Quality Assurance Specialist

The Midtown Group is teaming up with a leading technology company to support a D.C. government department that offers its residents a Medicaid program. Our collective goal is to modernize and optimize DC's Medicaid program while offering outstanding customer support. Our venture is focused on improving outcomes, enhancing provider experiences, and safeguarding program integrity. For this project, our partner will provide technology, and we will provide people and expertise across a number of functions, including contact center operations.

Job logistics

The Midtown Group is looking for qualified candidates for the position of Quality Assurance Specialist (QA Specialist), to monitor, assess, and improve Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) and other staff who support D.C. residents who need assistance with Medicaid benefits.

These positions are in-person, located in Downtown D.C. There are no plans to move to hybrid or fully remote mode

Both our partner and the client do business in the same location, so candidates must be familiar with commuting to and working in an office location and, of course, professional conduct, attire, and communication are requirements.

The base period for this contract is one year, through November 2026, with two further annual option periods. So, this contract could run for three years, until November 2028. Hiring and training is expected to start as early as June 1st, 2025.

D.C. residents who contact the contact center may do so via phone, email and chat (together, “contacts”). Candidates must be proficient in speaking, reading and writing in English.

The contact center operating hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:00am to 5:00pm ET. However, schedules will be between the hours of 7:45am to 5:15pm ET, to allow for pre-shift sessions and last-minute contacts/wrap up. The contact center is closed on Federal holidays. Candidates must be able to work 40 hours per week.

Client onboarding requirements

Candidates must be based in the DMV metro area. D.C. residents are preferred, as a certain percentage of our staff must live in the District.

Candidates must be able to pass a thorough (criminal, financial, employment, etc.) background check, conducted by a third-party vendor. The Midtown Group will assist with this application process, and each candidate must be cleared before we can offer you a position.

Technology and Training

Assuming a successful background check, we will provide each QA Specialist with a secure laptop that is appropriately configured to allow access to the tools required to perform the job tasks.

All staff will attend and participate in new hire orientation and training sessions. The training is expected to last for up to six weeks. CSRs will then participate in a further two-week nesting period.

Staff will be trained in all aspects, including:

All job responsibilities

Corporate policies, procedures, and processes

How to handle, escalate, and document contacts

The necessary technology and tools

How to access and utilize the contact center knowledgebase

How to handle sensitive data and personal information, etc.

Key job tasks

QA Specialists have several job responsibilities, and some of the critical ones are:

Monitor, assess, measure, and make coaching recommendations on the quality of inbound and outbound contacts.

Monitor, assess, measure, and make coaching recommendations on the quality of operational processing in the claims resolution and financial departments.

Evaluate compliance with established performance standards.

Conduct audits of provider and member interactions and subsequently prepare audit reports of findings to identify both strengths and opportunities for improvement.

Maintain knowledge of requirements and process changes for both the account and client levels.

Establish, document, and maintain a tailored strategy quality plan for the performance of QA activities, which includes documentation of progress.

Provide back-up to Contact Center Supervisor and Trainer roles as needed.

Interface with team members and management to improve processes, scripts, and content.

Assist with and attend twice-weekly pre-shift meetings, generally on Mondays and Thursdays, to hear important information from supervisors, to participate in interactive Q&A, etc.

Other duties as assigned.

Performance measurement

The Midtown Group measures CSR performance in several ways, with the key ones being:

Quality Assurance assessments: CSRs may have their calls monitored and assessed at any time during a shift. We and our partner monitor and assess our CSRs regularly. CSRs are expected to maintain or exceed a QA pass rate of 90%+. Calls are considered to have failed if a CSR misses or incorrectly performs any critical element of the job. These items are well-covered in training and reinforced during pre-shift and individual coaching sessions.

Call handling metrics

Attendance

Minimum requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience or combination of education and experience.

Typically, two to four years of QA monitoring experience in an on-site/in-person multi-channel contact center, in a similar or related field.

Proficiency with basic help desk software, computer software and Microsoft Office applications.

Good organization and time management skills.

Strong communication and coaching skills to effectively interact with team members.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Proficiency in handling multiple project and task responsibilities simultaneously and switching among them quickly to meet prioritized business needs.

Participate in various formal and informal professional development training sessions and established quality assurance training.

Other important skills

The ability to provide exceptional customer service is extremely important to both the Midtown Group and our client. If you have the service gene – if helping others is in your DNA – we are happy to have you join us.

Our most effective and successful QA Specialists exhibit the following skills:

Conduct themselves with professionalism, empathy, patience, courtesy, and tact, at all times.

Communicate effectively, clearly, and professionally.

Carefully monitor and manage CSR performance, with particular attention to call handling, quality, call control, listening and probing, determining and addressing the caller’s needs, professionalism, empathy, and customer service.

Work closely with Contact Center Supervisors and Trainers to effectively coach CSRs and other staff to improve their performance.

Deal well with conflict, as well as complex and emotional situations.

Be flexible, and able to work independently.

These characteristics are necessary to be able to efficiently and professionally support CSRs and other staff, and callers.