Family Navigator

The Family Navigator utilizes strength-based practices to provide voluntary comprehensive, coordinated services to families experiencing instability. Responsibilities include conducting intake and initial/follow-up assessments; working cooperatively with other agencies to link families to financial services and community resources that meet the parents' expressed needs; and providing direct services, and accurate data entry to track and record contacts. This position requires the ability to work with immigrant populations and assist with both English and Spanish-speaking clients while screening for family supports and supporting homelessness prevention efforts. Flexible schedule required for occasional evenings/weekends as needed.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities

• Provide friendly. welcoming, and professional customer service to families, community members, and collaborating organizations.
• Conduct intake screenings and assessments for families who are seeking homeless prevention supports in order to maintain current housing situation.
• Review and self-assign requests and need from families that come through Initial Contact, Info and Family Support emails.
• Provide urgent case management efforts to include appointment scheduling, intake, initial needs assessments, and financial assistance funds for eligible clients as assigned by the family support form emails.
• Develop effective case plans with families regarding parenting skills, family barriers and challenges, economic stressors, parent/child relationships, and/or community connectedness. Promote protective factors to families to ensure child safety.
• Follow-up with contacts to assess need for further referrals and providing resources that may not be available in the community such as financial planning, parenting skills, and communication skills.
• Collect, manage, and report on all data related to clients served including relevant data entry systems and maintain thorough, accurate, and reliable client paperwork, program statistics, demographics, and reports.
• Integrate a 2Generation, whole family approach guided by family voice.
• Participate in ongoing trainings and be responsible for following Standards of Quality for Family Strengthening & Support and Trauma-Informed Care.
• Provide advocacy to entities involved with families, based on family needs, including but not limited to welfare and public benefit agencies, landlords, and educational entities.
• Act as liaison between internal programs and strategic partner agencies, soliciting their support to obtain/make appropriate referrals to families needing services.
• Participate in local meetings and trainings, with the approval of supervisor, in order to remain current on homelessness, poverty, and related issues.

Competencies

• Ability to work with people in crisis with a calm, positive, and understanding attitude.
• Case management skills and ability to define, collaborate and facilitate attainment of stated goals for staff and clients.
• Detail oriented with good computer skills, including word processing/learning databases.
• Knowledge of family dynamics, systems theory, domestic violence, and social work theory/practice.
• Ability to engage, foster, and maintain effective working relationships with a broad variety of families.
• Knowledge of child development and strength-based family support practices and ability to use these practices when working with families and co-workers.
• Knowledgeable and understanding of Trauma Informed Care principles/practices and Motivational Interviewing, and/or will take initiative toward self-directed learning of these.
• Ability to use a Family Development approach to strengthen families and build support systems.
• Knowledge of social issues such as poverty, gender bias, domestic violence, alcohol and other drug abuse, child maltreatment prevention, cultural and racial diversity, inclusion and equity, etc.
• Knowledge of community resources and systems.
• Ability to demonstrate commitment to developing community members' potential, prosperity, and protection with demonstrated understanding of cultural awareness.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, ability to follow directions, and interpret policies and procedures to ensure compliance.

Work Environment

• A majority of the assigned duties are performed in an office environment.
• The employee is subject to both inside and outside environmental conditions.
• Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions of this position.

This description is not intended, and should not be construed, to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the principal job elements essential for making compensation decisions.

• Associates degree in Social Work, Human Services, Psychology or related field and two to four years of full-time experience working with direct client/family interaction
• Bachelor's degree in Human Services, Social Work, Psychology or related field preferred along with one-year full-time experience working with direct client/family interaction.
• Knowledge of Human Services agencies in the area.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred but not required.
• Work ethic that exemplifies enthusiasm, teamwork, and self-motivation.
• Strong interpersonal and human relations skills with flexibility and adaptability, and ability to multi-task.
• Demonstrated ability to apply culturally appropriate skills in interactions with clients, co-workers, volunteers, partner agencies, and other community members.
• Excellent communication (verbal and written), problem solving, listening, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to form and maintain positive work relationships.
• Ability and willingness to work within the established structure of Catholic Charities and a Family Development approach strengthening families and building support systems.
• Demonstrated self-starter and ability to work independently, efficiently, effectively, and multitask in a fast-paced environment.
• Occasional evenings and weekends are required to accommodate meetings and special events.

Compensation

The salary for this position is $18.50/hour and a bilingual differential of $1.00/hour. Salary is determined based on the applicant's incoming skills and experience, and the budget at time of hiring.

Position Classification

• Nonexempt
• Full Time: 40 hours per week
• Schedule: Monday - Friday
• Grant Funded Position: No End Date: N/A

Benefits

• Discretionary Time Off (used for sick leave and vacation)
• Spiritual Enrichment (2 hours monthly)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Leave and Unpaid Leave
• Dental Insurance
• Medical Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Short-term Disability Insurance after 30 days of employment
• Long-term Disability Insurance after 6 months of employment
• Workers' Compensation Insurance
• Life Insurance
• $2,000 Dependent Life Insurance for spouse and each eligible child
• $50,000 Term Life/AD&D (accidental death & dismemberment) Insurance
• Pension Plan (6-8% of wages plus interest) with 20% vesting after 1 year of service
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Equal Employment Opportunity

Catholic Charities is dedicated to the principles of equal employment opportunity. We prohibit unlawful discrimination against applicants or employees on the basis of age 40 and over, race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and length, protective hairstyles), color, national origin or ancestry, gender expression, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, creed, national origin, pregnancy, childbirth or any related conditions, disability, marital status, military status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. This prohibition includes unlawful harassment based on any of these protected classes. Unlawful harassment includes verbal or physical conduct which has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.

Applicants and employees need not be Catholic. However, all employees are governed by Canon Law or the teachings of the Catholic Church.

*This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your I-9 Form information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.*

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