Child Support Specialist III

Under limited supervision, the Child Support Specialist III performs a wide variety of child support duties involving the more difficult and/or sensitive cases; performs special assignments; maintains a caseload; and performs related work as required.

The Child Support Specialist III is the advanced journey level in the Child Support Specialist series. Incumbents act as the lead-worker to a group of child support staff, and/or exercise detailed subject matter knowledge of a specific program area or specialized system inherent to the operations of the department.

Positions in this class differ from those in the class of Child Support Specialist II by the assignment of complex, sensitive or confidential cases requiring advanced technical skills. Incumbents may act in a lead capacity, may provide training to lower level Child Support Specialists and may participate in special projects such as audits and/or quality control reviews.

• Analyzes and evaluates the more difficult and sensitive cases.
• Coordinates appointments for personal interviews with custodial and non-custodial parents, employers, and attorneys
• Coordinates and/or conducts genetic tests when needed.
• Uses a variety of methods and procedures for locating absent parents.
• Develops and analyzes information for the establishment of paternity.
• Evaluates income and expense data of custodial and non-custodial parents to determine and recommend child support payment obligations based on established guidelines
• Participates in interviews to secure support agreements and to persuade responsible parties to make payments without recourse to legal action
• Assists or acts as a primary resource to Child Support Attorney.
• Attends court hearings to obtain payments and to testify to financial or case matters.
• Prepares and processes legal documents necessary for
• Provides guidance to Child Support Specialists as a technical expert.
• Assigns and coordinates work performed by lower level Child Support Specialists.
• Reviews lower level cases for quality control, audit, and/or training purposes.
• Researches, develops, and conducts group and/or one-on-one training for new and existing staff.
• Acts as the supervisor for administrative purposes in the supervisor's absence.
• Uses a variety of methods, systems and procedures for locating absent parents, including contacting other agencies, utilizing databases and web-based searches.
• May perform State mandated functions, including but not limited to: ombudsperson, customer and community outreach, quality assurance and program improvement, training, Fair Hearing Officer, and/or media relations.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

• Civil and criminal law, and Federal and California laws and regulations pertaining to the establishment and enforcement of child support obligations.
• Effective investigative principles, research, techniques, and procedures to obtain information for child support cases.
• Sources, methods and techniques used to locate non-custodial parents, relatives and related persons, assets, income, and liabilities
• Techniques and methods for establishing paternity.
• Child Support specific collection methods and techniques.
• Legal terminology used when explaining legal procedures to customers or the public.
• When and how to prepare and process a variety of child support related legal documents in a clear and concise manner.

• Apply specialized Federal child support laws and procedures as they apply to intergovernmental and international cases
• Explain child support procedures, regulations, and requirements to individuals from a wide variety of educational and cultural backgrounds.
• Use effective interviewing techniques to interview a wide variety of people, over the telephone and in person
• Use patience, tact and courtesy in firmly dealing with people who may be uncooperative, unreasonable, angry, upset, or hostile
• Use sound independent judgment to analyze factual information, situations, and people
• Understand financial records such as tax records, income and expense reports, and employer earnings records to determine the amount of child support payment obligations.
• Compile multiple pieces of information clearly and concisely into an organized and understandable written report or oral presentation
• Organize work and set priorities in order to meet critical deadlines with minimal direction
• Exercise initiative within the limits of assigned duties
• Be flexible and supportive of change.
• Assist and train newly assigned staff.
• Plan, organize, and prioritize the work of others in order to meet critical deadlines on multiple tasks.
• Maintain the confidentiality of sensitive or personal information.
• Promote harmony, good morale, establish rapport and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, courts, attorneys, other agencies, and the public.
• Effectively use computer and other resources to prepare and manage cases.

One (1) year of full-time experience performing duties of a Child Support Specialist II in a state or local government agency.

Examination Information
 Training & Experience Examination – Weighted 100%

The Training & Experience Examination is designed to elicit a range of specific information regarding each candidate’s knowledge, skill, abilities, and potential to effectively perform the duties relative to the classification. Responses to the questionnaire will be assessed based on pre-determined rating criteria. All applicants must complete the entire examination to receive a score. To obtain a position on the eligible list, candidates must receive a minimum rating of 70% on the examination. 

Examination administration and processing time is approximately two weeks after the closing date of the job bulletin. 

Eligible List Information

A departmental open eligible list will be established for the county of Del Norte. The list will be utilized for 12 months after it is established unless the needs of the service and conditions of the list warrant a change in this period.

Retest Period

Once you have taken the examination, you may not retest for SIX (6) MONTHS from the established eligibility date.

Special Testing Arrangements

Special testing arrangements may be made to accommodate applicants for disability, military, or religious reasons. If you require such arrangements, please contact CalHR at mssprogram@calhr.ca.gov or 916-909-3701 upon notification that your application has been approved. Documentation from medical, military, school or church officials outlining the accommodation request must be received by our office a minimum of five business days prior to a scheduled examination.

Education Documents

If you are using education to meet the minimum qualifications, you must attach your transcripts to your application. Applicants with foreign transcripts must provide a transcript evaluation that indicates the number of units to which the foreign course work is equivalent. Transcripts and evaluations may be unofficial; official transcripts may be required upon appointment. Please redact birthdates and social security numbers.

General Information

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship by the start date of employment.

MSS reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the recruitment if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all competitors will be notified. 

If you meet the requirements stated on this bulletin, you may take this examination. Your performance in this examination will be rated against predetermined rating criteria. All competitors who pass will be added to the eligible list. Meeting the entry requirements does not assure success in the examination or placement on the eligible list. 

General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgement, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. As part of the hiring process, a background investigation may be required.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Merit System Services program is committed to equal employment opportunity for all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Additional Information  

• A valid driver's license may be required at the time of appointment and employees may also be required to drive their own car, provide proof of car insurance, and a DMV clearance. Individuals who do not meet this requirement due to a disability will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
• As a condition of employment, the County of Del Norte will require proof of ability to work in the U.S.
• This recruitment will be used to fill full-time, part-time, and extra-help positions as vacancies occur.

About Del Norte County
 Del Norte County, where the redwoods meet the sea, is located in the northwest corner of California along the Pacific Ocean and adjacent to the Oregon border. The substantially rural county is notable for forests containing coast redwoods, some over 350 feet tall. These redwoods are the tallest living things on Earth, dating back over 2,000 years. Notably, the County is located in one of the few rain forests in the temperate region. The County is home to a multitude of unique plants and flowers, coastal bird and fish species, rocky primitive beaches and sea stacks, pristine rivers, and historic lighthouses. Del Norte County is home to several fun rivers and ocean activities, a variety of food festivals, including local seafood, a sanctioned BBQ cook-off, raft races on the beautiful and wild Smith River, and the very popular ocean stand-up paddleboard race. There are numerous hiking trails located within the national and state parks, as well as sponsored park events throughout the year.  Star Wars enthusiasts will also recognize the County as being the location of some of the forest scenes used in Return of the Jedi.