Office Support Specialist (Public Benefit Specialist - Entry)

About the role

The Oregon Department of Human Services is committed to empowering every individual to thrive—with dignity, independence, and respect at the heart of everything we do. As an Office Support Specialist (Public Benefits Specialist – Entry), you will work in The Dalles office on Klindt Drive assisting Oregonians in-person.

Responsibilities

• Provide customer service as the first face of contact in most field offices for Oregonians and create a welcoming environment for families to interact with the department.
• Support the infrastructure of the office by supporting the day-to-day operation.
• Aid Oregonians in person, by phone, or by email to resolve questions or concerns by providing support with the Oregon Eligibility system.
• Provide technical and administrative support related tasks in support of a local Aging and People with Disabilities (APD) office composed of management, eligibility workers, case managers, adult protective service workers, and transition coordinators.
• Assist Oregonians through a trauma-informed lens.
• Provide administrative support for the business functions within the office.

Minimum Qualifications

• Two years of experience working in a reception area or call center either interviewing to obtain information or providing customer service. This experience must have involved a high volume of work (e.g., data entry, assuring information on applications is complete and accurate, completing necessary documents, etc.).
• OR an associate degree in Behavioral Science, Social Science, or a closely related field AND six months of experience working in a busy reception area or call center either interviewing to obtain information or providing customer service.
• OR an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience relative to the class concept.

Essential Attributes

• Experience delivering customer service that reflects strong communication skills in-person as well as over the phone.
• Experience collaborating in a professional environment with peers and community partners.
• Demonstrated ability to work within a team to collaborate, problem solve, and support daily goals.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt communication styles to effectively convey complex rules, regulations, and procedures to diverse audiences.
• Experience in accurately entering and verifying detailed data.

Working Conditions

• Work schedule is a traditional work week, Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM. Although rare, may require some overtime work.
• Travel may include supporting other offices in the district. Travel may be in inclement weather.
• May work with individuals experiencing trauma or crisis, including those who struggle to manage their emotions and may at times become hostile or highly distressed.
• High volume of computer work, using various computer programs in a fast-paced team environment.
• Priorities and procedures may change daily and require the ability to be flexible in application of procedures.