PEER MENTOR PROGRAM LEAD

Goodwill Industries of Southern New Jersey and Phi•Philadelphia, PA

3d•$48,000 - $52,000•Onsite

About The Position

The purpose of the Peer Mentor Program Lead is to act as the site lead for the First Step Act/reSTARt Peer Mentoring Program throughout the Goodwill of Southern NJ and Philadelphia territory. It is the responsibility of the Peer Mentor Program Lead to coach and support Peer Mentors, as well as monitor their engagement and compliance. The Peer Mentor Lead will act as a Liaison to the Peer Mentor Manager. The Peer Mentor Program Lead is responsible for ensuring positive outcomes for participants enrolled in the program. The Peer Mentor Program Lead will be supervised by the Director of Mission Services/FSA reSTARt Project Manager and will exercise functional supervision over peer mentors.

Requirements

To perform this job successfully, the individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.
Demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking, and effectively engage employers, participants, and stakeholders.
Exhibit strong organizational, time-management, and prioritization skills, with the ability to work independently and collaboratively
Able to interact with a wide variety of individuals and demonstrate a positive professional attitude.
Experience in a team-oriented environment.
Ability to work with little supervision and demonstrate strong initiative and problem solving.
Must be well-organized.
Must be able to multitask.
Must be able to maintain a high level of confidentiality and be responsive.
Must be able to adapt to changes in operations and policies and procedures.
Must have intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and Google Programs.
Must possess strong customer service skills and be able to work with internal and external customers.
Flexibility to cover other areas of Goodwill when needed.
Must have a valid driver’s license with a clean driving record and dependable transportation.
Access to dependable transportation, which can be used in the course of his/her job.
Must have an operating telephone, so that he/she may be contacted quickly by Goodwill and clients when necessary.
Available to work flexible schedule to include nights, weekends, and occasional long hours.
Self-starter with excellent anticipation skills, follow up, dependability, and sense of urgency about getting results.
Ability to engage in prolonged sitting, standing and/or walking.
Ability to work well under pressure, adapt to unexpected events, prioritize and multitask in a deadline driven environment.
Ability to lift and/or carry objects weighing up to 10 lbs. frequently with occasional periods of lifting and/or carrying objects weighing up to 25 lbs
This position is a professional staff position and requires a person capable of conforming to the high standards of behavior expected of all staff.
Excellent work habits, including attendance and punctuality, are required.
The person must follow company policies and safety procedures as well as ensure that participants under his/her supervision follow the same.
Associate’s degree in human services, Social Work, Criminal Justice, Psychology, Sociology, or a related field; OR Certification or formal training as a Peer Recovery Specialist, Peer Support Specialist, or Reentry Peer Mentor.
Lived experience with the criminal justice system, including successful community reentry, strongly required.
Minimum of three (3) years of experience providing peer mentoring, reentry support, case management assistance, or participant navigation services for justice-involved individuals.
Demonstrated experience supporting individuals returning from incarceration, including assistance with employment readiness, life skills, community reintegration, and systems navigation.
At least one (1) year of experience serving in a lead, senior, or informal supervisory role, including mentoring peers, coordinating activities, or providing guidance to staff or volunteers.

Nice To Haves

Bilingual in Spanish is a plus.
Able to interact with a wide variety of individuals and demonstrate a positive professional attitude.

Responsibilities

Knowledge of current best practices in the delivery of re-entry services.
Knowledge of and the ability to interpret human behavior and basic knowledge of effective behavior management techniques.
Responsible for meeting or exceeding performance standards set by the agency and funding partners.
Provides required documentation and reporting to appropriate staff, agency, and funding sources for all services and activities in his/her/they/their area of responsibility.
Ensures the area of responsibility follows all regulations and requirements.
Implements established policies and procedures.
Model professional peer leadership by setting expectations and reinforcing standards.
Exemplify appropriate boundaries, accountability, and professionalism within the peer mentor model.
Assist with organizing and developing training manuals, a reference library, assessment and evaluation procedures, supplies, and other needed educational materials.
Facilitating education sessions regarding the peer mentor model for workforce development staff, partners, and the community.
Develop and implement a recruitment strategy for potential peer-mentee candidates.
Assist in the development of a sustainability plan for the peer mentoring program.
Ability to create and deliver interactive mentoring activities while ensuring all activities are in accordance with grant/contract requirements.
Ensure mentor-participant relationship, meeting frequency and program fidelity are adhered to by the peer mentor.
The ability to develop and maintain positive working relationships with our partners, other staff, funders, and community members.
Ensures that information and files are maintained in various formats in accordance with applicable laws, standards, and regulations.
Thorough knowledge of designated service areas, principles of reentry and mentoring, principles of customer service, and all grant requirements and regulations.
Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with staff, partners, funders, and the community served.
Conducts intakes and provides direct services, as needed, to individuals seeking assistance.
Attend all the training required.
Vision and hearing corrected to within normal limits.
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including nights and weekends.
Ability to perform light or medium duty work, including occasional bending, stooping, stretching, pushing, and pulling for up to 8 hours a day.
Ability to carry up to 15 lbs. occasionally (material handling equipment will be used to minimize effort when practical).
Must follow company policies and safety procedures as well as assure that customers/clients/staff under his/her/they/their supervision follow the same.
Responsible for other duties as assigned or identified, for the benefit of Goodwill, Mission Services, or Peer Mentor Program.