Child Support Officer III

Position Description

The County of Monterey Child Support Services Department is recruiting to fill a vacancy for

Child Support Officer 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.

Examples of Duties

• 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 court.
• 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.

Examples of Experience/Education/Training

• 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.

Additional Information

This position is with Merit Systems, please follow this link to view the job announcement and apply on the CALHR/Merit Systems website:

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/mss/jobs/4873209/child-support-officer-iii

PLEASE NOTE: the Application Deadline is Thursday, April 3, 2025 @ 11:59 P.M.