PROGRAM SUPPORT SPECIALIST

Position Overview

The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) is seeking an organized, professional, and results oriented individual to serve as a Program Support Specialist. Responsibilities include providing information and guidance concerning employment services and unemployment insurance (UI) programs, analyzing program effectiveness and compliance with regulations, resolving account discrepancies, and providing administrative support. This position provides a great opportunity for someone who has a strong knowledge of employment services and UI programs and is dedicated to ensuring program improvement and compliance with agency policies and state and federal legislation. The ideal candidate for this position will have extensive experience working with employment services and UI programs to assist job seekers, employers, and UI claimants. IDES offers a competitive compensation plan, excellent benefits, and a pension program. We invite you to join our innovative team to help make a positive difference in the lives of Illinois employers and job seekers.

Essential Functions

• Under general supervision, serves as a Program Support Specialist for the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES)
• Assists in collecting information from clients and employers related to Unemployment Insurance and Wagner-Peyser Programs, including but not limited to Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA), hire the Future (HTF), Re-entry Employment Service Program (RESP), Older Workers and Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)
• Utilizing the agency’s labor exchange and claimant benefit systems, including but not limited to Illinois Job Link (IJL), and the Illinois Benefit Information System (IBIS), reviews and researches employer and/or client accounts to resolve discrepancies and ensure details are recorded accurately
• Assists the Manager with various administrative duties related to the management of programs
• Using a personal computer and related software programs, including but not limited to Microsoft (MS) Outlook, MS Word, MS Excel and agency specific software, enters, reviews and processes job orders and Individual Employment Plans, ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations
• Monitors ongoing agency and regional training programs designed to provide increased employability skills for clients to ensure that these programs fulfill both employer and client needs
• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably with the scope of the duties enumerated above

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires knowledge, skill and mental development equivalent to completion of four (4) years college with major courses in the social sciences; OR Requires four (4) years of work experience in program research evaluation or design with two (2) of the years at the professional level.

Conditions of Employment

• Requires an Illinois State Police background check and self-disclosure of any criminal history.
• Requires ability to travel in the performance of duties, with overnight stays as appropriate.
• This position is considered light work as defined by the U.S. Department of Labor (20 CFR 404.1567(b)). Light work involves lifting no more than 20 pounds at a time with frequent lifting or carrying of objects weighing up to 10 pounds. This job may require a good deal of walking or standing, or involves sitting most of the time with some pushing and pulling of arm or leg controls.
• Requires ability to attend seminars, conferences, and trainings to stay current on methods, tools, ideologies, or other industry related topics relevant to the job duties.
• The conditions of employment listed here are incorporated and related to any of the job duties as listed in the job description.

About the Agency

The Illinois Department of Employment Security’s (IDES) mission is to serve Illinois workers and employers to the best of our ability and to use our knowledge of the Illinois workforce to inform sound policy decision making. IDES encourages economic growth and stability in Illinois by providing vital Employment Services to Illinois residents and employers, analyzing and disseminating actionable Labor Market Information, and administering Unemployment Insurance programs.