Housing and Outreach Specialist

**Job Overview:**Under the supervision of the Employment Coordinator, the Housing and Outreach Specialist will work together with the larger Economic Empowerment Team through an integrated approach to help refugees to thrive financially in the U.S. The Housing and Outreach Specialist will be responsible for managing relationships with community housing partners as well as outreach for early employment programs, specifically those that assist refugee and immigrant clients. Specifically, this position works to engage, inform, and enroll the refugee and immigrant community in early employment services offered at IRC San Jose including job search assistance, job readiness training, soft-skills trainings, and coordinating additional services tailored to individual client needs.

Major Responsibilities:

Outreach

• Conduct outreach within the refugee and immigrant communities for the recruitment of eligible participants skilled in specific sectors for workforce development programs
• Coordinate with internal IRC programs to highlight the value of the program and screen referrals
• Plan and attend external outreach opportunities such as local resource centers and community events to spread essential career program information to the community
• Establish partnerships with other community-based organizations and housing partners.
• Attend all external partnership meetings as related to outreach.
• Provide regular presentations to ensure a healthy flow of client referrals.
• Co-locate at locations across the community as needed to work with walk-in clients and referrals

Assessment and Enrollment

• Conduct a thorough and equal assessment of applicants in conjunction with the staff in early employment programs
• Establish and refine workflows to ensure client assessments and case management is properly handed off to the correct Employment Specialist contact point
• Complete intake and enrollment administration and case noting
• Enroll clients in other IRC San Jose programs as applicable

Service Documentation

• Use internal databases as assigned to track client services, outcomes, and metrics
• Engage with and, as necessary, develop supportive tracking systems for auxiliary information
• Comply with all financial and budget-related mechanisms and processes

Other Responsibilities

• Participate in all program meetings, external partner meetings as related to outreach, staff development activities, and fully engage as a member of the team
• Comply with all policies, procedures and protocols of the agency
• Other related duties as assigned

Job Requirements:

Education:

• Undergraduate degree; ideally in Social Work or an equivalent field of study; comparable related work experience may be substituted.

Work Experience:

• At least 2 years’ experience client community engagement or outreach strongly preferred
• At least 2 years’ experience demonstrating the ability to communicate well with people of varied backgrounds required
• At least 2 years’ experience working in employment and workforce programs a plus

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Ability to effectively set service expectations and coach clients towards shared goals
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking and presentation creation
• Strong interpersonal skills for effective networking and influence. Proven ability to foster and manage client and employer relationships
• Proven ability to take initiative, creatively problem solve and collaborate in a fast-paced work environment
• Demonstrated experience in system development, case management, and/or sales and marketing
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to track and follow up on dynamic information
• Ability to work efficiently across a team to reach specific measured outcomes
• Experience using data and fiscal tracking systems preferred
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite required
• Proficiency in a refugee language such as Dari, Farsi, Pashto, Spanish, Tigrinya or Arabic is an asset.
• Valid driver’s license, reliable vehicle with current insurance, and the ability to travel regularly throughout the service delivery area.
• Flexible availability necessary

*Working Environment:***Standard office environment.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: In accordance with IRC’s duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards and our commitment to safeguard the health of our employees, clients, and communities, IRC requires candidates who are selected for interview to furnish proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in order to be considered for this position.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity: IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

US Benefits: We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days depending on role and tenure, medical insurance starting at $120 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with immediately vested matching, disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.