Initial Posting Date:

05/30/2024

Application Deadline:

06/16/2024

Agency:

Department of Early Learning and Care

Salary Range:

$3,477 - $4,755

Position Type:

Employee

Position Title:

Child Care Payment Specialist (Administrative Specialist 1) Bilingual in English/Spanish Required

Job Description:

The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care is excited to announce a permanent opening for a Bilingual Child Care Payment Specialist (Administrative Specialist 1).

Oregon is home to over 275,000 children, birth to kindergarten entry. Our state has an opportunity to change how it supports these children and their families and, in doing so, put itself on the path to an even brighter future. Overwhelming evidence tells us that investing in young children and their families has a lasting impact across their lifetime. Now is your chance to be part of an agency that will have positive impacts on current and future generations of young children and their families.

Please note, for the first six months this position will work full time from the office. After the first six months, this position will then transition to two days per week in the office and three days from home. If the successful candidate would prefer to work five days a week from the office, after the initial six months, that can be accommodated.

This position requires that the successful applicant is fluent in Spanish and English. Please note, for performing bilingual services, you will receive an additional 5% differential in addition to your base salary.

More about us:

This position is part of the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) which is an agency that prides itself on enabling Oregon's young children and families to learn and thrive. We are responsible for administering state funded early learning programs, including home visiting and site-based infant, toddler, and preschool services and supports for families, licensing Oregon's child care providers and developing systems that coordinate regional cross sector partnerships through Early Learning Hubs. DELC partners with local Child Care Resource and Referral organizations to provide professional learning, coaching, consultation and other quality improvement opportunities for early learning and care providers.

Considering a career with us means that you value dedication, integrity, and collective wisdom and that you are eager to employ values rooted in equity to benefit Oregon's children and families. We value diversity and support a positive and welcoming environment where all of our employees can thrive. Those who fill these positions will join a new team of dedicated and passionate professionals. Our teams promote a collaborative, proactive culture of continuous improvement with a focus on quality implementation and impactful outcomes for children and families.

As our state, counties, and cities become more diverse, it is imperative now more than ever that we focus on evolving practices to achieve increased equity, diversity, and inclusion in all of our work. Our goal is to lead with courage externally and internally. This means challenging ourselves to do things differently and refining current practices that ensure we continue to make strides towards equity. The Department of Early Learning and Care supports a work life balance, where employees are supported in an environment where they can thrive.

What you will do:

Act as an information resource and liaison to a diverse group of people (i.e. child care providers, families, Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) field staff, agency staff and other community partners) presenting child care program procedures, child care payment procedures, and resolving non-routine child care payment problems related to the Employment Related Day Care Program (ERDC). These positions utilize a high degree of technical knowledge about the current program in order to resolve problems. In addition, process child care provider listing forms in order to get providers listed and approved for the ERDC program within DELC. This position is responsible for issuing appropriate child care provider billing forms, adjustments, as well as completing periodic quality checks to ensure correct payments are issued.

To view a complete job description, click here

What we are looking for:

* Two years of secretarial or basic administrative support experience that includes records processing, generating documents, and gathering and sorting data; OR

* An associate degree in general office occupations and one year of experience with records processing, generating documents, and gathering and sorting data; OR

* An equivalent combination of education and experience.

To meet the Special Qualifications of this position, you must be fluent (read, speak, and write) in English and Spanish.

In addition, we are looking for applicants that have the following Desired Attributes:

* Experience working in a call center environment as the first point of contact for customer questions.

* Skill in reading, interpreting, and explaining laws, rules, policies, and procedures to a variety of individuals who have differing communication styles and levels of understanding of the information.

* Skill in researching information and making independent decisions fairly and objectively concerning a course of action to be taken.

* Experience reviewing forms for completeness and program eligibility.

* Demonstrates professional and effective communication skills, both verbally and in writing.

* Team player - values and soft skills that include the willingness to collaborate, share information, and contribute to the team's success.

* Ability to manage and adapt to competing deadlines and responsibilities, while maintaining ongoing tasks.

* Demonstrated critical thinking skills, attention to detail, time management and organizational skills.

The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care strives to create an inclusive environment that welcomes and values the diversity of the people we serve. We foster fairness, equity, and inclusion to create a workplace environment where everyone is treated with respect and dignity. Candidates of all racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well as bilingual/multicultural individuals, are encouraged to apply.

What's in it for you?

When you join the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care, you are joining a fast-paced, creative environment with colleagues who are passionate about public service and building early childhood equity statewide.

* Excellent medical, vision, and dental benefits package for the employee and qualified family members with a very low monthly out-of-pocket cost. In addition to standard medical benefits and employee leave, the state also provides additional optional benefits, such as basic life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, deferred compensation savings program, and flexible spending accounts for health care and child care expenses;

* 11 paid holidays per year;

* 3 paid "Personal Business Days" per year that you may use at any time;

* 1 additional paid "Special Day" per year that you may use at any time;

* 8 hours of sick leave accumulated every month;

* Progressive vacation leave accrual, with increases every 5 years;

* Student Loan Forgiveness Program: if you have federal student loan debt or are thinking of going back to school, then you will want to look into this program. If you make 120 qualifying payments on your student loan while working full time for a qualifying employer, your student loan debt may be forgiven.

To Apply:

The screening of candidates will be based on a review of an attached resume (limit to two pages). While a cover letter is not required, it is highly encouraged. If you submit a cover letter, please tailor it to the position and address your experience with the desired attributes listed above. Candidates whose backgrounds most closely match the desired attributes and experience section as outlined in this announcement will be invited to interview.

Additional Information:

This recruitment announcement will be used to establish a list of qualified candidates to fill the current vacancy and may be used to fill future vacancies as they occur.

This position is subject to both a Child Protective Services and Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS) check, including FBI fingerprinting, and will be required to enroll in the Central Background Registry. Both of these checks must be completed and approved prior to starting with the agency. Adverse background data will be grounds for immediate disqualification.

Eligible veterans who meet the qualifications will be given veterans' preference. For further information, please see the following website: Veterans Resources.

The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care does not offer visa sponsorship. Within three days of hire, all applicants will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security's Form I-9, confirming authorization to work in the United States. The Department is an E-Verify employer.

The job posting closes at 11:59 PM (PDT) on the close date. After you submit your application, be sure to respond to the two questionnaires relating to public records requests and veterans' preference immediately following your submittal. These questions are necessary to complete the application process.

External Applicants (non-state of Oregon employees): If you would like to retain a copy of this job posting, please print a copy before submitting your application. Once the job posting has closed, you will not be able to access the posting.

The employee in this position will be represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and will be subject to all terms and conditions of the collective bargaining agreement. Pay and benefits on all job listings may change without notice.

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Applicants with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation to participate in the hiring process. For assistance regarding reasonable accommodation requests, please contact the agency recruitment team at DELC.Jobs@delc.oregon.gov

The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer committed to a diverse workforce. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job. We would encourage you to apply, even if you don't meet every one of our desired attributes listed. If you are unsure whether you meet the qualifications of this position, please feel free to contact us to discuss your application.