Specialist, Benefits Navigation - Lead

Under the guidance of the Benefits Navigation Supervisor or Manager, the Lead Benefits Navigation Specialist will provide daily support to the Benefits Navigation Team to ensure the team follows and meets mission-oriented goals. They serve the functions of a Certified Application Counselor (CAC) as identified by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA).  They are a source of immediate knowledge to team members in order to provide excellent customer service when assisting eligible Illinois residents in enrolling in health coverage options and affordability programs made available through the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  An important focus will be with individuals who would have difficulty enrolling in coverage without the help of a Benefits Navigation Specialist including, but not limited to, individuals with low literacy, limited English proficiency, low-incomes, and disabilities as well as additional hard-to-reach populations.   

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Follows guidelines set forth by the Department of Insurance, Department of Human Services, Department of Health and Family Services, the Health Insurance Marketplace and other governmental bodies when providing enrollment assistance
• Demonstrates expertise in eligibility, enrollment, and ACA program requirements
• Arranges and conducts public education activities to raise awareness about the ACA
• Provides information and services in a fair, accurate, non-judgmental, and impartial manner
• Develops culturally and linguistically appropriate educational and/or training materials
• Builds trust and camaraderie between team members to achieve program goals
• Oversees teamwork for quality and guideline compliance 
• Creates team schedules to ensure appropriate staffing at designated enrollment locations
• Facilitates team meetings to update staff on best practices and continuing expectations
• Communicates concerns between the Manager and team members
• Assists Manager with new team member training
• Provides feedback to Manager about team performance 
• Identifies additional training needs for the team in order to stay current on new developments
• Collects qualitative and quantitative data and generates reports for the Manager
• Assists Manager with the development and evaluation of workflows and standard operating procedures
• Professionally handles correspondence, telephone calls and personal interactions
• Must be available and able to work at any Tapestry 360 site
• Performs other related duties as assigned or required

Qualifications:  

Education and/or Experience: 

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in casework, human services or related field required

or  

• Equivalent combination of education and experience  
• Knowledge of City of Chicago communities and outreach required
• Prior experience as an assister (CAC, Navigator, In-Person Counselor, etc.)
  • Supplementary Requirements:  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to attend and successfully complete a mandatory 30-hour online training and a two-day training on the Health Insurance Market Place and expansion of Medicaid services in Illinois. They must also submit to and pass the Illinois Department of Insurance background check. An individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  

Computer Skills:  

• Ability to independently operate Microsoft Office programs
• Skilled data entry in Excel and web-based databases
• Set up and work with portable technology such as tablets, printers and scanners
• Ability to troubleshoot common technology issues 

Language Skills:  

• Fluency in Spanish or another language may be required
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret general professional periodicals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations
• Ability to write reports and business correspondence
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public

Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.   Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percentages.

Reasoning Ability:  Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written and oral form.