DSHS ESA Support Enforcement Officer 1-2 In-Training

About the Department

DSHS ESA Support Enforcement Officer 1-2 In-Training

The Economic Services Administration, Division of Child Support is seeking Child Support Enforcement Officers to join our team in Spokane, WA. These opportunities begin at the Support Enforcement Officer 1 level and offer advancement to the Support Enforcement Officer 2 level upon successful completion of the agency’s training plan.

You will play a vital role in promoting family self-sufficiency by establishing, modifying, and enforcing financial and medical child support obligations. As a Support Enforcement Officer, you’ll represent the Department in making critical case decisions, including initiating and signing legal actions, calculating debt, and managing complex enforcement activities. Your work directly supports children and families by ensuring consistent financial support and access to essential services.

You may be assigned to a specialized Tribal Team where you will perform the same duties while working closely with tribal communities.

Schedule: For the first year, this position will require you to be in-office for three days per week.

• Work over the phone with parents, attorneys, and advocates to establish child support obligations and apply sanctions if there’s no compliance with the terms of those obligations.
• Establish administrative child support orders by researching and locating income information, calculating complex financial and medical obligations, calculating arrears balances, preparing and serving legal notices, and negotiating settlements.
• Analyze, interpret and apply state, federal and international laws pertaining to the legal determination of paternity, and to the establishment and enforcement of financial and medical child support.
• Negotiate debt repayment terms by analyzing asset and financial information such as pay stubs, tax returns, business earnings, and proof of expenses.
• Review and interpret court and administrative child support orders to determine when obligations may be suspended or terminated, the support amount, and the frequency at which support is charged.
• Utilize signature authority to initiate and sign legal notices, including correspondence with clients, courts, and other Washington state agencies.
• Locate individuals and assets utilizing state interfaces such as Employment Security, Department of Revenue, Department of Licensing, Labor and Industries, Federal Parent Locate Service, and the Social Security Administration.
• Maintain a caseload of child support cases utilizing the Support Enforcement Management System.

What we’re looking for:

• Strong conflict resolution skills to appropriately handle emotionally charged interactions with clients.
• Analytical skills to read, interpret, and understand legal documents.
• Excellent communication skills to clearly explain complex information to diverse audiences.
• Proven analytical and math skills to calculate support obligations and assess case details.
• Ability to manage a large, growing, and diverse caseload.

• Two years of college-level coursework.

• Two years of experience in child support enforcement and/or debt collection-related functions.

• Two years of experience as a Child Support Enforcement Technician.

• Support Enforcement Officer 1 ($4,428 Step A-$5,956 Step M) 
• Support Enforcement Officer 2 ($4,771 Step A-$6,414 Step M) 

Other Qualifications

Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history may be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the job. This announcement may be used to fill multiple vacancies. Employees driving on state business must have a valid driver's license. Employees driving a privately owned vehicle on state business must have liability insurance on the privately owned vehicle.

Washington State Department of Social and Health Services is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in any area of employment, its programs, or services on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, marital status, race, creed, color, national origin, religion or beliefs, political affiliation, military status, honorably discharged veteran, Vietnam Era, recently separated or other protect­ed veteran status, the presence of any sensory, mental, physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, equal pay or genetic information. Persons requiring accommodation in the application process or this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the Recruiter at (360) 725-5810. Applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing may call through Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6384.    

  
 
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