Public Benefits Specialist 4 (PBS4) Kent

Full Job Description

Our vision is to ensure that “Washington state’s children and youth grow up safe and healthy—thriving physically, emotionally and academically, nurtured by family and community."

Job Title: Public Benefits Specialist 4 (PBS4) Kent

Location: Kent, WA | This position is currently deployed as a telework position, however, when there is a business need such as deployment ends, in-person meetings, IT/equipment issues, etc., the selected candidate must be willing and able to commute to 1313 W Meeker St. Kent WA 98032.

Closes: January 26th, 2026

Salary: $55,836 - $75,108 Annually - The salary listed does not include the additional 5% premium granted to all King County employees.

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is excited to welcome a Public Benefits Specialist 4 to our team!

This role is a meaningful opportunity to directly support DCYF’s mission: working alongside Washington’s vulnerable children, youth, and families to foster safety, stability, and better outcomes by strengthening opportunities, connections, and community.

You will help ensure children and families have access to reliable, high-quality child care by supporting accurate and timely eligibility determinations for child care subsidy programs.

You will serve as a Lead Worker, providing guidance, coaching, and technical support to a team of Public Benefits Specialists in both on-site and virtual financial units.

Your work will include reviewing eligibility decisions, ensuring the accuracy of Child Care Subsidy Program (CCSP) provider payments, responding to payment inquiries, and identifying potential discrepancies or fraud.

If you are motivated by leadership, collaboration, and making a tangible difference in the lives of children and families, this role offers the chance to put your expertise to work in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

Click here to learn more about DCYF.

Some of what you will do:

This position helps manage the workload and daily assignments across supervisory units with the DCYF Child Care Subsidy Statewide Call Center.

Serves as lead worker for a team of Public Benefits Specialists with the DCYF Child Care Subsidy Statewide Call Center including assigning, coaching, and checking work. Tasks include:

• Assigns work to Public Benefits Specialist staff who process Child Care Subsidy benefits.
• Audits and reviews work of Public Benefits Specialist staff. Conducts ongoing audits for new and experienced staff. Establishes reports and recommendations to supervisor on staff progress.
• Detects error trends through quality assurance audits to identify training needs.
• Serves as a job coach for staff by assisting in training new staff, auditing all PBS staff’s work, and identify error trends.
• Adheres, reviews, and coaches to procedures for efficient workflow.
• Explains policies and procedures regarding eligibility for Child Care Subsidy for staff.

Investigates and resolves customer complaints including reviewing and resolving case errors, identifying and reporting performance gaps, and presenting solutions for performance issues. Tasks included:

• Review cases to resolve elevated customer complaints and determine correct eligibility for Child Care Subsidy.
• Have the ability to answer questions regarding benefits or available services from both PBS staff and consumers. Explain program requirements, application procedures, and verification needs.
• Obtain, review, and interpret necessary data, documentation and verification for Child Care Subsidy programs as it relates to the individual’s specific circumstance.
• Process all case actions in accordance with Federal and State processing and accuracy requirements.

Required Qualifications:

• Five (5) years of experience examining/processing loan applications, medical insurance or rehabilitation claims, unemployment insurance claims, or a job providing staff support in financial eligibility determination, or in a job analyzing, verifying, and evaluating financial data and information AND satisfactory completion of the Agency’s Public Benefits Specialist Training Program.

OR

• A bachelor’s degree or higher AND twelve months of experience as a Public Benefits Specialist 2 determining eligibility for long-term care services

OR

• One (1) year of experience as a Public Benefits Specialist 3; Six (6) months of the required experience must be in a Child Care Subsidy Call Center.

AND

• The ability to take action to learn and grow.
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

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

• Prior understanding of Child Care Subsidy eligibility and processes.
• Prior experience working with appropriate computer programs; Barcode/WCAP, ACES Online, UTAB, MERIT, FAMLink, e-Jas, WHALES, SEMS, Soltra, TEMS, Washington Connections and SSPS.
• Prior experience providing excellent communication skills both oral and written and provide outstanding customer service by phone.
• Prior experience maintaining quality and productivity levels in a position.
• Prior experience assisting others in interpretation and analysis of data; making independent decisions; coaching and staff.
• Prior experience prioritizing and performing multiple tasks in the same timeframe, handling interruptions appropriately and returning to incomplete tasks.
• Prior experience auditing cases accurately and being directly responsible for identifying and correcting errors or inconsistencies of fact, numerical calculations or other important details.
• Prior experience displaying the ability to diffuse potentially hostile situations.

How do I apply?

In addition to completing the online application, applicants must attach the following documents to their profile in order to be considered for this position:

• Resume (current/updated)

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 Veronica Jones (Talent Acquisition Specialist) at veronica.jones@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.