Child Support Specialist III

Job Description

Introduction

THIS IS A NEW ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION. The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year but can be extended.

Supplemental Questionnaire: A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application. Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing. Failure to submit the Application or Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires will only be accepted online.

DESCRIPTION

THE AGENCY

Alameda County Department of Child Support Services (ACCSS) believes that all parents should be fully engaged in supporting the wellbeing of their children. To meet our Vision, ACCSS is committed to serving the children and families of Alameda County in ways that are innovative, responsive, efficient, compassionate and in tune with the rich diversity of our community.

Our customers are mothers, fathers, caregivers, children, community partners and the residents of Alameda County. ACCSS’s core business is to provide assistance to families through establishment of parentage, the establishment of child support orders for monetary and medical support, and through the enforcement of child support orders. To carry out this Mission, our employees are dedicated and talented people who leverage their skills and passion for public service to meet customer needs. Through coordinated efforts and collaboration with community partners, ACCSS collects and distributes important child support, enhancing self-efficiency and the well-being of families throughout Alameda County.

Alameda Child Support Services’ culture and business operations are shaped by the following key principles:

• Family Focused : Partner with families to eliminate barriers to providing reliable child support to their children.
• Dynamic Workforce : Attract, retain, and develop a highly skilled and engaged workforce.
• Operational Excellence : Focus on the highest level of performance and efficiency in our service delivery.
• Innovation : Meet the needs of families through creative solutions.
• Collaboration : Partner with the community to create an ecosystem of support services.

For more information about Alameda County Child Support Services, click HERE.

For more information about the State of CA Child Support, click HERE.

THE POSITION

Under general supervision, Child Support Specialist III’s handle the most complex and/or sensitive child support cases; provide training to Child Support Specialist I/II and other support staff; lead Child Support Specialists and support staff in the execution of day to day work or special projects and perform the full range of Child Support Specialist duties as necessary to meet and deliver program objectives, and perform related work as required.

For more detailed information about the job classification, please visit: Child Support Specialist III (#1403).




THE IDEAL CANDIDATE


In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications stated below, the ideal candidate will possess the following:

Is an effective communicator and displays excellent interpersonal skills; is comfortable engaging customers in-person, using the telephone, video chat and email. Accepts and adapts to change and demonstrates resilience. Plans and organizes work efficiently to meet goals. Grasps new concepts quickly and can quickly disseminate information accurately to others. Has well-developed work habits and is detail oriented. Performs the technical aspects of child support work that involves independent judgment, accuracy, and speed. Gathers, organizes, and analyzes information. Makes accurate arithmetical computations. Understands and follows complex oral and written directions. Thrives in and supports a productive team environment. Has exceptional skills using computers and navigating in Windows-based software. Establishes and maintains cooperative working relationships with co-workers and the public.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education :

Graduation from high school or possession of a Certificate of Proficiency issued by the California State Board of Education, or possession of a G.E.D. certificate.

AND

Experience :

EITHER I

The equivalent of two years of full-time experience in the class of Child Support Specialist II or an equivalent higher-level classification in the Alameda County classified service with primary responsibility for interviewing, or exchanging detailed verbal information, and managing a caseload in a responsible public contact position.

OR II

The equivalent of four years full-time child support case work experience within a child support program.

Substitution :

Possession of an associate or bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in sociology, public administration, liberal arts, or closely related field may be substituted for either six months (AA) or one year (BA/BS) respectively, of the required experience in pattern II.

Special Requirements :

1. Must possess and maintain a valid California State Motor Vehicle Operator’s license.

2. A thorough pre-employment background investigation, including fingerprinting will be conducted of all candidates who have accepted a conditional offer of employment to ensure suitability for child support related work. A felony conviction may be disqualifying.

NOTE : The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of :

• General principles and procedures of casework, child support establishment, enforcement and collection procedures, methods and techniques.
• Federal, State and local laws pertaining to the establishment, collection and enforcement of child support.
• Interviewing principles, research techniques and procedures.
• Principles and practices of leadership and performance management.
• Child support case management computer systems, programs and applications or similar proprietary case management system.
• Basic arithmetic to perform calculations and understand financial records.
• Principles and practices of customer service.
• Modern office methods, procedures, tools and equipment.
• Proper English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Terminology and processes related to child support laws and regulations.
• Legal forms and documents used to enforce support.
• Mandated child abuse reporter laws and procedures.

