Intake & Customer Service Representative (Office Specialist 2)

Initial Posting Date: 09/30/2024 Application Deadline: 10/13/2024 Agency: Department of Early Learning and Care Salary Range: $3,218 - $4,338 Position Type: Employee Position Title: Intake & Customer Service Representative (Office Specialist 2) Job Description: The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care is excited to announce a permanent opening for an Intake & Customer Service Representative (Office Specialist 2). Oregon is home to over 275,000 children, birth to kindergarten entry. Our state has an opportunity to change how it supports these children and their families and, in doing so, put itself on the path to an even brighter future. Overwhelming evidence tells us that investing in young children and their families has a lasting impact across their lifetime. Now is your chance to be part of an agency that will have positive impacts on current and future generations of young children and their families. This position will work a hybrid schedule of working both remotely and in the office one day per week. More about us: This position is part of the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care (DELC) which is an agency that prides itself on enabling Oregon's young children and families to learn and thrive. We are responsible for administering state funded early learning programs, including home visiting and site-based infant, toddler, and preschool services and supports for families, licensing Oregon’s child care providers and developing systems that coordinate regional cross sector partnerships through Early Learning Hubs. DELC partners with local Child Care Resource and Referral organizations to provide professional learning, coaching, consultation and other quality improvement opportunities for early learning and care providers. What you will do: This position plays an important role in assisting the Child Care Licensing Division (CCLD) in supporting Oregon’s child care providers and families by providing customer service and clerical support to the public and CCLD staff. This includes answering phones and emails from internal and external customers in a call center environment, processing applications, processing mail, acting as a liaison for facility and office equipment issues and providing general office support to the work unit as needed. This position ensures Central Office support processes are carried out in conjunction with DELC equity policies and practices. To view a complete job description, click here What we are looking for (minimum qualifications): Two years of general clerical experience that includes keyboarding, word processing, or other experience generating documents OR An associate degree in any field OR An equivalent combination of education and experience. In addition, we are looking for applicants that have the following Desired Attributes: Demonstrated customer service skills; ability to act professionally and courteously with internal and external individuals, including coworkers, managers, other staff, and members of the public via e-mail, via phone, and in-person. Experience explaining program rules and guidelines. Familiarity with Microsoft 365 and Office products: Word, Excel, Outlook, OneNote, and Teams. Experience using standard office equipment such as desktop and laptop computers, printers, copiers, scanners, etc. Strong organizational and time management skills with an ability to switch priorities or projects seamlessly; high aptitude for learning new things and an ability to pay attention to detail. The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care strives to create an inclusive environment that welcomes and values the diversity of the people we serve. We foster fairness, equity, and inclusion to create a workplace environment where everyone is treated with respect and dignity. Candidates of all racial and ethnic backgrounds, as well as bilingual/multicultural individuals, are encouraged to apply. To Apply: The screening of candidates will be based on a review of an attached resume (limit to two pages). While a cover letter is not required, it is highly encouraged. If you submit a cover letter, please tailor it to the position and address your experience with the desired attributes listed above. Candidates whose backgrounds most closely match the desired attributes and experience section as outlined in this announcement will be invited to interview. What’s in it for you? When you join the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care, you are joining a fast-paced, creative environment with colleagues who are passionate about public service and building early childhood equity statewide. Excellent medical, vision, and dental benefits package for the employee and qualified family members with a very low monthly out-of-pocket cost. In addition to standard medical benefits and employee leave, the state also provides additional optional benefits, such as basic life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, deferred compensation savings program, and flexible spending accounts for health care and child care expenses; 11 paid holidays per year; 3 paid "Personal Business Days" per year that you may use at any time; 1 additional paid “Special Day” per year that you may use at any time; 8 hours of sick leave accumulated every month; Progressive vacation leave accrual, with increases every 5 years; Student Loan Forgiveness Program: if you have federal student loan debt or are thinking of going back to school, then you will want to look into this program. If you make 120 qualifying payments on your student loan while working full time for a qualifying employer, your student loan debt may be forgiven. Commitment to Equity: Considering a career with us means that you value dedication, integrity, and collective wisdom and that you are eager to employ values rooted in equity to benefit Oregon’s children and families. We value diversity and support a positive and welcoming environment where all of our employees can thrive. Our teams promote a collaborative, proactive culture of continuous improvement with a focus on quality implementation and impactful outcomes for children and families. As our state, counties, and cities become more diverse, it is imperative now more than ever that we focus on evolving practices to achieve increased equity, diversity, and inclusion in all of our work. Our goal is to lead with courage externally and internally. This means challenging ourselves to do things differently and refining current practices that ensure we continue to make strides towards equity. We understand that everyone has varying levels of understanding when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion and we are here to meet you where you are! At DELC, we are committed to creating a place where everyone has a chance to achieve their dreams, no matter where they come from or what they look like by: Designing and/or asking sets of questions to identify and eliminate disparate results-outputs, outcomes, impacts- of policies, programs, and practices for underserved/under-represented community members (e.g., people of color; people with disabilities; LGBTQ+, etc.; and new immigrant populations). Demonstrating cultural consciousness, commitment, and behavior, to improving an inclusive workplace climate for everyone. Producing results, i.e., outputs, outcomes, or impacts from programs and decisions toward closing disparities for under-represented community members and improving results for everyone. Additional Information: This recruitment announcement will be used to establish a list of qualified candidates to fill the current vacancy and may be used to fill future vacancies as they occur. This position is subject to both a Child Protective Services and Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS) check, including FBI fingerprinting, and will be required to enroll in the Central Background Registry. Both of these checks must be completed and approved prior to starting with the agency. Adverse background data will be grounds for immediate disqualification. Eligible veterans who meet the qualifications will be given veterans' preference. For further information, please see the following website: Veterans Resources . The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care does not offer visa sponsorship. Within three days of hire, all applicants will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security's Form I-9, confirming authorization to work in the United States. The Department is an E-Verify employer. The job posting closes at 11:59 PM (PDT) on the close date. After you submit your application, be sure to respond to the two questionnaires relating to public records requests and veterans’ preference immediately following your submittal. These questions are necessary to complete the application process. External Applicants (non-state of Oregon employees): If you would like to retain a copy of this job posting, please print a copy before submitting your application. Once the job posting has closed, you will not be able to access the posting. The employee in this position will be represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and will be subject to all terms and conditions of the collective bargaining agreement. Pay and benefits on all job listings may change without notice. Want to be notified of our latest openings, subscribe here Not from Oregon? Learn more about our beautiful state here Applicants with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation to participate in the hiring process. For assistance regarding reasonable accommodation requests, please contact the agency recruitment team at DELC.Jobs@delc.oregon.gov The Oregon Department of Early Learning and Care is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer committed to a diverse workforce. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job. We would encourage you to apply, even if you don't meet every one of our desired attributes listed. If you are unsure whether you meet the qualifications of this position, please feel free to contact us to discuss your application.