Public Benefits Specialist 1-3 In-Training (PBS3) Spokane/Yakima

Full Job Description

Job Title: Public Benefits Specialist 1-3 In-Training (PBS3)
Location: Two positions available-

• Spokane Valley-This position is hybrid with the expectation of in-person attendance to meet business needs. Therefore, the selected candidate must be willing and able to commute to 8517 E. Trent Ave., Spokane Valley, WA 99212.

• Yakima- This position is hybrid with the expectation of in-person attendance to meet business needs. Therefore, the selected candidate must be willing and able to commute to 1002 N 16^th Ave., Yakima, WA 98901.

Closes: April 9th, 2026
Salary: Public Benefits Specialist 1 (PBS1): $4,428 - $5,137 monthly; Public Benefits Specialist 2 (PBS2): $4,653 - $5,531 monthly; Public Benefits Specialist 3 (PBS3): $4,882 - $5,956 monthly.

Do you want to help families and communities safely care for their children? We are looking for a Public Benefits Specialist to join our team and provide eligibility determination for support services, working toward the common goal of eliminating child and youth outcome disparities at the Child Care Subsidy Contact Center. If you have a passion for helping others and want to strengthen opportunities, connections, and community, we encourage you to apply.

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) was created to be a comprehensive agency exclusively dedicated to the social, emotional, and physical well-being of children, youth, and families regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other socioeconomic factors.

We believe our workforce should reflect the communities we serve and are actively searching for candidates that reflect that diversity. Click here to learn more about DCYF.

The Opportunity:The Public Benefits Specialist conducts interviews, reviews information, and makes eligibility determinations for child care subsidy assistance.

As the incumbent of this position, you will use your extensive and specialized financial knowledge, as well as your ability to interpret public laws and policies and make independent decisions.

In this role, you will provide customer service delivery and support children receiving early education. Some of what you will do:

• Conduct intensive interviews with customers to determine eligibility for services, or continued eligibility for services when notifying the program of changes of circumstances for Child Care benefits.
• Process Child Care applications received from the Washington Connection online applications, in the Document Management System (DMS), and through interactive interviews.
• Analyze collected oral and written information to determine accurate benefits and continued program eligibility.
• Finalize Child Care applications and reapplications with information received and verified for accurate determination of eligibility.
• Refer clients to both mandatory and optional services, including to other agencies as required.
• Take actions necessary to ensure that limited English proficient clients receive properly translated forms and translation services from state certified, contracted translators and interpreters.
• Authorize Working Connections Child Care Subsidy payment to approved Licensed facility and Family Friend and Neighbor (FFN) Subsidy Providers through the Social Services Payment System (SSPS).
• Compute and initiate overpayments and client notifications when necessary.
• Issue reimbursements and benefits when appropriate to correct under issuances.
• Assist Child Care Providers with subsidy payment information and other requirements to receive subsidy.

Required qualifications:We are considering candidates at the Public Benefits Specialist 1 through 3 levels.

Candidates, if hired, at the 1 and 2 levels, have a training plan to advance to Public Benefits Specialist 3.

Experience is the only difference between qualifications for levels and is evaluated by the hiring manager. Public Benefits Specialist 1 (PBS1):

• One year of experience conducting financial eligibility determination for public assistance to include financial, medical and food benefit programs.

OR

• A bachelor’s degree AND Experience examining/processing medical insurance or rehabilitation claims, unemployment insurance claims, or in a customer service job where the major duties involve public contact, or a job providing staff support in financial eligibility determination will substitute, year for year, for education.

Public Benefits Specialist 2 (PBS2):

• Six months of experience as a Public Benefits Specialist 1, and completion of the agency's Public Benefits Specialist Training Program.

OR

• One year of experience conducting financial eligibility determination for public assistance to include financial, medical and food benefit programs and completing the agency’s Public Benefits Specialist Training Program.

Public Benefits Specialist 3 (PBS3):

• Nine months of experience as a Public Benefits Specialist 2.

OR

• Fifteen months of experience as a Public Benefits Specialist 1 and satisfactory completion of the agency's Public Benefits Specialist Training Program

OR

• Equivalent combination of education and/or experience determining eligibility for financial, medical, food, long-term services and support programs, childcare and equal access benefits totaling 18 months.
  

Note(s): Candidates selected to advance will be required to complete an in-person math assessment as part of the initial screening process.

Selected candidates will receive approximately one week’s notice with the assessment date, time, and location.

In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following:

• Demonstrated experience working in a high-volume customer service environment.
• One (1) year of experience working in a call center environment.
• Prior experience determining eligibility for public programs.

How do I apply?
In addition to completing the online application, applicants must attach the following documents to their profile to be considered for this position:

• Cover Letter
• Resume (current/updated)
• Professional references (three)

Supplemental Information:The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is committed to Washington’s children and youth growing up safe, healthy, and thriving.

We invite all candidates to join us in our mission to create a diverse and equitable workplace that reflects the communities we serve.

If you are excited about this role but you believe that your education and/or experience might not align perfectly with every qualification in the job posting, we encourage you to apply anyway.

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability.

This position is in a bargaining unit represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE). For more information: https://wfse.org/.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.

If you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment or if you would like to request an accommodation throughout the application/interview process, contact me atsteven.loduha@dcyf.wa.gov.

If you're experiencing technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application, call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or email support@neogov.com.

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may call the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at (360) 664-1960.