Program Services, Support Desk Specialist

Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) is the country's leading voice for child care, championing equitable access to affordable, high-quality care.

CCAoA works with partners at the local, state and federal levels, including the United States Military and the Department of Defense, to make child care programs, policies and funding work better for children, families, child care providers and communities.

CCAoA works in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to build the supply of healthy, nurturing and stable child care that helps families get to work, supports children's development and learning and keeps our economy growing. CCAoA also delivers innovative, results-based services for families and child care providers; produces research; engages with the media, public and policymakers; and advances policies and mobilizes action that promotes understanding of and increased investment in a high-quality child care system. To learn more, visit our website. Follow CCAoA on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

This position is solely contingent upon receipt of the necessary funding.

Summary of Position:

The Specialist is responsible for providing high quality technical assistance and customer support to families and programs through the Support Desk's hotline and email service. The Specialist assists with writing, reporting, training, deliverables, and special projects as needed.

Location: Remote. To be eligible, candidate must reside in one of the following states: Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia, Arizona, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, or Missouri.

This position is solely contingent upon receipt of the necessary funding.

Position Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support coverage for Support Desk's daily operations which are Monday-Friday 7AM-7PM EST.
• Become a subject matter expert on MilitaryChildCare.com functionality through continuous learning.
• Become a Tier 1 account management/access expert for all relevant JAS systems through continuous learning.
• Assist families and programs with technical assistance and technical support on MCC, MCC Central, CYP-IMS, FP-CMS through the hotline and email service, and limited support for CSO.
• Ensure exceptional customer service is provided to families and programs and that all customer contacts are consistently high-quality interactions.
• Identify technical issues with users and escalate tickets to Tier 2/3 for further investigation as appropriate.
• Provide support to Tier 2/3 as requested to investigate system issues.
• Escalate tickets as appropriate to a higher level of support as appropriate or by request.
• Follow operating process, procedures, policies, and make recommendations for improvements and increased efficiency.
• Adhere to data entry procedures, accuracy requirements, and make recommendations for improvements.
• Collaborate with Support Desk team members, Government points of contact, and other contractors as needed to ensure the most current and accurate information is provided to all customers.
• Participate in training in preparation for system releases and new initiatives, adjustments to process, or changes to standard language.
• Identify opportunities for improvement and share recommendations with Support Desk management.
• Maintain awareness of required response times for tickets through the Support Desk's customer relationship management platform, Zendesk, to ensure Support Desk meets all deliverables and quality indicators.
• Maintain awareness of new processes, resources available, and evolving requirements for initiatives.
• Implement new projects, procedures, and initiatives as required and support continuous quality improvement efforts.
• Provide support for Support Desk management with preparation of reports, special projects, or other tasks as needed.
• Maintain respectful, professional working relationships with all project partners, colleagues, and with Child Care Aware® of America's internal and external customers.
• Maintain high-ethical standards including protecting personally identifying information (PII) and maintaining strict confidentiality.
• Assist with special projects and other functions as needed to accomplish Child Care Aware® of America's mission and objectives.

• Minimum of a bachelor's degree in early childhood development, Business Administration, Public Administration, Social Services, or related field, or equivalent professional experience and at least one year of experience in program administration or direct service to clients
• High-speed internet access that meets project security requirements
• Proven experience providing customer service to diverse populations
• Some experience with Zendesk or other cloud-based customer relationship management platform
• Some experience with case management and multi-tasking.
• Some experience compiling and analyzing data for reporting purposes
• Some experience with support desk or call center environment and conflict resolution preferred
• Some experience with Microsoft Office, including but not limited to, advanced Excel including pivot tables and charts strongly preferred

• Knowledge of database management and recordkeeping procedures
• Knowledge of superior customer service principles
• Exceptional critical thinking and decision-making skills
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and active listening skills
• Strong organizational, time management, and troubleshooting skills
• Exceptional attention to detail and established procedures
• Flexibility and the ability to work in a dynamic, fast paced environment
• Strong computer skills and experience with database systems
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills, including conflict resolution
• Bilingual (Spanish, German, Japanese, or Korean) is a plus
• Ability to manage competing priorities under strict deadlines while maintaining a high level of attention to detail in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work under high-pressure situations and be able to problem solve effectively.
• Ability to analyze problems and work with clients to resolve issues in a timely manner or escalate

• Ability to work individually and as a part of a team to meet program objectives
• Ability to work well with individuals of varying backgrounds and skill levels to achieve program goals.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all levels of management.