Job Description
Agency Overview
The Department of Revenue's core mission is to collect the revenues required to support the business of the Commonwealth, to make a difference in the lives of children by enforcing the financial responsibilities of parenthood, and to assist Massachusetts cities and towns in sound and efficient fiscal management.
Our vision is to conduct our operations in a manner that inspires public confidence in government by administering and enforcing tax, child support and municipal finance laws in ways that are innovative, customer-focused and transparent.
Division Overview
The mission of the Department of Revenue's Child Support Services Division is to enhance the well-being of children by partnering with parents and caregivers to meet the financial needs of the family. Effective child support services are an essential part of the larger effort by the Commonwealth and the federal government to promote families' economic self-sufficiency.
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DOR/CSS's core functions are to establish parentage, and establish, enforce and modify child support and health insurance orders. Much of our success depends on collaborations with a wide variety of state agencies and private entities.
Child Support Services Specialist I - Regional Office Teams
The Massachusetts Department of Revenue Child Support Services Division is seeking individuals to fill Child Support Service Specialist I positions for its regional office teams. These positions are included in DOR/CSS's hybrid work model as described in the following paragraph.
DOR/CSS utilizes a hybrid work model where employees work both in-office and remotely, depending on operational needs. Entry-level candidates may be required to work in-office with greater regularity. However, all candidates must ensure they have the appropriate work environment for telework, including but not limited to, connectivity, and resource access to conduct their job duties while remote. Candidates must be able to work effectively both in-office and in an isolated setting. Candidates must be organized, highly disciplined, conscientious, motivated, and able to perform in a fast-paced environment. Candidates must be available to travel to their officially designated work location with as little notice as the same workday should an exigent circumstance arise.
Position Summary
Child Support Services Specialist I staff assigned to our regional office teams work with customers to create child support cases; establish paternity and court orders for child support and health insurance; research and address case issues; and ensure compliance with child support agreements and court orders.
Some CSS regional office teams are statewide virtual teams, where supervisors and other team members may not be in the same regional office. Other CSS teams are managed locally, where supervisors and other team members are in the same regional office. In either team operation, individuals may need to meet with teams at an office location other than the designated home office location.
The job duties performed by the regional office teams are summarized below. Specific team assignments will determine a successful candidate's actual job responsibilities.
- Provides services to customers, customer representatives, employers, and other state offices and agencies by responding to inquiries received by telephone, in writing, or in person; by providing technical assistance and guidance; by explaining proposed or completed actions on a case; and by educating customers about federal and state laws, rules, regulations, and agency policies governing the Child Support Services Program.
- Review's customer applications and referrals from other state agencies to determine eligibility for services; and obtains information through on-line research, contacts with customers and/or referring agencies, and analyses of court and other records as needed to create and prepare cases for the establishment of paternities and court orders for child support and health insurance; or enforce existing court order for child support and health insurance.
- Reconciles participant and case data by performing research and analysis in order to identify, verify, and update information about case participants.
- Obtains copies of court orders establishing paternity and addressing child support and health insurance obligations, and updates on-line case information with the financial and non-financial court order terms.
- Engages customers in addressing child support issues by defining the problems and sources; diagnosing the problems through the establishment of facts, analyses of information and drawing of conclusions; developing and prioritizing the steps to problem resolution; and executing corrective action as necessary to meet customer needs and comply with federal and state laws, rules, regulations, and agency policies governing the Child Support Services Program.
- Assists in the enforcement of court orders and collection of current and past-due child support by managing cases eligible for drivers' and professional license suspension, contempt action, or enforcement by another child support agency; by researching customer profile information and payment compliance history; by determining the appropriate enforcement actions to be initiated; by implementing and monitoring payment agreements; and by identifying eligibility for enforcement exemption.
- Manages case and/or customer-specific issues that require routine review and evaluation of payments and financial balances in all accounts and subaccounts for typical or unexceptional case scenarios.
- Review's child support orders for consistency with customers' ability to pay; determines eligibility for changing the court ordered terms; and, if appropriate, works with customers to return to court for order modification.
- Collaborates with other state or international child support services agencies to initiate child support enforcement actions when one or more parties are located outside of Massachusetts; and responds to other state or international child support service agencies who seek assistance in establishing, enforcing, or modifying child support orders when one or more parties reside within Massachusetts.
- Maintains data integrity and safeguards child support information by reviewing the validity of account information; communicating with involved parties to gather information; securing supporting documentation to initiate changes; making necessary adjustments to case information; and documenting activities and customer interactions to ensure the accuracy and confidentiality of case records.
Qualifications at Hire:
- Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, to appropriately document case activities and represent the agency in a professional manner.
- Ability to maintain a calm manner and interact appropriately with others in emotionally charged or stressful situations.
- Ability to use a computer to conduct research, manage databases and produce written documents.
- Ability to research and integrate data from a variety of sources.
- Ability to gather information through questioning and observing individuals and by examining records and documents.
- Ability to review financial records and perform mathematical calculations.
- Ability to multi-task, prioritize responsibilities and maintain accurate records.
- Ability to interact effectively with and establish rapport with diverse groups of people.
- Ability to exercise discretion in handling confidential information.
An external candidate recommended for a position with the Department of Revenue will be subject to a background check that includes checks for: state and federal tax compliance; child support compliance; education verification; Massachusetts CORI checks; criminal background checks in state(s) of current and previous residence/employment; validation of eligibility to work in the United States; and national fingerprint-based criminal background checks.
DOR/CSE utilizes a hybrid work model where employees work both in-office and remotely, depending on operational needs. Candidates must ensure they have the appropriate work environment for telework, including but not limited to, connectivity, and resource access to conduct their job duties while remote. Candidates must be able to supervise and be supervised remotely and must be able to work effectively in an isolated setting. Candidates must be organized, highly disciplined, conscientious, motivated, and committed to utilizing identified tools for successfully performing in a remote setting. Candidates must be available to travel to their officially designated work location with as little notice as the same workday should an exigent circumstance arise.
Qualifications
Minimum Entrance Requirements:
Knowledge, Education and Experience:
Applicants must have at least (A) two years of full-time or equivalent part-time, professional or paraprofessional experience in work involving customer service, social work, educational/employment/vocational counseling, accounting, collections, case management, criminal justice, law enforcement/investigation or related fields, or (B) or any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below.
Incumbents may be required to have a current and valid motor vehicles driver's license at a class level specific to assignment.
Substitutions:
A Bachelor's degree or higher may be substituted for the required experience.
Comprehensive Benefits
When you embark on a career with the Commonwealth, you are offered an outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package. We take pride in providing a work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future.
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An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.
The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role.