APPLICANTS MUST BE PERMANENT IN THE ASSOCIATE BENEFITS OPPORTUNITY SPECIALIST CIVIL SERVICE TITLE

The Department of Social Services (DSS) is comprised of the administrative units of the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) and the Department of Homeless Services (DHS). HRA is dedicated to fighting poverty and income inequality by providing New Yorkers in need with essential benefits such as Food Assistance and Emergency Rental Assistance. DHS is committed to preventing and addressing homelessness in New York City by employing a variety of innovative strategies to help families and individuals successfully exit shelter and return to self-sufficiency as quickly as possible. The Centralized Rent Processing Unit (CRPU) is responsible for the timely processing and issuing of checks on grants approved by RAU and FCDU and the disbursement of rent checks to DHS, Landlord, Homebase, and Legal Services Providers.

Under general supervision, with latitude for independent decision making and action, in accordance with agency policies/procedures and federal/state regulations. The Senior CRPU Specialist reports to the Administrative Job Opportunity Specialist NM-I (Deputy Director CRPU) of the Centralized Rent Processing Unit (CRPU) to ensure the timely processing of emergency rent arrears grants approved by the Rental Assistance Unit (RAU), and FHEPS housing subsidy grants approved by the FHEPS Centralized Determination Unit (FCDU).

The Centralized Rent Processing Unit (CRPU) is recruiting for one (1) Associate Benefits Opportunity Specialist II to function as a Senior CRPU Special who will:

- Assign and monitor cases from the POS Queues to the ABOSI to ensure all cases are completed in a timely manner. Provide the second level of approval on all grants submitted after a review of the packet has been completed, which require reviewing the case checks and comments to see the actions taken by the BOS/ABOSI staff, review SI Grant Screen in POS, review checks and issuance codes associated with the issuances. Determine whether all case actions are correct and forward case for higher level approval.

- Respond to emails from DHS, Home Base, Legal Providers, Center Management, Constituent Inquires, CRPU Inquiries Mailbox and Job Center Management from Legal Advocates, Community Based Organizations, a plethora of Management Companies, and Job Center Managers who need updates on the whereabouts of checks (Mailed or Picked up), such as granted approvals, correction to landlord names and addresses that must be updated in WMS , payee designation, and the status of pending requests on FHEPS/CITYFHEPS subsidies.

- Provide the final authorization on all stop payment requests submitted by the ABOSI by reviewing information entered in Finance.net to ensure that the information is correct.

- Monitor cases in the POS Management Console to ensure all cases are completed. Responsible for submitting a daily count of all cases assigned and processed by the BOS such as meeting with the ABOSI to discuss the identified deficiencies, impend a corrective action plan to ensure that the identified deficient areas are corrected. Draft Deficiency Memorandum regarding any cases to the ABOS I, if there have been previous discussions (both verbal and written).

Work Location: 109 East 16th Street

Hours: 11am-7pm

ASSOCIATE BENEFITS OPPORTUNITY - 56316

1. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent, and three years of
full-time satisfactory experience working directly in social/human services or a
related setting, providing either:
a) client services.
b) employment planning/counseling services which involves job development,
skills assessment, and employment placement or other economic
opportunity programming.
2. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college; plus eighteen months of full time satisfactory experience working as a Benefits Opportunity Specialist; or
3. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college; plus eighteen months of full time satisfactory experience as described in one (1) above.
4. College credit from an accredited college may be substituted for this experience
on the basis of 60 semester credits for 9 months of the work experience described
above. However, all candidates must have at least 18 months of full-time
satisfactory experience working as a Benefits Opportunity Specialist or performing
social/human services work as described in one (1) above.

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.