APPLICANTS MUST BE PERMANENT IN THE ASSOCIATE BENEFITS OPPORTUNITY SPECIALIST TITLE OR PERMANENT IN THE BENEFITS OPPORTUNITY SPECIALIST TITLE FOR AT LEAST ONE YEAR; THIS IS A PROVISIONAL APPOINTMENT, WHEN A TEST BECOMES AVAILABLE IN THE ASSOCIATE BENEFITS OPPORTUNITY SPECIALIST (ABOS) TITLE, YOU MUST TAKE AND PASS THE EXAM TO REMAIN IN THE ABOS TITLE.
The Department of Social Services (DSS) is comprised of the administrative units of the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) and the Department of Homeless Services (DHS). HRA is dedicated to fighting poverty and income inequality by providing New Yorkers in need with essential benefits such as Food Assistance and Emergency Rental Assistance. DHS is committed to preventing and addressing homelessness in New York City by employing a variety of innovative strategies to help families and individuals successfully exit shelter and return to self-sufficiency as quickly as possible.
Family Independence Administration (FIA) provides temporary help to individuals and families with social service and economic needs to assist them in reaching self-sufficiency via essential and diverse programs/services, such as: temporary cash assistance, SNAP, childcare, eviction prevention services, adult protective services, job training, employment plans/support, domestic violence assistance, child support enforcement, etc.
Under the direction of the Associate Benefits Opportunity Specialist II, the Associate Benefits Opportunity Specialist I (ABOS I) is responsible for supervising a team of BOS staff, who provide various functions of eligibility determination, financial planning, and employment planning and monitoring and other related services to persons in need, to promote individual and family self-sufficiency. The ABOS I use supervisory, program development, quantitative analysis, and other research skills in accomplishing all the goals of FIA Benefits Access Centers and its components (Application, Financial Planning, Employment Planning, Undercare, etc.).
FIA’s Operations is recruiting for one (1) Associate Benefits Opportunity Specialist I, to function as Case Management Supervisor, who will:
- Supervise a team of BOS workers who handle the entire application process for all new applicants; Family Assistance cases which have been closed over sixty days; all Safety Net case reopens which have been closed regardless of date; and one-shot deals.
- Assign application to staff, review application recommendations and sign off on all benefits as well as case entries.
- Supervise a team of BOS workers who interview applicants and assess eligibility for immediate needs grant (food and non-food); for employability and eligibility for public assistance, SNAP benefits and Medicaid; works with applicants to remove barriers to employment and makes referrals to other services as needed.
- Prepare daily and weekly statistical reports on work performed as well as monthly audits.
- Assist with case consultation on individual cases and guidance on difficult cases in the case planning process as necessary.
- Supervise a team of BOS workers who provide comprehensive service delivery to participants after the establishment of the participant’s case; Family Assistance case that have been closed less that sixty days or Safety Net cases that have been closed in error.
- Supervise a team of BOS workers who manages all aspects of the case, including establishing on-going eligibility, assessing participants, developing appropriate Employment Assessment and Employment Plans and executing specific strategies designed to help participants achieve self-sufficiency.
- Review employment eligibility decisions for appropriateness and correctness according to Agency and New York State rules and regulations and performs initial conference/conciliation interview.
- Perform the Mandatory Dispute Resolution function.
- Supervise staff that interview and correspond with homebound clients.
- Supervise a team of BOS who provide quick service for those clients who walk-in or telephone the center. Additionally, the team will take appropriate action on reported changes, provide information and documentation as requested by the participants and maintain contact with other teams to ensure awareness of all activity that will affect the case management plan.
- Supervise staff who interview and determine housing needs of tenants at risk of homelessness or already homeless reporting to Benefits Access Centers. Assist in the development of anti-eviction/housing plan of intervention for referred participants.
- May conduct field visits.
Hours/Shift:
Monday – Friday
ASSOCIATE BENEFITS OPPORTUNITY - 56316
1. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent, and three years of
full-time satisfactory experience working directly in social/human services or a
related setting, providing either:
a) client services.
b) employment planning/counseling services which involves job development,
skills assessment, and employment placement or other economic
opportunity programming.
2. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college; plus eighteen months of full time satisfactory
experience working as a Benefits Opportunity Specialist; or
3. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college; plus eighteen months of full time satisfactory
experience as described in one (1) above.
4. College credit from an accredited college may be substituted for this experience
on the basis of 60 semester credits for 9 months of the work experience described
above. However, all candidates must have at least 18 months of full-time
satisfactory experience working as a Benefits Opportunity Specialist or performing
social/human services work as described in one (1) above.
The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.
Skills Required
- High school diploma or equivalent and three years of full-time satisfactory experience in social or human services, client services, employment planning, counseling, job development, skills assessment, employment placement, or related economic opportunity programming.
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college and 18 months of full-time satisfactory experience as a Benefits Opportunity Specialist.
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college and 18 months of full-time satisfactory experience in qualifying social or human services work.
- At least 18 months of full-time satisfactory experience as a Benefits Opportunity Specialist or in qualifying social or human services work.
- Applicants must be permanent in the Associate Benefits Opportunity Specialist title or permanent in the Benefits Opportunity Specialist title for at least one year.
- Must take and pass the Associate Benefits Opportunity Specialist examination when it becomes available to remain in the title.
