Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To provide excellent client service and proactively work with clients and partners of the Family Responsibility Office (FRO) to help ensure support obligations are met. To effectively identify and manage the resolution of client support issues and to promote compliance with support obligations in accordance with applicable legislation and policies and to meet FRO program goals, objectives and service standards. To proactively monitor cases including those that require special handling; to anticipate and mitigate disruption to payment flows, and to manage non-compliant client support issues in a timely fashion and take appropriate enforcement actions.

Duties / Responsibilities :

Responsible for developing and executing strategies for promoting compliance with support obligations and for building and maintaining client relationships, the Case Management Officer:

1. Provides proactive case oversight and management through ongoing communications in a multi-channel environment with Support Payors (SPs), Support Recipients (SRs), income sources, courts, legal counsel, client lawyers, and other stakeholders. Receives and responds to client calls and makes outbound calls that may be contentious in nature and evaluates and assesses nature, scope, degree and impact of family support issues and attempts to resolve issues.

2. Builds and establishes relationships with clients with diverse needs and manages a caseload of files of medium to high complexity and contentiousness that may require special handling including but not limited to: cases deemed to be of medium or high risk of non-compliance; cases with the potential to have a disruptive event (e.g., payor is a seasonal worker); cases with payors who are unwilling to meet their support obligations (e.g., make irregular or inconsistent payments); cases with payors with a demonstrated income problem, such as social assistance clients; and cases with other special circumstances and/or vulnerable clients (e.g., incarcerated payors, Indigenous clients, domestic violence cases, etc.).

3. Interacts with clients and other stakeholders and performs detailed analysis of case details to develop and execute a case management plan which defines a collection strategy aligned with the mandate of FRO and the specific circumstances of the case. Executing a case management plan may
include negotiating changes to a new or changed payment arrangement schedule with the Support Payor and/or their legal representative.

4. Reviews and revises case management plan regularly based on an ongoing analysis of case details. This analysis includes consideration of information collected about/from clients and other stakeholders, incoming court orders, legal agreements, computerized and/or hard copy files of other case-specific information (such as client financial statements).

5. Consults and liaises with Legal Counsel and other internal (e.g., Financial Officers, office/division/ministry management and staff) and external partners (e.g. community agencies) to identify/analyze/evaluate options and obtain information to enable the effective resolution of client issues.
Determines appropriate collection or enforcement action, where applicable.

6. Conducts research and investigations to collect missing information regarding a case, for example to locate missing clients (who may be attempting to avoid detection), to locate financial assets as part of a collection strategy, or to identify other information to support the management of the case.
Liaises with trace & locate specialists, financial specialists, legal counsel, inter-jurisdictional partners, and other partners, where required.

7. Maintains a well-documented case management file, including well documented case notes setting out the rationale for case-related decisions. Ensures the necessary steps and processes are followed for capturing and updating case and financial information within the FRO Case Management
System (FCMS), and/or other manual or computerized case files or databases, as per policy and procedure. Accountable for the oversight of supporting documentation and actions completed by support positions.

8. Evaluates and conducts risk assessments and determines if escalation protocols need to be followed, sometimes without the agreement of clients. Determines whether the case should be reassigned to another client service tier in consultation with Team Leader or Manager. Determines if the case is no longer enforceable, and based on the circumstances of the case, in consultation with Team Leader or Manager, a decision may be rendered to close the case.

Staffing and Licencing :

Mandatory requirement for the bilingual positions-Proficiency in oral and written French at the advanced leve

This position requires an employment screening check under the OPS Employment Screening Checks Policy, which includes a Criminal Record Check.

Knowledge :

Knowledge of the Family Responsibility and Support Arrears Enforcement Act (FRSAEA); Interjurisdictional Support Orders Act (ISO Act); Garnishment, Attachment and Pension Diversion Act (GAPDA); Family Orders and Agreements Enforcement Assistance Act (FOAEA); Family Law including court
processes, documents (e.g. support orders, domestic agreements, etc.) and community resources including Family Law Information Centres (FLICs); Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA); Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), OPS Inclusion and Diversity Blueprint; and Conflict of Interest guidelines with the ability to make case decisions utilizing this knowledge and to ensure confidentiality of assigned cases and non-release of restricted information.

Knowledge and understanding of end to end FRO policies, processes and procedures, including the establishment of new files, collection and enforcement tools and processes, and other client service processes that are required to ensure that a case is effectively managed upon reassignment
to a client service tier.

Knowledge of FRO program service delivery standards and guidelines to provide excellent client service and to provide detailed explanations to clients regarding support requirements and issues and to reflect program administration responsibilities.

