Human Service Worker IV

Job Announcement

Join a high-performing Quality and Compliance team with the Public Assistance and Employment Division (PAES), that plays a critical role in ensuring Fairfax County residents receive accurate, timely public assistance. This advanced-level professional position provides leadership, oversight, and subject-matter expertise for eligibility casework across multiple public assistance programs. The position supervises a team of senior case workers whose primary focus is reviewing cases for both new and experienced human services workers. This work directly supports high-quality case decisions in for Public Assistance programs such as Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, and Refugee Cash Assistance for residents in need of assistance or actively receiving benefits. Success in this role requires thorough knowledge of federal, state, and local laws, policies, and procedures governing the administration of these programs in Virginia, as well as strong critical thinking skills to interpret and apply complex regulations. The incumbent remains current on policy and procedural changes and translates those updates into clear, actionable guidance for staff. Proficiency with state systems: including Rushmore, VaCMS, MMIS, SPiDER, and others, as well as local document management systems such as ECMS is essential. As a key member of the Quality Assurance team, this position collaborates across the division to ensure that policies, procedures, and performance/process improvements are effectively implemented and consistently followed.

Illustrative Duties

(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position job description.)

• As a member of the management team, collaborates with other supervisors and managers to ensure that staff, the community, and other human service providers work together to provide a holistic program of services;
• Provides day-to-day guidance, direction, and mentoring to a group of professional staff on case related issues, policies and procedures, agency initiatives, and professional development;
• Plans caseloads, assigns cases and reviews case records;
• Ensures all program timeframes and performance outcomes are met;
• Communicates performance expectations and monitors performance and accomplishments of staff and overall unit against the goals and objectives of the program;
• Regularly conducts individual conferences with staff to discuss specific case problems and monitors casework progress;
• Interviews job applicants and makes recommendations for hiring;
• Prepares and conducts formal and informal performance evaluations in a timely manner;
• Handles performance and discipline issues in a timely manner and in accordance with County personnel policy;
• Plans for and facilitates the professional growth of staff;
• Interprets, applies, and explains complex federal, state and County policies to applicants, service providers, the general public and other interested parties;
• Prepares appeal documents and may represent the agency in administrative appeals filed by clients;
• Participates in case staffings with other County staff or community organizations to assess needs of clients;
• Participates in inter and intra agency multidisciplinary work groups and teams;
• Monitors and assures efficient, effective coordination of services provided to clients, identifies service delivery gaps and takes action to improve operations;
• Evaluates the effectiveness of policies, procedures, and best practices to ensure compliance with federal, state and local regulations;
• May participate in the evaluation of service providers and provide feedback to program management staff;
• Prepares or oversees and presents narrative and statistical reports documenting the work of the unit and/or in relation to case activity.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)

• Thorough knowledge of complex federal, state and local laws governing public assistance and welfare reform;
• Knowledge of basic human behavior and social problems;
• Knowledge of social, economic, health and cultural factors which can serve as barriers to employment;
• Knowledge of best practices in workforce development and case management;
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing;
• Ability to make mathematical computations;
• Ability to schedule, organize, and manage workload of self and others sufficient to meet deadlines;
• Ability to read, interpret and apply program policies and procedures;
• Ability to use automated technology to conduct research, to establish and maintain case records, and to produce correspondence and reports;
• Ability to interpret and analyze data;
• Ability to handle multiple deadlines, high volume of client contact, high caseloads, and competing priorities;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, co-workers, other human service providers and the general public;
• Ability to work well with clients and coworkers from various socio-economic and cultural backgrounds;
• Ability to maintain professional ethics related to confidentiality of client information;
• Ability to work in a team environment;
• Ability to work effectively with people under stress;
• Ability to provide excellent customer service;
• Ability to identify clients in crisis and intervene to stabilize the situation;
• Ability to identify client issues requiring referral to other human service providers (e.g., substance abuse, spousal abuse);
• Ability to supervise the work of others effectively;
• Ability to provide ongoing, timely, and constructive feedback to staff regarding case work;
• Ability to develop, train, mentor, and motivate staff;
• Ability to review cases for consistency, best practice, timeliness, accuracy and appropriateness of action;
• Ability to accept changes in work assignments and environment;
• Ability to recognize and implement best proactive approaches to service delivery;
• Ability to make public presentations.

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following: (Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to") Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree plus four years of professional human services or related work experience. NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check and child protective services check to the satisfaction of the employer. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree and three or more years of experience working with Virginia's local and state programs that determine eligibility for Public Assistance.
• In-depth understanding of federal, state, and local laws, policies, and procedures related to public assistance programs in Virginia, including Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, Refugee Cash Assistance.
• Experience handling complex and high profile customer complaints, ensuring cases are reviewed thoroughly, addressed within program guidelines, and resolved with customer needs at the forefront.
• Demonstrated experience training and reviewing the work of less experienced staff with strong leadership qualities, promoting a positive, professional, and collaborative team environment
• Experience analyzing comprehensive data reports and spreadsheets to monitor compliance and program accuracy.
• Experience using automated human services case management systems to document cases, verify information, and generate reports.
• Clear concise communication skills, strong organization, and effective interpersonal abilities.
• Exceptional customer service, demonstrate strong conflict-resolution abilities, and apply independent judgment to solve problems.
• Proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, Access, and Outlook

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Able to read, comprehend, apply & explain business material & complex policies & procedures. Ability to use a computer & keyboard. Ability to function well under extreme pressure. Ability to work independently & as part of a team. Clear & concise communication skills. Sufficiently mobile to work with clients. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations. SELECTION PROCEDURE: Panel interview and may include exercise.

Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others .) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the