NOTE : This position may be eligible for telework opportunities; availability, hours, and duration will be in accordance with the Commonwealth’s Teleworking policy.

The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) engages families for success. Its Division of Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) manages 285,442 cases to ensure that child support payments of $703 million per year reach families across the Commonwealth. Support Enforcement Specialists establish and sustain helping relationships with parents who have payment obligations as well as parents who depend on those payments.

The Support Enforcement Specialist (SES) serves as program agent for assigned child support cases, engaging families to ensure the financial and family support they need to grow and thrive. Duties in this position may include:

• locating non-custodial parents
• working with other state and country child support agencies
• establishing paternity
• determining and assessing child support obligations and health care coverage
• ensuring parents comply with child and/or medical support orders through a number of administrative and judicial enforcement actions
• providing testimony in court proceedings when required
• connecting parents with resources and partners that support their ability to be self- sufficient and active participants in their child lives

The SES position manages a large caseload equal in volume and complexity and draws on a wide range of case management and communication skills to influence noncustodial and custodial parents toward supporting their children.

The ideal candidate enjoys:

• delivering a high level of customer service while maximizing payment collection efforts and addressing other customer service inquiries
• handling sensitive case information (legal, financial, medical and other personal circumstances)
• researching, analyzing and following up on accounts to verify established protocols have been achieved
• interacting with customer to resolve their challenges and questions using multiple communication channels
• developing effective partnerships within and across teams that create a culture of continuous support for each other and customers
• the challenge of building strong relationships through proactively calling customers who may be evading or distrust the child support system
• a high-volume and detail-oriented role where multiple conflicting priorities are consistently part of the daily workload.

The Division of Child Support Enforcement offers an interactive team setting, where staff receive structured training, and the benefit of on-the-job coaching. Support Enforcement Specialist are given the tools to develop the competence and independence to successfully meet the challenges of engaging this fast paced, performance driven environment.

VDSS engages its employees for success offering comprehensive pay and employee benefits, development, and unique job and career opportunities in public service. VDSS employees make a vital difference for Virginia’s families.

Minimum Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

Prefer bachelor’s degree in relevant field such as public or business administration, human services, legal studies, criminal justice, social work, psychology, or sociology.

Prefer working experience in gathering and organizing client documentation to process financial transactions and/or account reconciliation.

Prefer knowledge of and/or working experience in legal processes, to include preparing legal documents and providing court testimony.

Prefer working experience in child support enforcement.

Where “working experience” is listed in a preferred requirement above, prefer recent working experience to ensure relevance to current technology, work practices and methods, and familiarity with current laws, regulations, policies and procedures.

Where “working experience” is listed in a preferred requirement above, prefer jobs whose duties show that the “working experience” was a primary purpose of employment.

Special Requirements

Selected candidate(s) must successfully pass a fingerprint-based criminal history background check.

Special Instructions to Applicants

NOTE : This position may be eligible for telework opportunities; availability, hours, and duration will be in accordance with the Commonwealth’s Teleworking policy.

To be considered for this position, you must submit a Commonwealth of Virginia application or resume through the on-line “Virginia Jobs” (RMS) employment site no later than 11:59 p.m. on the closing date listed. Each application is reviewed for documentation that shows the applicant meets the minimum and preferred qualifications stated in the job announcement. The decision to interview an applicant is based on the information provided. This website will provide a confirmation of receipt when the application is submitted for consideration. Please refer to your RMS account for the status of your application and this position. VDSS values the service and experience of our Veterans. As such, Veterans are encouraged to apply and receive preference in the hiring process. AmeriCorps, Peace Corps and other national service alumni also are encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodations are available to applicants, if requested, during the application and/or interview process. [TTY/TTD: (800) 828-1120] Virginia Department of Social Services does not provide sponsorship. The Virginia Department of Social Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages diversity within its workforce. We are a “Virginia Values Veterans” (V3) official certified company and state agency that provides hiring preference to Veterans and Members of the Virginia National Guard in support of Executive Order 29, (2010). If you are a Veteran or Virginia National Guard Member, we urge you to respond accordingly on your state application or resume. Minorities, Individuals with disabilities, Veterans and people with National Service experience are encouraged to apply. For more information about our employment practices, please visit our “Vision, Mission and Strategic Plan”.
Multiple positions may be filled from this recruitment within 90 days of the closing date.
In addition to a rewarding work experience, VDSS offers excellent health and life insurance benefits, pre-tax spending accounts, state funded Short and Long Term Disability, paid holidays, vacation, tuition assistance, free wellness programs, and a state retirement plan with options for tax-deferred retirement savings including employer matching – Employee Benefits.
If you have been affected by Policy 1.30 Layoff as a state employee and possess a valid Inter-agency Placement Screening Form (Yellow Form) or a Preferential Hiring Card (Blue Card), you must submit this document through the “Virginia Jobs” (RMS) employment site when you apply.