Ess Consultant Jobs (NOW HIRING)

The Florida Department of Children and Families, Office of Economic Self-Sufficiency (ESS), is seeking a highly motivated and analytical professional to serve as an OPS Government Operations Consultant I supporting statewide eligibility operations. This is an Other Personal Services (OPS) position with the State of Florida. OPS employees may be eligible for benefits and programs in accordance with applicable state requirements and eligibility provisions. 

This position provides direct operational support to eligibility case processing and serves as a resource for identifying, researching, and resolving case actions that require additional analysis, follow-up, or coordination. The position will support timely and accurate processing of eligibility actions while helping ESS maintain compliance with federal and state requirements, Department policy, procedural guidance, and established quality and timeliness standards. 

The successful candidate will work collaboratively with statewide, regional, and local ESS leadership and eligibility staff to identify processing issues, analyze case information, resolve barriers to disposition, and support continuous improvement of eligibility operations. This position requires independent judgment, attention to detail, analytical ability, effective communication, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a high-volume eligibility environment. 

Location: Fort Pierce.  Applicants interested in working in counties/cities other than listed will need to apply for positions advertised for those specific areas on the PeopleFirst System.

Specific Responsibilities 

The incumbent will: 

• Review and process eligibility case actions requiring research, clarification, correction, or additional operational attention. 

• Analyze case information and available system data to determine appropriate next steps for eligibility actions, including applications, renewals, changes, redeterminations, pending actions, transfers, and other case maintenance activities. 

• Research and resolve case discrepancies, system-generated alerts, eligibility errors, missing information, and other issues that may prevent timely case disposition. 

• Review cases for compliance with applicable eligibility policies, procedures, federal requirements, state requirements, and ESS operating instructions. 

• Perform case research using applicable Department systems, databases, reports, electronic case records, and other available resources. 

• Identify and address cases approaching or exceeding established processing timeframes, escalating barriers when necessary to prevent unnecessary delays in eligibility determination. 

• Assist with statewide efforts to reduce pending workloads and improve timely disposition of eligibility actions. 

• Conduct targeted case reviews to identify recurring processing issues and potential root causes. 

• Provide technical assistance and clarification to eligibility staff and supervisors regarding case actions and processing requirements, as appropriate. 

• Coordinate with regional and statewide ESS staff to resolve complex or escalated case issues. 

• Develop and maintain tracking mechanisms for assigned case actions, issues, referrals, and corrective actions. 

• Prepare reports, spreadsheets, summaries, and other management information related to eligibility operations. 

• Monitor assigned workload to ensure actions are completed accurately and within established timeframes. 

• Identify operational barriers and recommend practical solutions to improve efficiency, accuracy, timeliness, and customer service. 

• Support quality improvement initiatives designed to reduce errors, prevent repeat findings, and improve payment and eligibility accuracy. 

• Assist with implementation and monitoring of statewide eligibility initiatives, system changes, corrective actions, and operational directives. 

• Participate in workgroups, meetings, training activities, and special projects related to  eligibility operations. 

• Maintain confidentiality and safeguard customer information in accordance with Department requirements and applicable laws, rules, and policies. 

• Perform other duties as assigned. 

The position is intended to provide additional operational capacity and analytical support to ESS eligibility operations, with an emphasis on resolving case actions, reducing avoidable pending work, improving accuracy, and supporting timely delivery of benefits. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 

The successful candidate should demonstrate knowledge of or the ability to learn: 

•  Eligibility programs and eligibility determination processes; 

• Public assistance eligibility operations; 

• Case processing procedures and workflow management; 

• State and federal program requirements; 

• Data analysis and operational reporting; 

• Quality assurance and quality improvement principles; 

• Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, Outlook, and Teams; 

• Electronic case management and eligibility systems; and 

• Research and problem-solving techniques. 

Preferred Qualifications 

Preference may be given to applicants with: 

• Experience with Florida public assistance programs, including Medicaid, SNAP, or TANF; 

• Experience working within the Florida Department of Children and Families Office of Economic Self-Sufficiency; 

• Experience using the Florida eligibility system or other public assistance eligibility systems; 

• Experience reviewing eligibility cases for accuracy and compliance; 

• Experience identifying and resolving case processing errors; 

• Experience analyzing operational data or workload reports; 

• Experience with quality assurance, quality control, or continuous improvement activities; 

• Experience working with high-volume case workloads; and 

• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft Office applications. 

 Special note: 

It is the policy of the Florida Department of Children and Families that any applicant being considered for employment must successfully complete a State and National criminal history check as a condition of employment before beginning employment, and, if applicable, also be screened in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, F.S., and Chapter 408, F.S.  No applicant may begin employment until the background screening results are received, reviewed for any disqualifying offenses, and approved by the Agency.  Background screening shall include, but not be limited to, fingerprinting for State and Federal criminal records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and may include local criminal history checks through local law enforcement agencies.

Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, should notify the hiring authority and/or People First Service Center in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation. The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace. The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. Employees are subject to applicable provisions of the Drug-Free Workplace Act. 

IF YOU EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS APPLYING ONLINE, PLEASE CALL THE PEOPLE FIRST SERVICE CENTER AT (877) 562-7287.