Income Maintenance Program Administrator I

Employees in this class are responsible for the administrative and technical management of the income maintenance programs for a medium to large County Department of Social Services. The income maintenance programs supervised include Food Stamps, Aid to Families with Dependent Children, Medicaid, Low Income Energy Assistance, Commodities Distribution, and Crisis Intervention. Employees supervise lower-level supervisors who have direct responsibility for the day-to-day functions of their program/functional units. Employees are responsible for overall planning and budgeting for the income maintenance programs and are involved with the overall agency planning as members of the management team. Positions at this level differ from lower level supervisors by their involvement in community and program needs assessments and by their significant input into long-term planning, organizing, and directing the budget and personnel functions for income maintenance programs as well as their input into the planning and budgetary process for the entire agency. Employees normally assist the Agency Director in the presentation of program information and the income maintenance budget to the Social Services Board. Employees normally report to the Agency Director.

Planning - Employees plan the short and long-range work operations, priorities and goals for the total spectrum of income maintenance programs. Work involves meeting with the agency director to develop goals and priorities for the agency income maintenance programs on a semiannual and/or annual basis. Employees also serve as members of the agency management team and provide significant input in setting agency goals and priorities on an annual basis.

Organizing and Directing - Employees are responsible for ensuring that lower-level supervisors are balancing workloads within their units and sub-units. Work includes making adjustments between and within program units. These units may require significant changes in personnel assignments, staffing and organizational design to assure that the work of these units is being processed in an efficient manner.

Budgeting - Employees provide a detailed analysis of income maintenance needs assessment based on trends, projected program changes, and statistical evaluations. Employees must provide written and well-documented justifications for staff, equipment, space and supply needs for the total income maintenance program.

Training - Employees assess individual and unit training needs and provide or arrange for training both in direct or indirect job-related areas. In those agencies with a formal staff training and development program, employees ensure that training programs meet the needs of new and incumbent agency staff.

Setting Work Standards - Employees are responsible for ensuring that lower-level supervisors evaluate the work of line staff for adherence to Federal and State standards regarding the quality of work required in processing income maintenance cases. Employees serve as a member of the agency management team and have input into, and impact upon, agency set standards for those programs under their supervision.

Reviewing Work - Review of the work of sub-unit and unit supervisors is accomplished after the case has been processed and eligibility determined. These reviews are accomplished through the evaluation of Quality Assurance reports, State computer error printouts and input from lead workers and lower-level supervisors assigned to the income maintenance units and sub-units.

Counseling and Disciplining - Employees counsel staff regarding performance and grievance policies. Employees independently issue oral and written warnings and depending upon agency policy may have the authority to dismiss employees with only cursory review/approval from the agency director. NC 09921 OSP 2/88

Performing Other Personnel Functions - Employees are responsible for evaluating staff performance and making recommendations to the agency director on merit raises, appraisals, reassignments, and salary adjustments. Employees interview applicants and make hiring decisions with only cursory review/approval from the agency director. Employees are responsible for authorizing staff reassignments in the units under their supervision.

Dynamics of Work Supervised - Employees are directly responsible for supervising the work of lower-level income maintenance supervisors and indirectly responsible for the work of income maintenance caseworkers who are involved in the intake, processing and review functions in any of the income maintenance programs. The objectives of income maintenance programs are generally stable, however, there are shifting emphases with regard to how cases are processed and continual changes in policies and procedures.

Variety of Work Supervised - Employees are administratively and technically responsible for the work of income maintenance supervisors involved with all income maintenance programs and processing functions. In addition, employees will usually have responsibility for managing and supervising the Child Support/Enforcement Unit.

Number of Employees Responsible For - Employees are responsible for a staff of approximately 25-70 employees.

III. EXTENT OF SUPERVISION RECEIVED: Employees' work is reviewed after the fact, generally through an analysis of quality assurance reports and State computer error printouts. Work is performed on a more independent basis than is seen at the lower supervisory levels. Employees consult with the agency director on major policy changes or complex decisions only after having determined that no applicable prior resolutions of similar case scenarios exist.

Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities - Thorough knowledge of income maintenance programs. Thorough knowledge of the use of the income maintenance manuals and of the forms and documents used in determining eligibility for all program areas. Thorough knowledge of needs, problems, and attitudes of disadvantaged persons. Thorough knowledge of the budgeting and planning process. Considerable knowledge of all agency and community programs and services. Considerable knowledge of needs assessment techniques. Considerable management skills. Ability to communicate effectively orally and in written form. Ability to organize, direct, and plan for income maintenance programs. Ability to maintain a satisfactory working relationship with applicants, other sources contacted within the course of work, the agency director, the public at large, and County officials. Ability to plan and evaluate the services of a comprehensive eligibility program. Ability to represent the eligibility program in departmental meetings and community conferences.

Minimum Training and Experience Requirements - Two years of supervisory experience at least one of which must have been in an income maintenance or services program, and preferably with one year of experience in an income maintenance program; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.