Knowledge of the organization and legislation of related ministries, jurisdictions and private sector partners to coordinate joint support issues, identify/evaluate options and obtain advice to determine appropriate resolution.

Knowledge and understanding of Family Court procedures and practice to analyze and interpret court orders and other legal documents, ensure compliance with orders of the court and interpret/explain court processes and decisions to clients.

Knowledge of investigative processes and tools to conduct both basic and in-depth trace and locate activities to support case management and the escalation of case management protocols.
Knowledge of financial documents and processes and the ability to understand, evaluate, explain and assess tax returns, bank statements, credit bureau reports and other financial/legal/administrative processes (including bankruptcy).

Knowledge to prepare non-routine and specialized FRO correspondence to clients and stakeholders; prepare program analysis reports; and, briefing materials on sensitive case related issues.
Knowledge of FRO Online to assist clients with registering and using the system; receive and respond to client inquiries and service requests; and to access client information and documentation.
Knowledge of Social Assistance including Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program and knowledge of vulnerable clients.

Knowledge of the organization and legislation of related ministries, jurisdictions and private sector partners to coordinate joint support issues, identify/evaluate options and obtain advice to determine appropriate resolution.

Knowledge of the operation of computer hardware, software and program information systems and database applications to research and evaluate computerized data, update financial records and fully document actions and activities to the FRO Case Management System (FCMS).

Skills :

Consultative, interpersonal, persuasion, negotiation and facilitation skills to provide a high level of client service to effectively engage with clients, Legal Counsel and a wide variety of government and private sector partners to tailor an approach that considers the needs of the family and the unique
circumstances of the case.

Analytical, evaluation and problem-solving skills to effectively manage the resolution of complex client support issues in accordance with court orders, legal documents, applicable legislation and program policy, procedures and guidelines; to interpret and analyze court orders and legal agreements and
applicable legislation; to determine the most appropriate approach to manage a case to achieve successful outcomes (including collection and enforcement action); and to ensure confidentiality provisions are adhered to.

Investigative, conflict management and resolution skills as well as de-escalation skills to effectively manage sensitive and contentious issues. Stakeholder management and collaboration skills are required to effectively work with several parties (e.g., Support Payors, Support Recipients, legal
representatives & stakeholders) often with differing interests. Ability to take pre-emptive actions to mitigate against a possible disruptive and time sensitive event before it becomes a larger issue.
Decision-making, prioritization and time management skills to rapidly assess and respond with appropriate action when a case falls out of compliance or to resolve other client support issues and challenges.

Judgement and discretion to make case-management decisions as they related to individual circumstances and document rationale for those decisions made in accordance with program policies and procedures. The ability to remain objective and to ensure cases are effectively managed while maintaining FRO neutrality.

Oral and written communication skills to articulate to clients in a logical, clear, concise and accessible manner to understand the role of the FRO program. To take appropriate measures to effectively communicate with a diversity and inclusion lens and to consider accommodation and special
needs in accordance with OPS/MCCSS/FRO values and policies. Communication skills and attention to detail are required to maintain a well documented case management file. Oral and written communication skills are also required to provide input into the implementation of program and client service policies, procedures, standards and guidelines, and prepare program reports, correspondence, briefing and other program materials.

Organizational and prioritization skills to set own priorities and deliver high quality, accurate and timely results, with flexibility to adapt to change and stressful work demands and meet high volume performance targets, cooperatively in a specialized team environment.

Computer skills to utilize word processing software and other case management, financial and program databases and computer applications to research/access data, update case information and prepare correspondence and reports

Freedom of Action :

Freedom of action to respond to contentious and challenging case management files that are often stressful and require political acuity and time sensitive actions.

Freedom of action to make decisions within defined boundaries.
Working independently and with integrity within program policies, procedures and legislation and other related legislative requirements pertaining to family support issues and problems. Independent decision making within program policies, procedures and legislation and other related legislative requirements pertaining to family support issues and problems.

Latitude for decision-making exists in: investigating and researching issues and determining the most appropriate or escalation of enforcement action to resolve conflicts with various parties (e.g., SP, SR). Freedom of Action is required to determine appropriate response to sensitive enforcement issues
that require unique resolution options; interpret court orders and legal agreements; and recommending educational materials to inform clients and stakeholders about the FRO program.

Freedom of action for independent case management to develop strategies, execute action, and document relevant information and may require consultations.

Work is periodically reviewed by the manager or team leader for adherence to government/ministry objectives and compliance with legislation and office operational programs, policies and procedures. Job requires referring to the manager those issues of a confidential and sensitive nature that deviate
radically from intent of existing guidelines.