Senior Program Associate (Part-time)

Dakota County; Saint Paul (MN); Hybrid; USD 35,000 - 39,000; Part time

Job summary

Dakota County is seeking a part-time administrative support specialist to assist the Women, Infants, & Children program. The role focuses on handling high inbound call volume, data entry, and intake processing with attention to detail and HIPAA compliance.

Work is primarily onsite at the Western Service Center with potential hybrid telework after six months. Ideal candidates have strong Microsoft Office skills and experience serving diverse populations.

Qualifications

• Associates degree in business administration, human services or related field AND one year of administrative experience.
• High School Diploma AND three years of administrative experience in an office environment.
• Combination of education and experience to total 3 years.

Responsibilities

• Serves as program or department liaison for community partners, customers, and clients to respond to inquiries or resolve service issues.
• Processes program information, verifies and enters information into data systems ensuring data integrity.
• Coordinates initial screening for programs by assessing service needs in person or on the phone.
• May determine eligibility for certain programs and initiate client or provider contact.

Skills

Customer service

Data entry

Microsoft Office

HIPAA compliance

Education

Associates degree

High school diploma

Tools

Electronic records systems

Data management systems

Job description

General Description

POSTING TYPE: Open Competitive

DEPARTMENT: Public Health

HOURS: Part-time, 20 hours per week

PREFERRED HIRING RANGE: $25.06 - $28.19/hour (105 Salary Grade)

FULL SALARY RANGE: $25.06 - $39.16/hour

LOCATION: Western Service Center, Apple Valley. May be eligible to telework in a hybrid environment after 6 months.

UNION: None

CLOSE DATE: 4:30 p.m. on 10/26/2026

Come join us at Dakota County! Dakota County employs over 2,000 skilled individuals whose talents and contributions makes Dakota County a premier place to live and work. The work County government does is unique. Dakota County offers important careers – the kind of careers that make a difference in people’s lives. You will not be just another employee; you’ll be a valued employee making a difference in the lives of Dakota County residents every single day.

Dakota County welcomes and is inclusive of diverse people, backgrounds, and perspectives. The County aims to reflect the community and clients it serves, and fosters an equitable and respectful working environment where everyone is empowered to be their authentic selves.

The available position is part‑time and supports Public Health by providing administrative functions and assistance for the Women, Infants, & Children program with minimal supervision. This position manages a high volume of inbound calls to help resolve client inquiries and support the intake process. The successful applicant will have exceptional customer service skills for both phone and in‑person interactions, as well as a strong attention to detail, be reliable, organized and demonstrate a resilient attitude.

Minimum Qualifications

• Associates Degree in business administration, human services or related field AND One (1) year of administrative experience in an office environment.
• High School Diploma AND Three (3) years of administrative experience in an office environment.
• Combination of education and experience to total 3 years.

Nice To Have Qualifications

• Experience working with diverse populations and clients with limited English proficiency
• Bilingual skills are highly desirable (e.g. Spanish, Somali)
• Experience in Public Health, and/or in a medical/clinic setting desirable
• High level of skill with Microsoft Office applications
• Experience in electronic databases and records management systems

Duties & Responsibilities

• Serves as program or department liaison for community partners, customers, and clients 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.
• 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.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities And Work Environment

• Ability to work effectively with clients and staff from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
• 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 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.

Work Environment

For the first six months work is performed onsite in a County office building. After completing a successful first six months, employees may have the opportunity to work in a hybrid work environment. Some of the work is sedentary and requires extensive use of computer and phone systems. Incumbents may need to lift up to twenty pounds on an occasional basis. Travel may be required for some departments.

Selection Process

The examination/selection process for this classification will consist of a rating of your training and experience from the application materials submitted. The top scoring candidates will be forwarded to the hiring department for further consideration.

Visit our Benefits site for more information.

The offer would also include the County's benefits package.