Job: Deputy Director of Economic Security

Job Description

Job Type: Full time, Salaried

Wage: $75,000-$85,000/yr.

Location: Leadville, CO.

Job Description:

This position is responsible for managing and directing the work of the Economic Security Unit including benefits case managers and administrative assistants to support clients in Lake County.

Essential Functions 

• Provides leadership, guidance and support to staff to ensure deadlines and objectives are being met, thus preventing federal funding and fiscal sanctions and ensuring receipt of county incentives.
• Maintains current knowledge of mandated State and Federal program regulations and county practices through intensive and ongoing training.
• Maintains a thorough and current working knowledge of all public assistance programs, the State of Colorado eligibility determination system, policies, and community resources.
• Develops and monitors internal business processes that ensure services are delivered consistent with State and Federal regulations.
• Monitors and ensures staff is continuously current with new training requirements.
• Assists staff with claims and supplemental payments research; determines the need for recovery of funds and/or fraud investigations.
• Assists staff with complex cases and interpretation and application of policy.
• Ensures that applications are being processed correctly and timely.
• Develops Performance Improvement Plans (PIP) and monitors adherence to the plan.
• Conducts periodic case reviews and ongoing training to correct errors and improve employee performance.
• Manages State's Quality Assurance case file requests and follows-up with rebuttals or corrective actions.
• Ensures the economic security team is offering high quality services and robust customer service to clients.

• Oversees and maintains confidential and sensitive information on a daily basis.
• Conducts staff performance evaluations and takes or recommends appropriate actions.
• Addresses employees concerns and effectively handles personnel problems affecting performance.
• Fosters an environment of teamwork, open communication and organization to accomplish the unit's goals.
• Completes client interviews, processes applications and determines eligibility when needed.
• Acts as a liaison to other county and state entities.
• Participates in meetings with other agencies and networks with community partners as required to provide adequate assistance to clients.
• Collaborates and communicates in a respectful and transparent way with community partners and other important partners.
• Hires, trains and supervises Economic Security Unit and Front Desk staff.
• Attends and conducts staff meetings, trainings and conferences as required.
• Collaborates with the Director, LCDHS leadership and community partners to set Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the unit and strategic goals for the benefit of clients and the unit.
• Oversees the funding and coordination of the Member Experience Advisory Committee (MEAC) which serves the purpose of providing feedback to the Lake County Department of Human Services on customer experience, input on department policy (where needed), outreach and community messaging--particularly focused on members of the community for whom information on public assistance benefits has been
• Make recommendations to LCDHS and County leadership regarding member experience and strategies for improving member experience.
• Oversee and evaluate the feedback process for community members and report complaints and appeals to CDHS and HCPF.
• As a part of the Lake County Department of Human Services, this position is required to serve Lake County in Emergency Service Function 6 (Mass Care and Mass Shelter) as needed. 
• Performs other related job duties as assigned.

Requirements
Education and Experience: Bachelor’s Degree from a four-year college or university with major coursework in social services, human services or a related field; and four (4) years of related experience including two (2) years of related supervisory or leadership experience and/or training and three (3) years of experience determining eligibility for public assistance programs; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience working with the Colorado Benefits Management System (CBMS), preferred.

Special Qualifications:

• Possession of a valid, State of Colorado driver’s license. Requirement exists at the time of hire and as a condition of continued employment. The employee is required to travel frequently with some trips to locations outside of the County which may require overnight stays.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to work with a variety of individual with different backgrounds and life experiences in a warm and welcoming way.
• Skill in leadership and taking initiative to ensure the unit is high performing and results driven.
• Customer service oriented
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with fellow employees, the public, supervisors and other County officials.
• Knowledge of Training Concepts and ability to utilize in the application or delivery of program training.
• Knowledge of case management principles and practices, concepts of Economic Security and welfare reform.
• Knowledge of principles of human behavior, public assistance programs rules and regulations and the ability to incorporate into the delivery of Medicaid programs, case planning, client interviewing techniques, and various other programs and communications.
• Knowledge and skill that demonstrate intermediate computer literacy and competency and knowledge of current office practices and procedures.
• Skill and ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
• Skill to apply the correct mathematical and problem-solving theories and formulae to develop analytical, problem solving, and reporting results.
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures or governmental regulations.
• Ability to develop reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to perform basic calculations using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division formulae.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions in written, verbal, or diagram form.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality in matters so requiring.

Physical Activity & Work Environment 
The work is sedentary work which requires exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and/or negligible amount of force to move objects. Additionally, this position also requires the ability to walk, stand, and sit; finger, handle, grasp; speak and hear; stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, reach, distinguish objects in low and bright light using visual capacity including peripheral vision, depth perception, color vision, and far and near acuity.

The noise level in the office work environment is usually moderate. Occasionally, the employee may encounter confrontational circumstances from employees or outside members of the community. Infrequently, employee may be exposed to confrontation in the work environment and may be asked to resolve the situation.
 

Lake County Benefits - Full-Time Employees

As a reflection of the value we place on the contributions of our employees, the County offers a competitive benefits package for full-time employees. Please review the 2024 Benefits Guide for full details. The Guide provides information on Lake County Government's benefit offerings, including:

• Employer-Sponsored Medical and Dental Insurance Plans
• 100% Employer Paid Vision Plan
• Flexible Spending Account
• Health Reimbursement Account
• Employer-Sponsored Short-Term Disability Insurance
• 100% Employer Paid Long-Term Disability Insurance
• 100% Employer Paid Term Life Insurance
• Supplemental Life Insurance Plans
• 401(a) and 457(b) Employer Matched Retirement Plans
• Paid Vacation, Sick Leave, Personal Days and Holidays
• Employee Assistance Program
• Public Health Emergency Leave
• Discounts on concerts, major sporting events, electronics, travel, cars and more!

Lake County Benefits - Part-Time Employees

Lake County is also proud to offer paid sick time off and flexible work schedules for our part-time employees.

EOE Statement

Lake County is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status. Assistance or accommodation during the application process due to a disability is available upon request.

Notice of Work Authorization Requirement

Applicants must be authorized to lawfully work for any employer in the United States. Lake County is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa.

Notice of Emergency/Disaster Responsibilities

All Lake County Employees may be required to work as a Disaster Service Worker when a local declaration of emergency or disaster is declared by the Board of County Commissioners. To be prepared for this role, all employees and emergency service function (ESF) leads will attend emergency management trainings and exercises as requested by the Director of Emergency Management. With advanced notification from OEM, employees will make reasonable efforts to attend training events in coordination with other employees and supervisors.

Other Duties

Please note that this job description does not intend to cover or contain a full comprehensive list of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Expected Duration of the Application Process

Due to the nature of the application and selection process for Lake County full-time positions, applicants can reasonably expect the application process to take a significant amount of time to complete before a decision is made to hire or not to hire. Typically, it takes approximately four (4) to six (6) weeks from the date of application to complete the entire selection process. The length of time it takes to complete the process can vary depending on a variety of factors. Please note that this is an estimated duration of the selection process.

**Disclaimer: The duties and responsibilities described above are not a comprehensive list and additional tasks may be assigned to the employee, time to time; the scope of the job may change as necessitated by business demands. Click “View Application” below for more detail on this specific job.