Job Description APPLICANTS MUST BE PERMANENT IN THE ASSOCIATE BENEFITS OPPORTUNITY SPECIALIST CIVIL SERVICE TITLE Family Independence Administration provides temporary help to individuals and families with social service and economic needs to assist them in reaching self-sufficiency via essential and diverse programs/services, such as: temporary cash assistance, SNAP, childcare, eviction prevention services, adult protective services, job training, employment plans/support, domestic violence assistance, child support enforcement, etc. The New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) provides temporary help to individuals and families with social service and economic needs to assist them in reaching self-sufficiency via essential and diverse programs/services, such as: temporary cash assistance, supplemental nutrition assistance (also known as SNAP), child care, eviction prevention services, adult protective services, job training, employment plans/support, domestic violence assistance, child support enforcement, etc. The employees of the Family Independence Administration (FIA) help provide unique individual services to eligible New Yorkers aimed toward the achievement of long-term self-sufficiency. The Family Independence Administration (FIA) is recruiting for one (1) Associate Benefits Opportunity Specialist III, to function as Regional/Administrative Office Liaison, who will: Under general supervision of the Deputy Commissioner or Assistant Deputy Commissioner or Regional Manager, with wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgment and initiative, represent and assist the Deputy Commissioner or Assistant Deputy Commissioner or Regional Manager in the day to day administration of FIA Benefit Access Centers and Food Stamp operations. - Represent the Deputy Commissioner or Assistant Deputy Commissioner or Regional Manager at FIA Center Operations meetings sharing the outcomes verbally and in written form; assist in the daily functions and operations of several Benefit Access Centers and Food Stamp sites, monitoring the conduct and follow-up of application interviews to ensure that financially eligible individuals receive public assistance in a timely manner as mandated by legal regulatory requirements. - Respond to inquiries from Legal Services, Council Members and Advocates, obtaining information and providing information on Welfare Reforms initiatives. - Review and control written complaints from various sources including the Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, and the Correspondence Complaint Unit; edit responses to complaints received from various Benefit Access Centers. - Monitor Fair Hearing compliance activities; prepare weekly updates of fair hearing compliance; follow up on outstanding cases; scan Welfare Management System (WMS) inquiries and Fair Hearing Information System (FHIS) for completion of Fair Hearing decisions; identify errors and advice the Benefit Access Centers of corrective action. - Make frequent and regular visits to the Benefit Access Centers and Food Stamp sites to conduct studies in every area of activity to determine whether the activities are conducts efficiently and effectively and in accordance with established policy and procedure; conduct audits designed to measure target areas; inform the Regional Manager and participates in the development of corrective action plans and follow-up studies to ensure that the problem has been corrected. - Provide technical support to the Center Managers in order to help improve performance and productivity in the Benefit Access Centers, with emphasis on Quality Control and Error Reduction; ensure that mandated re-determinations of financial eligibility are completed within the appropriate timeframes. - Participate in the training of staff in the proper interpretation and application of agency policies and procedures; maintain necessary controls and records to assure that public assistance determinations are consistent with applicable laws, regulations and policies. Hours/Shift: Monday - Friday 9:00AM – 5:00PM Qualifications 1. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent, and three years of full-time satisfactory experience working directly in social/human services or a related setting, providing either: a) client services. b) employment planning/counseling services which involves job development, skills assessment, and employment placement or other economic opportunity programming. 2. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college; plus eighteen months of full time satisfactory experience working as a Benefits Opportunity Specialist; or 3. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college; plus eighteen months of full time satisfactory experience as described in one (1) above. 4. College credit from an accredited college may be substituted for this experience on the basis of 60 semester credits for 9 months of the work experience described above. However, all candidates must have at least 18 months of full-time satisfactory experience working as a Benefits Opportunity Specialist or performing social/human services work as described in one (1) above Additional Information The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.