Social Security Representative Payee Program Manager - Disability Rights Texas

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At DRTx we believe in supporting our employees by offering generous leave allocations including personal leave days, vacation hours, and sick leave, ensuring your well-being and work-life balance from day one. We also offer a paid winter break – because everyone deserves time to recharge and reconnect.

DRTx also offers flexible schedules, a generous 401k plan, which, currently, is 7% of our annual income (whether you contribute to your plan or not), and health care plans with little to no cost (if choosing employee only coverage). By working at DRTx, you will have the stage to amplify your advocacy for individuals with disabilities.

Join an organization that allows you the opportunity to work alongside people who share your passion. We're proud of our employees, clients, partners, and communities, and we welcome you to be part of our journey towards positive change.

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About the Team

The Representative Payee Program team conducts reviews of Representative Payees on behalf of the Social Security Administration. A representative payee handles the Social Security and/or SSI payments of Social Security beneficiaries who are incapable of managing their own cash benefits. Check out this short video (https://youtu.be/Gg4GmEEbuz0?si=03xy4TFJgfrLoEpy) to learn more about the Representative Payee Program.

The position requires government clearance (suitability) before being able to perform the duties of the job or view any beneficiary information. The clearance process typically takes between 3 – 6 weeks. As a result, newly hired reviewers will begin after clearance is received. Current DRTx staff that transfer to the team will maintain full time status.

Our team does not provide direct client services and is an excellent position for those that would like the opportunity to impact the lives of beneficiaries with disabilities by assuring that those with control of their finances are providing for their best basic care needs.

Position Summary

The Program Manager is, under the direction of the Deputy Director, responsible for monitoring the quality of the work provided by the staff which they supervise. This position regularly conducts and subsequently documents performance reviews and, when necessary, develops, implements, and monitors performance improvement strategies of those they supervise. The Program Manager will assign all work assignments, ensure program objectives are met, and that the program operates within budget. Due to the organizational structure based on issue teams, it is often that a supervisor’s team is dispersed across the State and not centrally located where the supervisor may regularly office.

At times, this position may also conduct site reviews of Organizations, Institutions, and Individuals that serve as a Representative Payee for Social Security beneficiaries, following specific guidelines and protocols as set forth by the Social Security Administration. In this site review work, the supervisor works extremely independent of others in the Organization, travels to many locations across Texas, conducts interviews of representative payees and beneficiaries, reviews worksites and housing facilities, reviews financial records, assesses violations or potential incidents of mismanagement of beneficiary funds and then writes up a report regarding findings. Further, the supervisor develops corrective action plans to assist representative payees in conforming to requirements specified by the Social Security Administration Commissioner.

This position handles highly confidential and private information and government security clearance is required. Persons employed in this position must be cleared through a thorough and invasive background investigation conducted by the United States Government Office of Personnel Management. This investigation includes fingerprinting, review of personal information including physical and mental health information and conditions, criminal records, personal finances, and history on employment, personal relationships, marital status, familial relationships, and international travel.

As a member of the management team of the organization, this position will play a key role with other managers and leaders to build and sustain the appropriate organizational culture to attain the organization’s goals and objectives, around and in the spirit of the organization’s mission, vision and values.

Physical/Mental Requirements

1. Uses personal computer approximately 6-7 hours per day.
2. Uses telephone and email to communicate with clients and other professionals, approximately 3-5 hours per day.
3. Spends approximately 1-3 hours per day in meetings.
4. Sits approximately 6-7 hours per day.
5. Requires working under a moderate degree of stress (time constraints; deadlines; multi-tasking high-level projects and issues; complex issues; and conflict resolution).
6. Regular travel, generally within Texas, is required (20-35%+).

