
• Performs special projects in support of department programs.
• Other duties as assigned. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: 1-10 Knowledge, Skills & Abilities and Work Environment Knowledge of State, Federal and County guidelines for appropriate programs. Ability to deal effectively with multiple and sometimes conflicting demands while maintaining composure and professionalism. Ability to work effectively with clients and staff from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Ability to recognize and comply with HIPAA and other data privacy regulations. Ability to audit and reconcile various financial records for accuracy related to program services. Knowledge of productivity application software (Microsoft Office, etc.). Understanding of mission and vision of department and program operational guidelines, business practices, staff needs, and client service outcomes. Considerable ability to conduct research, analyze, prioritize and coordinate work according to client and agency needs. Ability to utilize County electronic data management system to organize and manage confidential documents in a centralized method. Ability to problem solve while demonstrating good judgment. Ability to work independently and as a team member. Demonstrates an understanding of and respect for the diversity of customers, co-workers, and supervisors, including individuals with a disability or whose first language may be other than English. WORK ENVIRONMENT: Work is performed in a hybrid capacity, through a combination of in-office and remote work and is determined by business needs. Work is primarily sedentary although some light physical effort may be required. May require occasional travel. Equipment used may include, but is not limited to, laptop computer, multiple computer monitors, printer, telephone, copier, scanner, fax, and calculator. Benefits Comprehensive and affordable medical, dental, vision, and other benefits. Excellent work-life balance. Generous paid time off (accrual rate starts at four weeks per year). Eleven paid holidays each year and one floating holiday. Pension with a generous employer contribution. Ability to work from home some of the time. Selection Process You submit an online application that includes supplemental questions. We assign you a score based on your qualifications. Top scoring candidates are referred to the hiring manager for interview consideration. We conduct interviews and reference checks before extending an offer. We extend an offer and conduct background checks.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Administrative

• Industries

  Government Administration

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