ELIGIBILITY PROGRAM SPECIALIST V

Job TitleEligibility Program Specialist VJob DescriptionThe Benefit, Employment and Support Services Division (BESSD) is the largest division in the Department of Human Services (DHS). Staff and administrators provide a continuum of services through programs that serve different populations. These programs provide clients with monthly benefits to assist them with such essentials as food, shelter, and child care, as well as employment support and work-training and dependency diversion and prevention. The function of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Office (SNAPO) is to plan the scope and content of program objectives, provide services and necessary support to implement objectives, formulate rules and procedures, implement and clarify program requirements and policies, monitor and evaluate program services, accomplishments, and expenditures, with the overall objective of providing low-income households with an effective and efficient means of obtaining a healthy and nutritious diet, while meeting federal regulations governing the SNAP. Eligibility Program Specialist (EPS) V: Serves as a principal program specialist for SNAPO whose primary purpose is to formulate, complete, and submit State plans, develop and implement rules, policies, and procedures, procure contract services, and to monitor and evaluate contracted services and expenditures for the SNAP Office.Minimum Qualification RequirementsTo qualify, you must meet all of the following requirements: Basic Education/Experience Requirements Graduation from an accredited four (4) year college or university with a bachelor's degree in Social Work, Education, Recreation, Human Services, Human Development, or a branch of science that deals with the institutions and functioning of human society or with the interpersonal relationships of individuals as members of society such as Psychology or Sociology. Excess work experience as described under the Specialized Experience, below, or any other responsible administrative, professional or analytical work experience that provided knowledge, skills and abilities comparable to those acquired in four (4) years of successful study while completing a college or university curriculum leading to a baccalaureate degree in the above majors may be substituted on a year-for-year basis. To be acceptable, the experience must have been of such scope, level and quality as to assure the possession of comparable knowledge, skills and abilities. The education or experience background must also demonstrate the ability to write clear and comprehensive reports and other documents; read and interpret complex written material; and solve complex problems logically and systematically.

Experience Requirements Applicants must have had progressively responsible experience of the kind and quality described in the following paragraphs or any equivalent combination of training and experience: General Experience: One and one-half (1 1/2) years of progressively responsible work experience which involved analyzing, interpreting or evaluating technical material; solving technical, managerial or administrative problems through the application of problem solving methods and techniques such as identifying the problem and pertinent causal factors, developing and evaluating alternative solutions, and recommending/implementing an appropriate course of action; and writing narrative reports in a clear and concise manner. Specialized Experience: Requires two (2) years of specialized experience, as follows: progressively responsible professional work experience which demonstrated knowledge and application of laws, rules, and regulations relative to income maintenance. Such experience must have provided the applicant with knowledge of the principles and concepts of social welfare and government entitlement programs, governmental processes, and basic management principles as they relate to effective work organization and staff utilization. Work experience in income maintenance programs include various categorical assistance programs such as General Assistance (GA), Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Aid to Aged, Blind and Disabled (AABD), Refugee Resettlement and Energy Assistance to Low Income Families. Supervisory Aptitude: Applicants for the EPS V level must possess supervisory aptitude. Supervisory aptitude is the demonstration of aptitude or potential for the performance of supervisory duties through successful completion of regular or specialized assignments which involve some supervisory responsibilities or aspects of supervision, e.g., by serving as a group or team leader; or in similar work in which opportunities for demonstrating supervisory capabilities exist; or by the completion of training courses in supervision accompanied by application of supervisory skills in work assignments; and/or by favorable appraisals by a supervisor indicating the possession of supervisory potential. Administrative Aptitude: Applicants for the EPS V level must possess administrative aptitude. Administrative aptitude will be considered to have been met when there is strong affirmative evidence of the necessary administrative aptitudes and abilities. Such evidence may be in the form of success in regular or special assignments or projects which involved administrative problems (e.g., in planning, organizing, promoting, and directing a program, including