Essential Functions

1. Oversee the Social Security Representative Payee program by ensuring operations are compliant with all applicable parameters, policies, and procedures.
2. Conceptualize and develop strategy for work assignments within the parameters set by the program for staff supervised.
3. Provide supervision, mentoring, training, support and proper work handling direction to staff.
4. Follow and implement the program’s policies and procedures regarding interviews, records, investigations, and documentation.
5. Master technical information of applicable program areas and relevant statutes and policies. Should be considered a content expert on issue team area of expertise.
6. Conduct thorough investigations including interviewing individuals, reviewing confidential and private records, collecting information, documenting observations, and collecting evidence and information of value while performing a site visit.
7. Prepare comprehensive reports which detail the investigation, findings and recommendations for further investigatory activities, if any.
8. Inspect facilities for possible health and safety violations.
9. Reviewing and analyzing written and financial records.
10. Maintain balance between supervisory and program oversight duties and conducting site reviews
11. Travel as needed to manage the program and conduct site reviews.
12. Appropriately prioritize tasks as needed and to multi-task numerous responsibilities in a timely manner.
13. Establish personal credibility throughout the organization, in order to be an effective partner and advisor.
14. In conjunction with other managers, assists in assessing the organization’s culture and health to then report consolidated feedback information and trends to the senior leadership team, along with recommendations for any interventions, if appropriate.
15. Continuously evaluate and analyze the operations, resources and technology of the team, implementing solutions to improve efficiency, effectiveness and customer service.
16. Maintain thorough and complete records.
17. Maintain, when required based on subject matter, strict confidentiality of information not meant for other consumption.
18. Participate in and support the annual budgetary processes, in ensuring efficient and judicious use of capital, and seeing that team programs, activities, labor costs and general/administrative expenses remain within budget parameters.
19. Develop and maintain collaborative, cooperative relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including clients, the community, the board of directors as well as employees at all levels of the organization.
20. Apply the principles of the organization’s vision and values in all work-related business and interactions.
21. Make referrals to other DRTx teams as appropriate
22. Perform other duties as requested or required.

Required Qualifications

1. Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in Social Work, Education, Psychology, Rehabilitation Counseling, Disability Studies, Social Service or other related field of study.
2. Previously fulfilled this similar in-house role – or a minimum of four (4) years previous investigations experience with demonstrated success working with persons with disabilities and maintaining confidential information.
3. Experience or understanding of Social Security Income and resources regulations
4. Experience reviewing and analyzing financial records
5. Experience working with government entities and contractors.
6. Current Federal government security clearance as required by the Social Security Administration or the ability to obtain such clearance.
7. A minimum of two (2) years’ experience in case management either at a similar or other legal services organization.
8. Strong and effective writing, verbal, and negotiating communications skills including the ability to do so in a concise manner, even when doing so regarding complex issues to a variety of people.
9. Experience in public speaking and developing effective presentations.
10. Excellent interpersonal, relationship-building and collaboration skills to be able to work effectively with others inside and outside of the organization; relationship builder with the flexibility and finesse to “manage by influence”.
11. Proven ability to supervise, lead, manage, mentor and train others
12. Demonstrated functional knowledge of complex state and federal laws and regulations.
13. Knowledge of disability rights laws, programs, initiatives and awareness of issues that affect people with disabilities.
14. The ability to take direction and independently follow through on all instructions.
15. The ability to create collaboration among stakeholders and other disability groups.
16. Excellent detail-orientation, follow-up skills and organizational skills.
17. The ability to multi-task and work under challenging conditions while meeting required deadlines.
18. Demonstrated ability to manage individual and team workloads so that services are delivered timeline and appropriately.
19. The ability to work well in a team environment.
20. Willingness and ability to travel extensively, even to remote rural locations.
21. Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
22. Enthusiastic to perform as a hands-on leader of the team in which they lead.
23. High level of commitment to service excellence.
24. High degrees of integrity, ethics and judgment are a must.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Previous experience in this role within the Organization.
2. Proficiency in case management software programs.
3. Bilingual in Spanish – both written and spoken word.