Customer Escalation Senior Specialist (Vansant, Agency Employees Only

Title:

Customer Escalation Senior Specialist (Vansant, Agency Employees Only)

State Role

Title:

Prog Admin Specialist I

Hiring Range:
Commensurate to $62,000

Pay Band: 4

Agency:
Virginia Employment Commission

Location:

VANSANT CCC

Agency Website: https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)./

Recruitment Type:
Agency Employee Only - A

The Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) is seeking a Customer Escalation Senior Specialist who serves as a program-level subject matter expert responsible for guiding frontline operations, supporting complex decision making, and ensuring high-quality service delivery by providing authoritative direction to escalation staff and determining next steps on escalated Unemployment Insurance cases. This role manages a high volume of escalated inquiries, reviews case documentation, conducts interviews, resolves customer issues, delivers compliant decisions, leads daily workflow, acts as supervisor in charge during absences, supports system navigation, recommends operational improvements, and mentors new and developing staff while ensuring timely, accurate, and customer-focused service across all escalation functions.

Join the VEC and be part of a mission-driven agency dedicated to supporting workers, strengthening communities, and promoting economic stability across the Commonwealth. We administer Virginia’s Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits program with a commitment to providing customer-centered, accessible, inclusive, and impactful services to support our shared mission: lifting up Virginia, one unemployed worker at a time. The VEC is also an integral part of a historic milestone as Virginia becomes the first state in the South to offer Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML).

Our agency will be responsible for standing up and administering this new program, which will expand the vital support we provide for employees when they need it most.

• We offer paid leave
• a minimum of 13 paid state holidays per year
• medical, dental, vision, and life insurance options
• retirement plans (including 401a Cash Match and 457 Deferred Compensation Plan for classified positions)
• are a federally recognized Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) employer

If you’re motivated by public service, continuous improvement, and meaningful work that supports opportunity for all, the VEC is a place where your contributions matter!

• Knowledge of Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs, eligibility rules, non-separation issue adjudication policies, claim progression, and regulatory requirements.
• Strong understanding of escalation department operations, including case management, timeliness standards, quality standards, and customer experience principles.
• Knowledge of escalation protocols, de-escalation techniques, and conflict resolution strategies.
• Familiarity with CRM systems, VUIS, telephony platforms, knowledge bases, and case management tools.
• Skill in analyzing complex customer issues and determining independent next step decisions.
• Skill in interpreting and explaining policy to frontline staff and customers.
• Skill in coaching, mentoring, and developing staff, including new hires and future supervisors.
• Ability to serve as a subject matter expert across UI, and escalation processes.
• Ability to act as supervisor in charge, manage workflow, and make operational decisions in real time.

• Advanced knowledge of UI program requirements, including eligibility determination, claims processing workflows, adjudication pathways, and federal/state regulatory compliance.
• Experience working in a customer escalation role serving as a lead, providing resolution to complex scenarios, and responding to customers and stakeholders.

This position is located within the Customer Contact Center in Vansant, VA. This is not a remote-work position. This position is only open to current employees of the VEC (please note contract employees are not VEC employees), or those who possess an active and valid Yellow Card or Blue Card for preferential hiring. Your application and/or résumé must reflect your status as a current Virginia Employment Commission employee.

Applicants are responsible for ensuring the…