Resource Navigator

Westmoreland Community Action • Monessen, PA

7d

About The Position

We are seeking a caseworker to join our Resource Navigation team in Monessen, PA! As a Resource Navigator, you will assist individuals and families with multiple needs to obtain and maintain self-sufficiency. Westmoreland Community Action (WCA) is a non-profit organization that works to connect individuals and families to opportunities and resources throughout the community to improve their quality of life and help to reduce poverty in the community. This is accomplished through housing, counseling, support, education, intervention, collaborations, partnerships, information, referrals, and networking. Our Welcome Centers are where our staff are more easily accessible in the community. The staff at the Welcome Centers are navigators and are available to assist folks in getting any of our services and also to make warm hand off referrals to outside agencies when appropriate.

Requirements

• Knowledge of the following: o Professional casework principles and methods; o Service delivery area and the community resources and agencies that serve the area; o Current social, economic, and health problems and the resources to meet target population needs; o Various program eligibility requirements, including governmental, utility company, or those required by other funding sources; o Individual and group behavior and ways to effectively work with each; o Microsoft Office Suite, including but not limited to Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel, Access, Power Point, and Publisher components; and, o Federal, state, and city, laws, programs, and resources;
• Skills in the following: o Writing, editing and communicating, including knowledge of English grammar, spelling, and punctuation as they would relate to the production of reports, work plans, and other operational documents, as well as their use in communicating with a variety of individuals and groups; o Using a keyboard and personal computer; o Oral communication skills, such as speaking, listening, and interviewing; and, o Using tracking and reporting systems, including automated management information systems.
• Ability to perform the following: o Maintaining a high volume, fast-paced caseload; o Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with staff, administrators, partnering agencies, elected officials, government agencies, businesses, participants, and the general public; o Analyzing, evaluating, and recommending action on participant needs; o Communicating and working with individuals possessing targeted barriers to self-sufficiency; o Efficiently utilizing a personal computer or laptop computer, including the entering of data into a software system and producing required reports; o Being creative, resourceful and flexible; o Demonstrating respect for individuals and groups with varied cultural, racial, ethnic, religious, and linguistic identities or backgrounds; o Collecting, organizing, analyzing, and processing information quickly and efficiently; o Prioritizing multitasked and multifaceted work; o Soundly interpreting and applying regulations and procedures; o Projecting a positive image; o Thinking creatively and working cooperatively with staff and outside agencies to promote and improve services; o Organizing, prioritizing, and establishing schedules to accomplish program goals and evaluate the delivery of service and program objectives; o Preparing and maintaining written records and reports; o Interpreting written and oral information; o Identifying and meeting goals, objectives, outcomes, and timelines within broad parameters and working independently of direct supervision; o Maintaining confidentiality at all times; o Clearly communicating with individuals and groups of diverse cultural backgrounds both orally and in writing; and, o Planning and organizing work, preparing adequate records and reports, setting priorities, and maintaining a caseload in an effective and timely manner.
• Bachelor’s degree in a human service-related field or the equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to demonstrate the required knowledge, skills and abilities;
• Demonstrable experience with federal, state, and city laws, programs, and resources; and,
• One year of prior casework experience.
• Possession of a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation with appropriate insurance coverage available daily;
• Computer training and/or documented proficiency with Microsoft Office products;
• Flexibility to work altered and non-traditional work schedules, as assigned;
• Participation in job-related training as assigned;
• Pennsylvania State Police Criminal History Clearance, Child Abuse Clearance, and FBI Clearance current within 90 days of employment; and a Motor Vehicle Record check;
• Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse training completed within 90 days of hire; and,
• Physical ability to perform essential job functions without any health restrictions, including the ability to sit for long periods of time, stand, lift and carry up to twenty pounds, have unrestricted use of the upper body, corrected or uncorrected hearing and vision within normal ranges, and a clear speaking voice.
• Strength requirements - Push/pull, lift/move up to 10 pounds.
• Manual dexterity - Perform moderately difficult manipulation - typing, writing, filing.
• Coordination - Perform tasks which require foot and/or hand/eye coordination - driving a car, computer entry.
• Mobility - Walk, stand, sit for prolonged periods of time, drive.
• Speech - Articulate with extreme accuracy.
• Vision - Read small print, drive a car.
• Hearing - Able to receive verbal information with some background noise.
• Concentration - Able to concentrate on moderate to fine detail with constant interruption.
• Attention Span - Able to attend to task function for more than 60 minutes at a time.
• Conceptualization - Able to understand and relate to theories behind several related concepts.
• Memory - Able to remember multiple verbal and written task-assignments given at beginning of a period extending over long period of time.
• Environment Conditions - Indoor work.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for staffing assigned Welcome Center.
• Works with participants individually, in families, or in small groups regarding plans to meet needs; assists participants in determining a plan of action to overcome existing barriers, and works with participants in their attainment of self-sufficiency;
• Gathers and evaluates participant information on barriers relating to the participant’s stabilization;
• Develops individualized goals and service plans with participants;
• Provides referrals and linkages to WCA programs and/or local resources and coordinates community services;
• Correlates participant needs with available programs and provides leadership and/or assistance to individuals and families in linking them with the proper service(s);
• Provides daily, weekly or biweekly follow-up, monitoring and evaluation of household progress through home visits, phone contacts, office visits, and written correspondence;
• Develops and maintains up-to-date knowledge and information on WCA programs and community resources, along with working relationships with these programs and agencies;
• Maintains accurate and timely records and prepares adequate and timely reports in appropriate program database per program regulations;
• Utilizes computerized informational systems to assist in service delivery and in developing and maintaining program service records and reports; and,
• Performs related work as required.

Benefits

• ICHRA health plans – Using an allowance, choose the best plan for you,
• Dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability polices
• 16 paid holidays
• 10 days of vacation in first year of employment
• 8% retirement match after 1 year and 1000 hours of service
• Mileage reimbursement
• Time and a half for holidays worked.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level