Help Desk Specialist
2 days ago
New York
Job Description POSSIBLE HYBRID WORKPLACE OPPORTUNITIY New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) is the State’s affordable housing agency, with a mission to build, preserve, and protect affordable housing and increase homeownership throughout New York State. This position is on HCR's Housing Trust Fund Corporation (HTFC). HTFC is a public benefit corporation, and a Civil Service exam is not required for this position. Candidates must meet the minimum qualifications outlined below to be considered. NYS Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) is committed to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Our work would not be possible without the diverse backgrounds, experiences, ideas, and abilities of our employees. HCR is committed to developing a workforce which represents the diverse population of New York State. HCR embraces a diverse and inclusive work environment by encouraging all individuals, including those with disabilities, to apply to open positions at the agency. Job Summary HCR operates a federal Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program that provides rental assistance to approximately 46,000 low-income families. HCR also recently received state funding to provide rental assistance to homeless households and those at risk of homelessness. Rental assistance is delivered through a combination of state staff and a network of public and private, county-based “Local administrators” (“LAs”) who accept applications from families, determine eligibility and subsidy amounts, inspect properties, and facilitate payments to landlords. Administration takes place using a centralized, on-line data solution known as Emphasys Elite – which includes internal case management functionality as well as external, customer facing portals to collect applications and process annual certifications. Approximately 500-1,000 users working for the State and the LAs are trained to use Elite. A centralized team of state staff based in New York City provide Help Desk assistance to those users. HCR seeks a qualified help desk specialist to assist users with questions and problems arising from the use of Emphasys Elite. This position will work with users remotely and in person, guiding them through systems configuration, troubleshooting, tracking and triaging problems, and identifying and referring larger system-wide issues to Emphasys. Standout candidates will need excellent problem-solving, communication and customer service skills. Duties and Responsibilities: • Take training and become certified as a Section 8 HCV specialist and learn the basic rules and requirements of federal Section 8 and state rental assistance programs; participate in other trainings as required., • Take training and become fully proficient in the use of Emphasys Elite, including case management systems, reports, customer facing portals, and system user authentication., • Receive help desk inquiries from state staff and Local Administrators who are using the Elite system to process rental assistance. Also respond to landlords, tenants and other users of public facing portals; track inquiries and follow up as necessary., • Guide users remotely and in person through systems configuration, troubleshooting, and maintenance via email, phone, online chats or in person; Listen attentively to users’ questions and concerns and offer optimal instruction and solutions to basic problems., • Prioritize customer satisfaction in all communications, directing unresolved issues to next-level personnel; Walk customers step-by-step through the problem-solving process; Help with troubleshooting hardware and software issues that arise; educate to reduce user error., • Help orient and guide news users on basic Elite functionality; assist in the coordination of in person and on-line training with Emphasys., • Aggregate observed issues and trends in system and user error., • Provide accurate, written summaries of problems; develop responses to frequently asked questions; summarize larger system-wide issues and suggest possible options for change management and additional user training., • Work with Emphasys and the New York State Office of Information Technology Services to detect vulnerabilities and reduce risk to confidential data; report any incidents that could jeopardize data security and confidentiality., • Generate reports on behalf of HCR management and executive staff using Elite., • Inform users about the system, system enhancements, downtime and available patches/fixes., • Maintain oversight over new user credentialing and authentication; remove users from access as necessary., • Communicate user feedback to the appropriate internal team members., • Two-year associates degree* or training program -or- high school diploma and at least 4 years relevant experience., • Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills., • The ability to break down technological processes and deliver clear, step-by-step instructions., • Patient, friendly demeanor with a great aptitude for listening., • Strong verbal and written communication skills., • Commitment to providing exceptional customer service., • Tech savvy, with experience working in a tech-related field, and an eagerness to learn new systems., • Experience working as an IT help desk technician or in a similar customer support role, • Experience using Emphasys Elite, Crystal Reports and Microsoft Power BI is preferred but not required. This job description is not intended to be all inclusive and employee will be expected to perform other reasonably related duties as assigned. APPLICANTS MUST INCLUDE RESUME AND COVER LETTER WHAT WE OFFER AT NYS HCR: • Extensive benefits package including paid leave, including excellent health, dental, vision and retirement benefits with the New York State & Local Employees’ Retirement System., • Promotional opportunity for dedicated professionals, • Work life balance benefits including a 37.5 hour work week and paid time off benefits including, vacation, sick, personal days, and Federal Holidays, • Opportunity for compressed scheduling, • 12 weeks of Paid Parental Leave, • Paid Family Leave Under the leadership of Governor Kathy Hochul and Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas, HCR is a vibrant, innovative agency that integrates and leverages New York State’s housing resources. We have offices in New York City, Albany, Buffalo and Syracuse, and employ a diverse workforce of professionals who are hard-working and committed to serving low and moderate income families. Our mission is far reaching, encompassing single and multifamily housing finance, home improvement, rent regulation, housing subsidies, and community development. We partner regularly with a variety of public and private stakeholders. Achieving this mission requires a wide range of skills and backgrounds in public policy, administration, real estate, construction. finance, law, and many other areas of expertise. We seek to provide a workplace environment that is productive, flexible, accountable, ethical, and caring. Our employees are empowered to make a difference where they live and work. We offer competitive pay and a comprehensive benefits package, including paid leave, health, dental, vision, retirement, and family-friendly policies. New York State is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE)