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The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
The Human Resources Division
Classification Specification
CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT SPECIALIST SERIES
DRAFT
JOB TITLE & SUMMARY OF SERIES
• DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
• KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
• RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS
• WORKING ENVIRONMENT
• PHYSICAL ABILITIES
• COMPETENCIES
• KNOWLEDGE, EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, veterans,
and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is committed to
providing reasonable accommodation to qualified people with disabilities.
CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT SPECIALIST LEVELS I - III:
There are three levels of work in the Child Support Enforcement Specialist series.
Incumbents of classifications in this series establish, evaluate and monitor child support
cases and ensure compliance with child support agreements and court orders.
Incumbents research cases involving failure to pay; gather information and review and
evaluate financial standing of custodial and non-custodial parents; educate customers
regarding applicable policy, procedures, laws and regulations; aide in the collection of
funds; manage, update and audit cases and databases; and maintain relationships and
disseminate information to key personnel across internal and external agencies.
The basic purpose of this work is to support the enforcement of child support agreements
and court orders, including collection of money owed to the government and to families
and to enhance the well-being and welfare of children.
I. CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT SPECIALIST I:
Distinguishing Characteristics:
This is the entry-level professional classification in this series. Incumbents seek
guidance and advice from more experienced colleagues and focus on gaining knowledge
and experience to perform more independently. Work at this level is guided by basic
principles and practices.
Supervision Received:
Incumbents receive general supervision, and in some cases close supervision, from
employees of a higher grade who provide procedural guidance, training, instruction, work
assignments and performance reviews through frequent formal and informal verbal and
written reports for effectiveness and conformance to laws, regulations and agency policy.
Incumbents receive functional direction and work assignments from other agency staff.
Supervision Exercised:
Incumbents provide functional guidance to peers and support staff and may participate in
the training of new employees.
Functions Performed:
Incumbents perform the following:
• Review and audit applications and case information by collecting information from
customers, employers, attorneys and state agencies; research and analyze customer
financial information, employment status, employer identity, paternity and insurance
status for all parties involved to create and/or close a case and to determine eligibility
for services; document interactions and appropriate action.
• Create, maintain and update case files by reviewing child support applications,
contact information, birth and marriage certificates, financial data and other
information related to the safety of the child, including outstanding court orders;
accurately document and update all relevant case activities and all interactions with
involved parties to track case progress, to provide information to management and to
ensure records and confidential information are current, reliable, accessible for future
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, veterans,
and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is committed to
providing reasonable accommodation to qualified people with disabilities.
review or for use in court and protected in compliance with laws and policies.
• Initiate or receive contacts and provide customer service to custodial and non-
custodial parents, attorneys, employers, private organizations and other state
agencies; disseminate information, resolve customer issues and refer customers to
other agencies in order to meet their needs, to provide information and to enhance
the understanding of the case process and the governing laws, rules and regulations
and agency policy.
• Collaborate with co-workers and other agencies in a confidential manner to resolve
customer issues and maintain accurate and complete customer information.
• Assist in the enforcement, or exemption of enforcement, of court orders by
determining financial responsibility and evaluating appropriate options such as
license suspension, bank levies, lottery interception, tax interception and property
liens to support the proper allocation of funds and to protect the well-being of
children.
• Prepare documents and information for review by attorneys and, if necessary, testify
in court hearings and provide relevant case data to represent the agency and to
support the agency’s position and obligations.
Key Accountabilities:
Incumbents at this level have the decision-making authority to:
• Verify and confirm customer data.
• Set the financial amount of the order to enforce or exempt.
• Recommend adjustments to case account balances.
• Decide the appropriate timeline to enact enforcements.
• Choose referral sources for customers.
• Enact a review to determine customers’ ability to pay the amount outlined in the court
order.
• Prioritize and manage time and caseload.
• Elevate complex issues, customer conflicts and safety issues to management.
Relationships with Others:
Key contacts and relationships for incumbents include agency staff and peers; custodial
and non-custodial parents and family members and/or legal guardians; legal, court and
law enforcement personnel; employers; and other internal and external departments and
agencies.
Working Environment:
While performing the duties of this classification, incumbents are located in an office
setting. The noise level is typically quiet. Incumbents may perform work under emotional
stress and under time pressures, and may be exposed to verbal and/or physical
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, veterans,
and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is committed to
providing reasonable accommodation to qualified people with disabilities.
confrontations. Incumbents may be required to travel and may be exposed to traffic and
other roadway or travel-related hazards.
Physical Abilities:
While performing the duties of this classification, incumbents are regularly required to sit
for long periods of time, type, handle materials and talk and/or hear. Incumbents are
occasionally required to stand and walk as well as lift, carry, push or pull up to 25 pounds
of office supplies or equipment. Work assignments may be performed with or without
reasonable accommodation to a known disability.
Required Competencies:
• Concern for Order – The ability to create order in the environment by monitoring and
checking work and insisting on clarity.
• Customer Service Orientation – The ability to discover and meet the customer’s or
client’s needs.
• Flexibility – The ability to adapt to and work effectively as the situation changes.
• Information Gathering – The ability to investigate a situation, to seek out additional
information and to resolve discrepancies.
• Integrity – Takes actions that are consistent with what one says is important, that is,
he or she “walks the talk.”
• Interpersonal Understanding – The ability to understand the behavior of others and
the underlying drivers for that behavior.
• Problem Solving – The ability to think through problems, organize information, and
identify key factors and underlying causes to generate solutions.
• Self-Control – The ability to keep one’s emotions under control when provoked, faced
with opposition from others, or when working under conditions of stress.
Knowledge, Education and Experience:
Applicants must have at least (A) two years of full-time or equivalent part-time,
professional or paraprofessional experience in work involving customer service, social
work, educational/employment/vocational counseling, accounting, collections, case
management, criminal justice, law enforcement/investigation or related fields, or (B) or
any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below.
Incumbents may be required to have a current and valid Massachusetts Motor Vehicle
Driver’s License at a Class level specific to assignment.
Substitutions:
I. A Bachelor’s degree with a major in accounting, finance, criminal justice, social or
behavioral science, law or a related field may substitute for the required experience.
Incumbents are required to have the following at the time of hire:
1. Knowledge of basic regulations and laws concerning child support and social
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, veterans,
and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is committed to
providing reasonable accommodation to qualified people with disabilities.
services.
2. Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, to appropriately
document case activities and represent the agency in a professional manner.
3. Ability to maintain a calm manner and interact appropriately with others in emotionally
charged or stressful situations.
4. Ability to use a computer to conduct research, manage databases and produce
written documents.
5. Ability to research and investigate data from a variety of sources.
6. Ability to gather information through questioning and observing individuals and by
examining records and documents.
7. Ability to solve basic math problems.
8. Ability to multi-task, prioritize responsibilities and maintain accurate records.
9. Ability to interact effectively with and establish rapport with diverse teams and groups
of people.
10. Ability to exercise discretion in handling confidential information.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, veterans,
and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is committed to
providing reasonable accommodation to qualified people with disabilities.
II. CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT SPECIALIST II:
Distinguishing Characteristics:
This is the fully competent professional level classification in this series, and in some
work environments, can also be the first-level of supervision. Incumbents have thorough
knowledge of child support enforcement work policies, practices and techniques and
have mastered the technical job content, perform work of greater complexity, exercise
greater independence in making decisions and handle most cases independently. At this
level, incumbents are expected to perform the duties described for the Child Support
Enforcement Specialist Level I and demonstrate expertise in specific areas of child
support law and handle more complex cases.
Supervision Received:
Incumbents receive general supervision from employees of a higher grade who provide
policy guidance, case referrals, updated policy and procedure changes and performance
reviews through formal and informal verbal and written reports for effectiveness and
conformance to laws, regulations and agency policy.
Supervision Exercised:
Incumbents provide functional guidance and advice to peers and Child Support
Enforcement Specialist Level I and may participate in the training of new employees.
Incumbents may exercise direct supervision over, assign work to and review the
performance of Child Support Enforcement Specialist Level I, and other support staff and
employees of a lower grade. Incumbents may also participate in the interviewing process
and/or the training of new staff.
Additional Functions Performed:
Incumbents perform the following:
• Resolve complex customer issues to accurately and reliably meet the needs of all
parties involved and to prevent future issues or problems from occurring.
• Provide experienced guidance and advice and review the work of staff members,
both peers and direct reports, to increase agency capability to better serve customers
and to encourage appropriate case management.
• Provide technical consultation on complex case processing issues, complex financial
audits or complex customer inquires requiring an in-depth understanding of the entire
case processing flow.
• Develop and deliver formal training to both internal staff and external parties to
educate others regarding child support enforcement laws, policies and procedures.
Additional Key Accountabilities:
Incumbents at this level have the decision-making authority to:
• Resolve some complex cases or issues without management input or approval.
• Review the work of Child Support Enforcement Specialist Level I and make
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, veterans,
and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is committed to
providing reasonable accommodation to qualified people with disabilities.
corrections to errors founds in work.
• Delegate work to others to meet goals.
Relationships with Others:
Key contacts and relationships for incumbents include agency staff and peers; custodial
and non-custodial parents and family members and/or legal guardians; legal, court and
law enforcement personnel; employers; and other internal and external departments and
agencies.
Working Environment:
While performing the duties of this classification, incumbents are located in an office
setting. The noise level is typically quiet. Incumbents may perform work under emotional
stress and under time pressures, and may be exposed to verbal and/or physical
confrontations. Incumbents may be required to travel and may be exposed to traffic and
other roadway or travel-related hazards.
Physical Abilities:
While performing the duties of this classification, incumbents are regularly required to sit
for long periods of time, type, handle materials and talk and/or hear. Incumbents are
occasionally required to stand and walk as well as lift, carry, push or pull up to 25 pounds
of office supplies or equipment. Work assignments may be performed with or without
reasonable accommodation to a known disability.
Additional Required Competencies:
• Drive for Results – The ability to set goals and strive for excellence or improvement.
• Holds People Accountable – The ability to ensure others accept responsibility for
delegated tasks and are focused on achieving objectives.
• Teamwork – The ability to work cooperatively with others, to be part of a team, to
work together.
Knowledge, Education and Experience:
Applicants must have at least (A) four years of full-time or equivalent part-time,
professional or paraprofessional experience in work involving customer service, social
work, educational/employment/vocational counseling, accounting, collections, case
management, criminal justice, law enforcement/investigation or related fields, or (B) or
any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions below.
Incumbents may be required to have a current and valid Massachusetts Motor Vehicle
Driver’s License at a Class level specific to assignment.
Substitutions:
I. A Bachelor’s degree with a major in accounting, finance, criminal justice, social or
behavioral science, law or a related field may substitute for two years of the required
experience.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, veterans,
and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is committed to
providing reasonable accommodation to qualified people with disabilities.
Incumbents are required to have the following at the time of hire:
1. Ability to resolve complex issues involving multiple individuals and sets of data.
2. Ability to train and provide guidance to others.
3. In some work environments, ability to lead others and organize work.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, veterans,
and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is committed to
providing reasonable accommodation to qualified people with disabilities.
III. CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT SPECIALIST III:
Distinguishing Characteristics:
This is the first-level supervisory classification in this series, and in some work
environments may also be the second-level supervisory classification. Incumbents may
perform the duties described for Child Support Enforcement Specialist Level I -II;
however, at this level, incumbents have thorough knowledge of child support law and
focus on managing the actions of subordinate staff and addressing complex issues.
Incumbents perform work with considerable independence and autonomy. Incumbents
provide guidance and advice to Child Support Enforcement Specialist Level I-II based on
the interpretation of agency policies, laws and procedures.
Supervision Received:
Incumbents receive general supervision from employees of a higher grade who provide
guidance, coaching, work assignments and performance reviews through formal and
informal verbal and written reports for effectiveness and conformance to laws, regulations
and agency policy.