policy and budgetary considerations; and/or providing staff advice and assistance in such matters); interest in administration demonstrated by the performance of work assignments in a manner which clearly indicates awareness of administrative problems and the ability to solve them; completion of educational or training courses in the area of administration accompanied by the application of the principles, which were learned, to work assignments; management's observation and evaluation of the applicant's leadership and administrative capabilities; success in trial assignments to managerial and/or administrative tasks. Substitutions allowed: 1. Successful completion of all academic requirements for a Master's degree from an accredited college or university may be substituted for one (1) year of the required General Experience. 2. Excess Specialized Experience may be substituted for the General Experience required on a month-for-month basis. The information provided above represents a summary of the minimum qualification requirement (MQR) for the Eligibility Program Specialist V. To view the MQR in its entirety, please click here.BenefitsThe State of Hawaii offers its employees who are members of the civil service a range of benefits. Some benefits are offered as a result of collective bargaining agreements and changes may occur. A summary of these benefits, which is based on full-time employment, is listed below. Note: Benefits for NON-CIVIL SERVICE appointments will be provided by the hiring department at the time of interview. With Civil Service modernization, effective July 1, 2002, employees appointed to temporary positions may also gain membership in the civil service upon satisfactory completion of an initial probation period of at least six months. As a temporary member of the civil service, you will be eligible to apply for promotion and transfer opportunities to permanent as well as other temporary positions. You may also enjoy other rights and benefits afforded to members of the civil service, with the exception of return rights and placement rights associated with a reduction-in-force of a permanent member of the civil service. Paid Holidays: You may be eligible for 13 paid holidays each year; 14 holidays during an election year. Paid Vacation: You may earn vacation leave at a rate that other employers find tough to match – 21 days each full year from the FIRST year of employment. This compares to an average of 10 days offered by private companies. You may accumulate up to a total of 90 days (720 hours) of vacation. Paid Sick Leave: You may earn sick leave at the same rate as vacation – 21 days per year from the FIRST year, and there is no limit on the amount you can accumulate. Expectant mothers may also use sick leave for pre-natal or post-natal check-ups or any illness related to pregnancy. Plus, unused accumulated sick leave may eventually be used to increase your retirement benefits in certain situations. Other Leaves: Reasonable time off with pay may be provided for jury or witness duty, a death in the family, some military duty, and donation to the Blood Bank. Leave sharing donations may be granted to eligible employees who have serious personal illnesses or injuries or need to care for a seriously ill or injured family member. Various leaves without pay may also be granted with full re-employment rights. Health Insurance: The State pays a part of the premiums for each employee's enrollment in a State sponsored Medical, Drug, Vision, and Dental Plan. For more information, visit the Employer Union Trust Fund website for coverage and options. Group Life Insurance: The State provides a free life insurance policy for employees. Retirement Plan: The State contributes to a retirement plan for eligible employees. Generally, employees under the Hybrid Plan with 10 years of credited service and who have reached 65 years of age or have 30 years of credited service and have reached 60 years of age may retire and receive benefits. To find out more about the options you have, go to Premium Conversion Plan: Participating employees may increase their take-home pay by having the State deduct the cost of health care premiums before payroll taxes are withheld. Flexible Spending Accounts: Eligible employees can reduce their federal and state income taxes and social security taxes through a tax-savings benefit program called Island Flex. This program allows employees to set aside money from their paychecks to pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses and eligible dependent care expenses on a BEFORE-TAX basis. Transportation Benefits: Participating employees may increase their take-home pay by having the State deduct qualified transportation expenses (i.e. eligible parking fees, monthly bus passes for TheBus, fare coupons for The Handi-Van, Vanpool Hawaii participation fee, etc.) through pre-tax payroll deductions. Deferred Compensation: The State offers employees a voluntary pre-tax retirement savings plan designed to give employees a tax break today and an opportunity to build a retirement nest egg through voluntary payroll deductions. Several types of investment options are available. Temporary Disability Insurance: Qualified employees may be eligible to receive benefits for a disability caused by a non-work related injury or illness under this program. Social Security: As an employer, the State also contributes to an employee's social