Income Maintenance Specialist III

Purpose of the position:

The purpose of this position is to ensure all eligible individuals receive timely public assistance benefits by determining or re-determining eligibility of Buncombe County residents applying for public assistance across multiple Income Maintenance programs.

Minimum Education, Training and/or Experience (required at time of hire): Associate’s degree in Human Services Technology, Social Services, Paralegal Technology, Business Administration, Secretarial Science, or a closely related curriculum and three (3) years of paraprofessional, clerical, or other public contact experience which included negotiating, interviewing, explaining information, gathering, and compiling of data, analysis of data and/or performance of mathematical, legal tasks or determining eligibility; or graduation from high school and four (4) years of paraprofessional, clerical, or other public contact experience which included negotiating, interviewing, explaining information, gathering, and compiling of data, analysis of data and/or performance of mathematical, legal tasks or determining eligibility; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

Additional Training and Experience: English/Spanish bilingual speakers preferred.

Essential Functions of the position:

• Determine client eligibility for benefits accurately and within local, community, Federal and State mandated time frames.
• Gather and interpret client data obtained through interview process, case file review and/or third-party verification.
• Provide information to clients/applicants regarding programs, services and eligibility requirements and outcomes.
• Refer client/applicant to other program services as appropriate.
• Plan and organize ongoing caseloads to maintain timeliness and quality assurance per Federal and State guidelines along with Buncombe County best practices.
• Identify cases for investigation of potential fraud and submit appropriate fraud referral documentation.
• Assist in local and state hearings process as necessary.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other Abilities:

• Thorough knowledge of multiple income maintenance programs. General knowledge of all income maintenance programs.
• Knowledge of all available agency, community, Federal and State programs, along with eligibility criteria, timelines, and requirements which could affect the client/applicant.
• Ability to analyze, comprehend and apply rules and regulations and often changing policies and guidelines pertaining to eligibility requirements for programs.
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to change.
• Ability to maintain a satisfactory working relationship with applicants and others contracted within the course of performing the work.
• Ability to accept work direction from multiple parties and work as part of a team.
• Ability to set priorities and organize work; ability to meet deadlines.
• Ability to work with and interpret facts and figures and perform tasks involving a high degree of accuracy, learn the intricacies of numerous forms and procedures of public assistance programs. Good mathematical reasoning and computation skills
• Proficiency working with a variety of computer systems and software.
• Ability to plan and organize ongoing caseloads to ensure timely and accurate determination of eligibility.
• Ability to report and react to changes in programs to clients and update eligibility or program requirements as needed.
• Ability to report potentially fraudulent claims or information to Program Integrity.
• Maintain clear and accurate records, review caseload information on a minimum of an annual basis.
• Assist in local and state hearing processes, as necessary. Document findings and maintain up to date records of all cases.

Buncombe County Government realizes the importance of a diverse professional workforce and the need to foster a responsive and innovative organizational culture, one that fully engages all of our employees, honoring and building on each employee's unique experiences, opinions, and perspective.

It is the policy of Buncombe County to provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all persons regardless of race, natural hair or hairstyles, ethnicity, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin or ancestry, marital or familial status, pregnancy, veteran status, religious belief or non-belief, age, or disability or any other legally protected class under federal or NC State law. EEO practices and employment decisions regarding recruitment, hiring, assignment, promotion and compensation shall not be based on any of these protected classes. In addition, the County expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment or discrimination.