Child Care Subsidy Specialist

The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF), Division of Early Care and Education (DECE), Milwaukee Early Care Administration (MECA), Authorizations Section is currently recruiting to fill multiple Child Care Subsidy Specialist - Entry or Objective (Bilingual/Non-bilingual) positions in Milwaukee, WI. This announcement may be used for future recruitment vacancies.

Positions will be filled at the Entry or Objective level depending on the qualifications of the selected candidate, which will be determined during interviews.

DCF offers great benefits, personal growth opportunities and work-life balance as a State of Wisconsin employee; and the intrinsic reward associated with serving the children and families of Wisconsin. To learn more about DCF’s complete compensation package, please visit our Total Rewards Calculator! 

These positions are headquartered at our Milwaukee office and will have the option to work hybrid for up to five (5) days per week. This schedule may change based on training or operational needs.  Employees need to report to 635 N 26 St. Milwaukee, WI on their first day for onboarding and orientation. 

High speed internet access is required to meet the needs of hybrid work.

Come see why DCF is such a great place to work!

DCF is committed to the important work of helping children, youth and families become safer, more secure and progress down the road to true independence. For more information about DCF, visit our website at http://dcf.wi.gov/.

POSITION SUMMARY:

These positions authorize child care for parents and providers. This position completes the process for ensuring that eligible children and parents participating in the Wisconsin Shares program are authorized for the appropriate hours of care with a certified or licensed provider in compliance with state and federal law and requirements. Child Care Subsidy Specialists are responsible for reviewing child care eligibility, ensuring the parent has provided accurate and complete verification documents, applying appropriate state and federal policies, and completing authorizations in a timely manner.

Child Care Subsidy Specialists are required to perform detailed case reviews to secure all information necessary to complete or modify the authorization and determine if fraud or other misappropriation has occurred. This position ensures that the unique circumstances of specialized cases – such as children with special health care needs and foster care cases – are handled expeditiously. Child Care Subsidy Specialists have a high level of interaction with parents receiving Wisconsin Shares, either in person or telephonically. This position is responsible for coordinating services with other sections within MECA, with eligibility workers in the Department of Health Services, with W-2 Agency staff and with other internal and external organizations as necessary. This position ensures high quality and effective processing of authorization requests; ensures compliance with state and federal laws, administrative rules and policies; and recommends improvements/revisions as necessary to the section supervisor. 

In addition to performing the services listed above, the Child Care Subsidy Specialist – Bilingual further supports parents receiving Wisconsin Shares by providing verbal and written translation for Spanish speaking individuals. 

**Please note language fluency will be verified at the time of hire for all selected bilingual candidates.** 

View the Child Care Subsidy Specialist Entry or Objective position description

View the Bilingual Spanish Child Care Subsidy Specialist Entry or Objective position description

SALARY: The classification title for this position is Child Care Subsidy Specialist or Child Care Subsidy Specialist - Objective. 

The starting salary for the Child Care Subsidy Specialist is between $25.00 - $28.50 per hour ($52,000 and $59,280 annually) depending on qualifications.

The starting salary for the Child Care subsidy Specialist – Objective the starting salary is between $26.00 - $30.50 per hour ($54,080 and $63,440 annually) depending on qualifications. [JH1] 

A $1.00 per hour add-on will be awarded to the selected applicant who passes the bilingual assessment for English and Spanish.

Pay for current state employees who are transferring will be determined based upon the pay on transfer rules (higher level duties or equity) as outlined in the compensation plan in effect at the time of appointment.

The pay schedule/range is 12-64. A one-year probationary period may be required.  

Job Details: Due to the nature of the position, final candidates may be required to allow DCF to conduct a security background check to determine whether the circumstances of any pending charges or convictions would be substantially related to the job being filled.

Applicants must be legally entitled to work in the United States (i.e., a citizen or national of the U.S., a lawful permanent resident, an alien authorized to work in the U.S. without DCF sponsorship.) The Department of Children and Families does not sponsor visas, either at time of hire or at any later time.

Qualifications: 

Minimally qualified applicants will have:

• Customer service experience in an office setting (i.e., answering calls, greeting customers) 
• Experience using de-escalation techniques in a professional setting (i.e., maintaining composure, active listening and validation, using a calm, slow voice, shifting focus)
• Experience writing and interpreting information orally to clients or customers
• Experience performing data entry/processing or data validation work (entering information onto spreadsheets or into systems, reviewing submitted information for accuracy, etc.) 

Well-Qualified applicants will have:

• Experience working in a call center environment (i.e. answering inbound calls within a queue, transferring calls, conferencing, etc.)
• Experience using CARES, CWW, CSAW, CCPI, ECF or other similar public benefit databases 
• Experience applying programmatic policy and/or eligibility requirements in a professional setting (public-benefit programs, non-profit/community-based services, human resources, grant funding, higher education financial assistance, etc.)
• Experience using investigation techniques (i.e. collecting evidence, conducting interviews, corroborating findings, recommending sanctions etc.) to determine a conclusion of fact in a professional setting. 

**For bilingual candidates, we will verify Spanish fluency at time of hire**

HOW TO APPLY:

If you haven’t already done so, you will need to create an account and apply online. You must apply online to be considered for this position. Application materials will not be accepted if received in an e-mail, as a hard copy or a fax. Applications received after the deadline will not be accepted.

After you are logged in and are viewing the announcement, click “Apply Now.” You will be asked to provide your personal information and required materials.  Online applications that do not include all of the requested materials will not be considered. 

Your letter of qualifications and resume are very important parts of your application at DCF and are used during our evaluation process to determine your qualifications as they relate to the job. View instructions on developing your resume and letter of qualifications for your DCF application and what should be included in these materials. 

Submitted materials will be evaluated by one or more subject matter experts and qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process. 

The State of Wisconsin is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to applicants of any race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national original, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. We provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities.

 

The State of Wisconsin offers a special program for qualified veterans with a 30% or greater service-connected disability.  If you are a qualified veteran, please visit the Veterans Employment page for application instructions to be considered for the Veterans Non-Competitive Appointment program.

Permanent classified state employees who are eligible for consideration (transfer, voluntary demotion, or former employees as a reinstatement) must complete the application process to apply.

Deadline:

The deadline to apply is 11:59 PM on July 7, 2026. If you need assistance with the online application process, please contact, Rebekah Gaumitz at 608-422-6417 or via email at Rebekah.Gaumitz@wisconsin.gov. Please see the Frequently Asked Questions for general wisc.jobs user information and technical assistance.