Switchboard Operator/Receptionist

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is currently seeking a Switchboard Operator. This is a full-time position, 40 hours per week, with the State Training School (STS) in Eldora, which provides supportive counseling and behavioral health treatment for young men, ages 12-18, who were adjudicated delinquent. The work schedule is Tuesday- Saturday [Tuesday – Thursday 2pm - 9pm, Friday and Saturday 7am-4:30pm]. This position may be offered occasional overtime.

This position has no direct contact with students. The primary function of this position is to operate as the complete communication command post for security, movement, emergencies, and visitors. You must respond to all calls for assistance by relaying the appropriate information in a timely fashion and answer all incoming phone calls. In addition, you will direct traffic and visitors to the appropriate places. Appropriate candidates are reliable and able to multitask under pressure. They are able to maintain composure and prioritize calls and actions. The secondary function of this position is to assist the clerical department with filing and report processing. Excellent candidates also have working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.

Job Functions include:

• Being the central communications operator for all operations at the State Training School.
• Documenting movement of students and staff on or off grounds.
• Documenting visitors. 
• Documenting emergency responses.
• Answering phone calls and relaying the caller to an appropriate source.
• Contacting law enforcement as appropriate.
• Scanning, organizing, and filing documents.
• Assisting in mission-critical responses and coordinating as a focal point of operations.
• Logging and distributing emergency response supplies.
• Use of Windows and its associated programs.

Applicants will be required to complete a background check to be considered for this position.

If you enjoy rewarding yet challenging work, helping young men find stability in their lives and security in their future, this is this the right job for you. Your work at STS has the potential to help pull these young men together and change their future.

STS offers a holistic social, behavioral, psychiatric, academic, and vocational program that utilizes counseling, treatment, and consequences paired with praise and opportunity. Services and programs provide individualized evaluation and treatment along with opportunity in the form of educational, vocational, social, and recreational programs. Transitional services are provided by the STS staff as well as contract staff in an effort to maximize each young man’s chances for success upon return to their community.

Working at STS comes with a special perk! This location offers access for staff to the impressive on-campus gym during off student hours. This includes 3 full size basketball courts, two fully stocked weight rooms with machine and free weights, showers, and lockers. We also provide a cardio room for staff only featuring exercise mats and advanced treadmills and stationary bikes. Usage of these resources is completely free for all STS staff.

We have a great total compensation package, including:

• Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System (IPERS) (Employee contributes 6.29%/State of Iowa contributes 9.44%)
• Retirement Investors Club (RIC) (Employer Sponsored Retirement Plan) (State of Iowa matches up to $75/month)
• Health, Dental and Vision Insurance (See below for additional information)
• Vacation Leave (96 hours/year to begin, and increases with years of service)
• Sick Leave (144 hours/year)
• Paid Holidays (9 days/year)
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Life Insurance ($20,000 paid for by the State of Iowa)
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Free On-Campus Workout Facilities

For additional information on benefits click here.

Click here to see how we compare with other employers or offers by using our Total Compensation Calculator.

Eldora Highlights

STS is located in Eldora, a quaint community with a population of approximately 2,800 residents, located in north central Iowa. Eldora is an Iowa River Greenbelt Community and the Iowa River Greenbelt Scenic Drive winds through a picturesque landscape of valleys, woods, and streams. With easy access to the Iowa River and Pine Lake, outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy hiking, kayaking, canoeing, hunting, and fishing, as well as the many educational opportunities, cultural activities, and entertainment events nearby, including a picturesque 9-hole golf course surrounded by Pine Lake State Park.

Eldora is 45 minutes away from Ames and Cedar Falls, 30 minutes from Marshalltown, and only 20 minutes from Iowa Falls. Des Moines, Iowa’s capital, is just 1 hour and 15 minutes away.

• Ames, Iowa is the home of Iowa State University, featuring one of the nation’s premier Engineering schools and leading Veterinary and Agricultural programs. https://www.iastate.edu/
• Cedar Falls is the home of the University of Northern Iowa, https://uni.edu/
• Iowa Falls is the home of Ellsworth Community College. https://ecc.iavalley.edu
• Des Moines has one of the nation’s finest State Fairs and is home to the Iowa Cubs, Wells Fargo Arena host site of NCAA Basketball, premier concerts, and Lauridsen Skatepark, the nation’s largest skatepark.  

The State of Iowa is an EEO/AA Employer

HHS values those with “lived experience” and encourages adults who were fostered as youth, foster parents, and/or parents who were in the DHS system to apply. Minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply (Hearing and Speech Impaired – Relay Iowa 1-800-735-2942 TDD).

E-Verify and Right to Work

The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States. The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization. For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov.