EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER SERVICE AND CORRESPONDENCE AND MAILROOM OPERATIONS

APPLICANTS MUST BE PERMANENT IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL SERVICES CIVIL SERVICE TITLE OR BE PERMANENT IN A COMPARABLE TITLE ELIGIBLE FOR 6.1.9 TITLE CHANGE OR BE REACHABLE WITH THE SCORE OF 100 ON THE OPEN COMPETITIVE ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL SERVICES EXAM.

The Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) primary goal is to ensure that children are financially supported by both parents. OCSS accomplishes this by locating non-custodial parents (NCP), establishing paternity and child support orders, and collecting and disbursing child support funds to those children.

OCSS also services NCPs who are unable to provide financial support due to unemployment and/or being underemployed, by partnering with community-based organizations which offer educational, training, and job placement services for eligible parents. Enforcing and establishing child support orders, combined with employment and other support, assists impoverished families gain financial independence and become self-sufficient.

Customer Service Operations provides key services for approximately 200,000 families with child support orders, of which a portion or 30,000 represent walk-in clients, mailed correspondence, and email inquiries. The staff provides information about child support cases, updates, corrects, and enters new case information and ensures that unresolved issues are forwarded to the appropriate unit for final resolution.

This division consists of four (4) primary areas of functionality: Customer Services assists custodial and non-custodial parents resolve problems identified with their child support cases regarding payments, address change or order of support modification. They also meet with non-custodial parents who are seeking resolutions to enforcement action such as driver license suspension taken by the agency. Since the pandemic, Customer Services has expanded from a Walk-In Center to a full-service center where staff respond to customers in person as well as via scheduled phone appointments, emails, text messages or documents sent by way of the mobile application.

Correspondence Services responds to mail-in inquiries from custodial and noncustodial parents, out-of-state child support agencies and referrals from other units regarding cases with orders. The staff updates, corrects and enters new case information and ensures that unresolved issues are forwarded to the appropriate unit for further review, investigation, and possible resolution. Correspondence is also assigned interstate work, requiring them to utilize new tools and systems (i.e. Child Support Enforcement Network (CSENet) and the Electronic Document Exchange) to process interstate documents submitted by other child support jurisdictions for OCSS action. Further, Correspondence processes referrals received from the State that need to be uploaded into the ASSETS case record and then forwarded to the appropriate unit notifying them that action is required.

Priority Correspondence is responsible for the timely investigation and resolution of a wide range of priority telephonic and written child support inquiries that are received from OCSS’s Executive Deputy Commissioner’s office, the Mayor’s office, the Public Advocate’s office, the Inspector General’s office, HRA’s Office of Legal Affairs (OLA), the Comptroller’s office, and the public at large. The unit monitors and facilitates the review of all applicable electronic communications, including the State’s Electronic Communication System (ECS), Correspondence and ECS ADA referrals ensuring they are addressed as a priority. Mailroom Operations receives all mail sent to OCSS. They are responsible for opening the mail, identifying the document, scanning it into the case folder and electronically sending it to the correct area of OCSS. Mail is processed within 3 days and much of OCSS mail is time sensitive. A key responsibility of the Executive Director is to ensure all timeframes are met.

Under general direction of the Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Parent and Community Engagement with wide latitude for the exercise of independent judgment, the Executive Director of Customer Service and Correspondence Operations (Administrative Director of Social Services, NM-II) provide direction, coordination, and administration of, administrative and clerical support staff within the Customer Service, Correspondence, and Mailroom Operations. The Executive Director ensures operational compliance with all Federal, State and City mandates and regulations; maintains close liaison with senior level staff of the Family Independence Administration (FIA), Domestic Violence Coordinator, CWA, Labor, Management, and various City agencies. The Executive Director assists in planning and implementing alternative methods of communication with the child support program, allowing customers to request services via email, mobile application, text messages and phone appointments. The Executive Director coordinates agency responses to priority inquiries from the Mayor, Commissioner, and other elected officials. The Executive Director administers and directs the implementation of special projects and related managerial tasks, responsibilities, and assignments to ensure that community-based organizations and their staff are familiar with the services offered by the child support program.

The Office of Child Support Services (OCSS) is recruiting for one (1) Administrative Director of Social Services (ADSS), NM-II to function as the Executive Director of Customer Service Correspondence and mailroom Operations who will:

• Provide direction and oversight to subordinate directors within Customer Service, Correspondence, and Mailroom Operations by analyzing statistical data, work products and conducting one-on one performance reviews to ensure quality control and operational compliance with current policies and procedures and with all federal, state and city mandates and regulations. Ensure verbal and written responses to all high priority inquiries received by OCSS are accurate, timely and conducted in a professional manner. Implement changes to all areas within the Customer Services and Correspondence Operations to integrate the processing of inquiries received electronically from multiple sources on local and Interstate child support cases and ensures correspondence is responsive to the questions asked and completed.
• Manage and direct overall operations including administrative supervision of planning, recruitment, training and coordination of professional, administrative, investigative and support staff; directs and oversees the revision and development of new procedures and processes such as new options to communicate with the child support program utilizing electronic and virtual means (i.e. mobile and text technology), and other changes required to transition from a traditional walk in center to servicing customers via telephone, email, texts and other emerging technologies.
• Plan, administer and monitor ongoing operations with respect to qualitative and quantitative measures to ensure that program and management goals are met by conducting periodic/regular staff meetings and reviewing reports submitted by subordinate directors.
• Conduct ongoing program reviews to ensure the most effective and efficient processing of cases; oversees the implementation of procedures and systems as mandated by Federal, State and City law.
• Maintain close liaison with senior-level staff of the Family Independence Administration (FIA), Domestic Violence Coordinator, Labor Management, Community Partners and various city agencies; serve as liaison to HRA/DSS Office of Legal Affairs Support and Lien Recovery Litigation Unit. Interact with community-based organizations and other entities to help change the communities’ perception of the Child Support Program, develop and expanding relationships with internal and external stakeholders, increase the engagement of custodial and non-custodial parents and improve the overall customer experience. Play a key role in implementing and managing debt reduction initiatives aimed at assisting NCPs.
• Assist the Assistant Deputy Commissioner in the formulation, development and implementation of strategies and procedures to ensure accountability for activities and performance in order to improve program operations and ensures that work of staff adheres to policies and directives.

Hours: M-F, 9:00AM - 5:00PM

ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR OF SOC - 1005C

• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and four years of progressively responsible experience, including one year at the administrative or managerial level in a large governmental agency, business firm, civic or community organization operating in the area of social services; or
• Education and/or experience equivalent to "1" above. However, all candidates must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and the one year of experience at the administrative or management level as described in "1" above.