Supervision Exercised:
Incumbents exercise direct supervision over, assign cases to and review the performance
of Child Support Enforcement Specialist Level I-II. Incumbents provide training,
instructions and expert input pertaining to complex cases. Incumbents may participate in
the interviewing process and may make recommendations for new hires.
Additional Functions Performed:
Incumbents perform the following:
• Review the casework of all Child Support Enforcement Specialist Level I-II to monitor
performance and to ensure that both the customer needs and the agency needs are
met in compliance with agency policies, practices and standards.
• Provide and/or arrange for training to Child Support Enforcement Specialists
regarding policy changes, problem solving techniques and available resources to
encourage professional development and to improve one’s ability to execute child
support enforcement services.
• Oversee the time and attendance and manage the workflow of Child Support
Enforcement Specialist Level I-II to meet customer demand in a timely manner and to
ensure adequate staffing for the department.
• Build morale and address personnel issues to maintain a positive working
environment.
• Act as a liaison between Child Support Enforcement Specialists and management in
order to communicate and resolve issues, improve and streamline processes and
meet agency goals; provide input to management or participate in workgroups to
develop or make changes to current agency polices and procedures.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, veterans,
and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is committed to
providing reasonable accommodation to qualified people with disabilities.
Additional Key Accountabilities:
Incumbents at this level have the decision-making authority to:
• Direct and manage the day-to-day activities of lower level Child Support Enforcement
Specialists and support staff.
• Provide hiring and promotion recommendations.
• Design and implement training and development activities for staff members.
• Recommend or provide input regarding changes to agency policies and procedures.
Relationships with Others:
In addition to the contacts listed for the Child Support Enforcement Specialist Level I-II,
key contacts and relationships for Child Support Enforcement Specialist Level III
incumbents include agency management and direct reports.
Working Environment:
While performing the duties of this classification, incumbents are located in an office
setting. The noise level is typically quiet. Incumbents may perform work under emotional
stress and under time pressures, and may be exposed to verbal and/or physical
confrontations. Incumbents may be required to travel and may be exposed to traffic and
other roadway or travel-related hazards.
Physical Abilities:
While performing the duties of this classification, incumbents are regularly required to sit
for long periods of time, type, handle materials and talk and/or hear. Incumbents are
occasionally required to stand and walk as well as lift, carry, push or pull up to 25 pounds
of office supplies or equipment. Work assignments may be performed with or without
reasonable accommodation to a known disability.
Additional Required Competencies:
• Develops Talent – The ability to foster the long-term learning or development of
others.
• Relationship Building – The ability to build and/or maintain friendly, reciprocal, warm
relationships and networks of contacts.
Knowledge, Education and Experience:
Applicants must have at least (A) five years of full-time or equivalent part-time,
professional or paraprofessional experience in work involving customer service, social
work, educational/employment/vocational counseling, accounting, collections, case
management, criminal justice, law enforcement/investigation or related fields, of which at
least (B) one year of experience must have been in a supervisory or team leadership
capacity or (C) or any equivalent combination of the required experience and the
substitutions below.
Incumbents may be required to have a current and valid Massachusetts Motor Vehicle
Driver’s License at a Class level specific to assignment.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, veterans,
and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is committed to
providing reasonable accommodation to qualified people with disabilities.
Substitutions:
I. A Bachelor’s degree with a major in accounting, finance, criminal justice, social or
behavioral science, law or a related field may substitute for two years of the required
non-supervisory experience.
Incumbents are required to have the following at the time of hire:
1. Ability to lead a team of diverse individuals.
2. Ability to demonstrate confidence in decision-making.
3. Ability to supervise, including planning and assigning work according to the nature of
the job to be accomplished, the capabilities of subordinates and available resources;
controlling work through periodic reviews and/or evaluations; determining the need
for disciplinary action and recommending disciplinary action.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, veterans,
and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is committed to
providing reasonable accommodation to qualified people with disabilities.
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