STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Social Services Lead Investigator - Child Support

Recruitment #211103-7324SH-001

Introduction



Are you a DSS employee looking to take your career to the next level? If so, we invite you to apply!

The State of Connecticut, Department of Social Services (DSS) is recruiting for a Social Services Lead Investigator for the Division of Child Support. This position will be located in our Central Office at 55 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, CT. This opportunity is full-time, 40 hour per week, with a Monday through Friday schedule. The first shift hours are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

Our agency delivers and funds a wide range of programs and services as Connecticut’s multi-faceted health and human services agency. DSS serves about 1 million residents of all ages in all 169 Connecticut cities and towns. We support the basic needs of children, families, older and other adults, including persons with disabilities. Services are delivered through 12 field offices, central administration, and online and phone access options. Follow us on twitter@ctdss and see what we are all about!

We offer the same competitive benefits you are accustomed to including health and dental insurance, a retirement plan, group life insurance, and other supplemental benefits. Paid time off is also offered, including 12 paid holidays per calendar year, in addition to vacation, sick and personal leave accruals. We encourage a healthy work/life balance to all employees.

The Department of Social Services participates in the E-Verify system, which is a web-based system that allows enrolled employers to confirm the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States.

Selection Plan

All State employees shall follow the guidelines as listed in Executive Orders  13F (3a) and 13G (3a).

In order to be considered for this job opening, you must be a current State of CT employee of the Department of Social Services, who has permanent state status*, and meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on the job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.

*For employees in the classified service, permanent status is obtained after successful completion of a working test period. For employees in the unclassified service, permanent status is obtained after serving in a position for at least six months (full-time or full-time equivalent).

Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience most closely meets the preferred qualifications, so please ensure that your application is complete and details your experience as outlined in this job posting. Please note: You will be unable to make revisions once you submit your application into the JobAps system. Applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.

The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.

If selected for further consideration, State employees may be required to provide their two (2) most recent service ratings and last two (2) years attendance records. At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position, at the discretion of the hiring agency. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process.

This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the question's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.

Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.

If you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Jasmyn Raymond, Jasmyn.Raymond@ct.gov.

PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

In the Department of Social Services this class is accountable for acting as a working supervisor and policy specialist for a unit of Social Services Investigators engaged in performing investigations relevant to the enforcement of child support obligations.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

Plans unit workflow and determines priorities; schedules, assigns, oversees and reviews work; establishes and maintains unit procedures; provides staff training and assistance including monitoring and assessing current and projected needs; conducts or assists in conducting performance evaluations; acts as liaison with operating units, cooperating agencies and outside officials such as third party providers, social services agencies, attorneys regarding unit policies and procedures; makes recommendations on policies or standards; prepares reports and correspondence; acts as liaison with Social Services Investigations Supervisor concerning unit training needs, practical program implementation problems and effectiveness of unit workflow procedures; acts as unit policy specialist in difficult, unusual and/or complex case resolution; processes complex cases; testifies in court on cases involving support or claims for reimbursement and determines appropriate actions to enforce compliance with court orders; may be assigned to represent Commissioner in cases requiring a high degree of tact and diplomacy; performs related duties as required.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

Considerable knowledge of public assistance programs concerning children and the financial obligations related to these programs; considerable knowledge of investigatory methods and techniques; considerable knowledge of and ability to interpret and apply relevant agency policies and procedures; considerable knowledge of and ability to interpret and apply relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations; considerable knowledge of economic, social and health problems affecting family security; considerable knowledge of property ownership, personal finances, paternity and child support issues; knowledge of court procedures, legal terminology and related legal instruments; considerable skill in conducting investigations; interpersonal skills; oral and written communication skills; problem solving skills; considerable ability to understand and interpret financial and legal documents; considerable ability to negotiate settlements with legally liable party; ability to utilize computer software and systems; some supervisory ability.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

Six (6) years of experience in the investigation of real and personal assets related to child support obligations.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SPECIAL EXPERIENCE

One (1) year of the General Experience must have been in performing child support investigations.

Note: For state employees, this is interpreted at the level of a Social Services Investigator (Child Support).

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

1. College training may be substituted for the General Experience on the basis of fifteen (15) semester hours equalling one-half (1/2) year of experience to a maximum of four (4) years for a Bachelor's degree.
2. A Master's degree in a closely related area may be substituted for one (1) additional year of the General Experience.
3. For state employees, one (1) year of experience as a Social Services Investigator (Child Support) may be substituted for the General and Special Experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Preference will be given to candidates with the following experience:
  • Applying principles and practices of the child support enforcement program
  • Using the Connecticut Child Support Enforcement System (CCSES)
  • Applying relevant state and federal child support statutes, regulations, and policy
  • Applying Federal Child Support Program performance measures and incentive requirements
  • Analyzing and recommending solutions to complex child support problems
  • Establishing and maintaining productive relationships with child support partner agencies
  • Researching, gathering detailed data, and drafting complex correspondence and reports
  • Listening and responding to customer complaints via phone/email contact
  • Using Microsoft 365 programs such as Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel, Teams, etc.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

Conclusion

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.