Ability to :

• Maintain systematic, detailed and accurate case files/records and notes of activities.
• Research and extract personal and financial information from a variety of sources.
• Work independently and exercise sound judgement.
• Analyze factual information to solve problems, accomplish tasks and make recommendations within guidelines.
• Provide lead guidance and direction, planning, organizing, and prioritizing the work of subordinate staff.
• Develop and deliver technical training appropriate for one-on-one and group settings.
• Apply laws and interpret policies related to the collection and enforcement of child support.
• Research and analyze complex legal, financial and other records sufficiently to obtain data needed to secure and enforce child support cases.
• Communicate clearly and concisely both orally and in writing.
• Deal tactfully and courteously with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Interview participants in-person and over the telephone to elicit information.
• Organize assigned work effectively and manage multiple priorities.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with both internal and external customers.
• Use a variety of collection methods to obtain child support payments.
• Maintain the integrity and confidentiality of sensitive and personal information.
• Operate a variety of office equipment, including desk top and laptop computer equipment, databases and programs common to child support enforcement activities.
• Follow and apply oral and written instructions.
• Draft and compose standard business correspondence using proper English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation.

EXAMINATION COMPONENTS

The examination will consist of the following steps:

A review of applicants' application to verify possession of minimum requirements. Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process. A review of the supplemental questionnaire to determine the best qualified. Those candidates considered the best qualified will move on to the final step in the examination process. An oral interview which will be weighted as 100% of the candidates' final examination score. The oral interview may contain situational exercises

Candidates must attain a qualifying rating on each portion of this recruitment.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED EXAMINATION STEPS.

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit. Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position. Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position. Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work.

To learn more about our recruitment and selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, https://hrs.alamedacountyca.gov/

RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PLAN

Applicants will be informed via email with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance.

The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency.
TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT PLAN:

Deadline for Filing:

5:00:00 PM, Friday, September 18, 2026

Review of Minimum Qualifications:

Friday, September 25, 2026
Screening for the Best-Qualified:

Week of October 26, 2026
Civil Service Oral Examination:

Week of November 16, 2026

TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN:
Departmental Hiring Interviews: December 2026

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED RECRUITMENT & SELECTION PLAN

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statutes. To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement no later than the recruitment filing deadline . If this is a continuous open recruitment without a filing deadline, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement within ten (10) business days of submitting your application . Unless your disability is readily apparent (for example, you use a wheelchair and need wheelchair-accessible spaces), Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statutes.

For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website, https://hrs.alamedacountyca.gov.

BENEFITS

The County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall wellbeing. These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Well-Being

• Medical - HMO & PPO Plans
• Dental - HMO & PPO Plans
• Vision or Vision Reimbursement
• Share the Savings
• Basic Life Insurance
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage for eligible employees)
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
• County Allowance Credit
• Flexible Spending Accounts - Health FSA, Dependent Care and Adoption Assistance
• Short-Term Disability Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Voluntary Benefits - Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Long-Term Care, Hospital Indemnity and Legal Services
• Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• Retirement Plan - (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
• Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan or Roth Plan)

For your Work/Life Balance

• 12 paid holidays
• Floating Holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Catastrophic Sick Leave
• Pet Insurance
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
• Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
• Child Care Resources
• 1 st United Credit Union

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement. This provides a summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

Conclusion

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @jobaps.com, @acgov.org, Noreplyalamedacountyhr@acgov.org and Noreply@jobaps.com as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the 'My applications' button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to ensure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box Noreply@jobaps.com and Noreplyalamedacountyhr@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions please go to our website at https://hrs.alamedacountyca.gov/ . You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the bulletin for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Rosario Jones | Human Resources Analyst
Human Resource Services, County of Alameda
510-891-5737 | Email: Rosario.Jones@acgov.org
https://hrs.alamedacountyca.gov/

Disaster Service Worker

All Alameda County employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law. Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to report to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Alameda County has a diverse workforce, that is representative of the communities we serve, and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance and business need. Alameda County does not discriminate in employment on the basis of, race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors protected under federal, state and local law. Alameda County celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive, and welcoming workplace environment.

Closing Date/Time: 9/18/2026 5:00:00 PM