CHILD SUPPORT SPECIALIST III (#BY3 )

$33.84-$42.78 hourly / $5,865.00-$7,415.00 monthly / $70,387.20-$88,982.40 yearly

Under direction, to perform highly complex and responsible work with a considerable consequence of error including para-professional accounting or legal work; to initiate complex actions to establish and enforce support orders, to establish paternity in child support cases or to audit and adjust support accounts, to obtain necessary facts and information to support and document actions; and to do related work as required.

This “super” journey level class differs from other classes of Child Support Specialist in that the work of the Child Support Specialist III is of a greater degree of difficulty, requires greater knowledge and skill, and has a higher consequence of error. Incumbent serves as a lead worker and provides training, mentoring, and assistance to subordinate workers in their unit; independently evaluate support cases and select the most appropriate course from a range of alternatives to establish or obtain compliance with support orders. Gather information from a variety of sources to provide documentation for legal action in difficult or specialized cases. 

These positions have extensive public contact with more difficult customers, manage caseloads and perform assignments of greater complexity and difficulty requiring work or a more evaluative, analytical and independent nature requiring greater knowledge, skill, and responsibility. 

Audit support cases and accounts to determine accuracy and compliance with law, policy and procedure with regard to the collection and distribution of support payments. Review complex and difficult non-paying child support cases to determine the appropriate course of legal action necessary to enforce or establish support including cases involving bankruptcy, worker’s compensation or multiple jurisdictions. Refer to applicable sections of various laws, codes, regulations, policies and procedures, consult with attorneys and determine the appropriate legal course. Gather and analyze necessary data from interviews, review of court documents, case records, automated information sources, public assistance records and a variety of other sources. Explain actions to custodial and non-custodial parents, employers and agency representatives. Draft and generate correspondence, a variety of legal documents including but not limited to summons, complaints, notices of motion, orders to show cause, civil contempt, writs, liens, wage assignments. Confer with attorneys, arrange for and witnesses and genetic testing, interview parents to gather information, negotiate settlements, stipulations and payment agreements and refer to other agencies for services. Enter and access information from automated case management systems as well as manual record keeping systems, manage a large caseload by completing required tasks within timeframes, provide customer service to clients. Prepare account audit summaries, statistical reports, keep accurate records, complete tasks, may testify to verify records or statements, may assist attorneys in court or with court preparation, may make outreach presentations and conduct workshops, may provide vacation relief or other temporary relief for other classes as required. Incumbents in this position have generally completed at least two years as a Child Support Specialist II and have demonstrated leadership and technical and interpersonal skills. Positions in this class typically assume limited supervisory and lead worker responsibilities for several Child Support Specialist I/II’s.

• The Child Support Specialist typical tasks, including interviewing techniques for gathering factual information from a wide variety of people and generating legal actions to establish paternity and child support and to enforce child support obligations. Interviewing techniques for gathering factual information from a wide variety of people.

• Standard office procedures and record keeping practices
• Common legal terminology, legal documents and basic civil procedures
• Methods and techniques used in determining financial assets and making collections
• Automated child support case management systems
• Providing information and assistance to a wide variety of people

• Human motivation and behavior
• County personnel practices

• Independently evaluate data on delinquent or non-paying child support cases and contested paternity cases to determine and initiate appropriate legal actions
•  Exercise resourcefulness and ingenuity in gathering information from a wide variety of sources to provide documentation for legal action
• Read, understand, explain and apply complex laws and regulations
• Serve as lead worker in a team environment
• Establish effective rapport with complainants, absent parents and potential witnesses to obtain confidential and personal information and elicit cooperation
• Compose correspondence·
• Gather data and produce statistical reports
• Establish priorities and schedule work to meet deadlines
• Maintain accurate records·
• Make arithmetic computations
• Input, access and analyze data using a computer
• Type at a minimal rate of speed

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE 
Any combination of education and experience which would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying, unless otherwise specified. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

• Two years of experience comparable to a Child Support Specialist II in Santa Cruz County of Santa Cruz                                                                                                   OR
• Two years of experience which would directly relate to the knowledge and abilities listed above.

• Special Working Conditions: Exposure to possible hostile reactions from Child Support clients. 
• May work an alternate schedule, including evenings and/or weekend work. 
• Fingerprint/Background Investigation: Ability to pass a background investigation. Fingerprinting is required. 
• Physically and mentally capable of performing the position's essential functions as summarized in the typical tasks.