OFFICE ASSOCIATE OPT 2 (TEAM CLERICAL) - BLOOMINGTON

Position Overview

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is seeking an organized, professional, and energetic individual to serve as Team Clerical.  Under direction, this position will perform complex, specialized clerical services for a team of supervisors and professional child welfare or child protection staff.  The position will answer phones, greet visitors, maintain files, and perform general clerical functions.  This position provides a great opportunity for someone who is detail oriented and interested in playing a supporting role in the Department’s operations.  DCFS offers a competitive compensation plan, excellent benefits, and a pension program.  The ideal candidate for this position will have excellent organizational skills and strong communication skills.  We invite you to join our innovative team to help make a positive difference in the lives of the children and families of Illinois.

Job Responsibilities

1. Performs complex, specialized clerical services for a team(s) of supervisors and professional child welfare and/or child protection staff. 

• Prepares and keyboards a variety of complex materials, including, but not limited to highly technical reports, statistical data, Department forms, and correspondence
• Prepares unusual incident reports
• Designs new formats or revises formats
• Composes and keyboards varied correspondence and responds to inquiries requiring knowledge of agency rules and procedures, such as billing procedures, payment requirements, and confidentiality and case access rules
• Checks for accuracy of keyboarding, spelling, grammar, and punctuation
• Exercises independent judgment and a command of legal, medical, and social terminology to review documents such as social histories, court reports, and correspondence to proof appropriate use of terms and accuracy of information

(Job Responsibilities continued)

2. Answers incoming phone calls and greets visitors.

• Screens visitors/callers to determine nature of request
• Interviews caller to gather needed information to assess situation
• Refers caller to appropriate source such as intake worker, another public agency, or a community interest group
• Interprets to the public agency services and procedures
• Schedules and cancels appointments for staff
• Receives incoming mail and distributes to appropriate staff, which requires accessing tickler files (manual or automated) to determine appropriate distribution
• Prepares outgoing correspondence for mailing

Job Responsibilities Continued

3. Establishes and maintains case files

• Reviews incoming documents to ascertain proper section for placement in the case files
• Reviews turnaround documents (CANTS/CYCIS) for accuracy
• Maintains calendar of court dates
• Establishes and maintains tickler files (computerized or manual) to monitor case status, indicating timeframes
• Maintains itineraries of assigned staff
• Enters MARS/CYCIS information in terminal, such as activity, travel, and case reviews, retrieving, adding, changing, and deleting information
• Operates a copy machine to make copies

4. Completes and keyboards travel vouchers from handwritten materials, calculates and reviews to ensure accuracy, and returns to workers for review and signature

• Maintains file copy of unit vouchers and forwards for payment processing
• Computes mileage and allowable per diem expenses
• Performs timekeeping functions as requested

Job Responsibilities Continued

5. Provides clerical office support as a secretary to the team supervisors and professional staff

• Makes travel and meeting arrangements for team members
• Follows oral and written instruction, gaining experience and knowledge in applying evolving automated office equipment and technology to complete tasks

6. Orients professional and other clerical staff regarding Departmental rules and office procedures

• Attends and provides input into team meetings
• Maintains updated Rules and Procedures manuals
• Supervises children in the office to ensure their safety and provide personal needs
• Maintains inventory and orders supplies and form

7. Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties enumerated above

Minimum Qualifications

1. Requires knowledge, skill, and mental development equivalent to completion of high school
2. Requires 2 years of office experience
3. Requires the ability to keyboard accurately at 45 wpm

Conditions of Employment

1. Requires ability to pass a background check