Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.

About the Community Empowerment Fund:
CEF is a non-profit organization operating in Durham and Orange Counties that supports people experiencing homelessness or financial insecurity. We work alongside approximately 250 volunteers and 3,000 members in their pursuit of employment, secure housing, and financial stability. We are valued by Members and partners alike for our ability to meet people where they are and walk alongside each individual to achieve personal goals, as well as our collaborative approach to address systemic gaps in our local communities. We are passionate about sustaining transitions out of homelessness and combine flexible relationship-based support with innovative matched savings accounts, referral networks, resource databases, and programs to support Members in achieving their long-term dreams. Learn more at www.communityef.org.

 

Position Summary:
The Member Resource Specialist (MRS) is a full-time position focused on cultivating resources that supplement our Member Services in targeted content areas. In addition to providing in-office support for CEF Members and Advocates as a member of the Durham team, the MRS will be responsible for leading our efforts to grow targeted program services focused on housing and employment. In the future, the MRS may focus on additional services including financial coaching, resource development, and longitudinal data tracking. This position will have responsibility onsite in CEF’s Durham office with flexibility for off-site work and will report directly to the Durham Member Services Coordinator.

Responsibilities:

In-Office Support for Members and Advocates (20%)

• Provide 8-10 hours per week of in-office staff support to support Advocates and Members, ensure delivery of quality member services, and promote office policies and boundaries, especially regarding emotional and physical safety.
• Support general office operations with other staff members including mail, phones, walk-ins, scheduling, member surveys, etc.
• Contribute to weekly case-conferencing at team meetings to provide support when navigating complex or crisis situations.
• Provide excellent relationship-based care coordination for CEF Members.
• Manage a list of 50+ Members who are actively searching for employment opportunities by conducting bi-weekly check-in calls to update how best to provide individualized support.
• Maintain accurate employment search updates on Member’s profiles to track continued progress and inform Advocates for their meetings with Members.

First-Time Homebuyers  Project (30%)

• Recruit participants for a first-time homebuyer cohort in Durham County.
• Meet with members to ready them for the homebuying experience
• Communicate with community and lenders about what program is and requirements
• Communicate with the savings team when a participant has met all of the requirements for their savings match.

Workforce Development and Implementation (20%)

• Recruit workforce/Employment partners who would hire our members

• Set up workshops to help members be skilled up to be good employees-resumes, cover letters, mock interviews, digital applications

• Support entrepreneurship/small business financial coaching goal implementation, resources, referrals and updates
• Support members looking for employment through connections to resources

Community Class Financial Education Project (10%)

• Organize monthly financial education seminars– including scheduling presenters, gathering materials, confirming attendance, and providing snacks.
• Follow-up with participants in between monthly workshops to ensure they are receiving the support services they need, including scheduling regular meetings with CEF to participate in financial coaching sessions.
• Track participant attendance and progress towards savings goals.

Resources and Financial Coaching (RFC) Team (10%)

• Participate as a member of the Resources and Financial Coaching (RFC) Team, the team responsible for building and updating new Member Goals and financial coaching modules in our Salesforce system, Connect.
• Attend biweekly meetings to test and case conference updates to Member Goals and resources in our Resource Database, discuss development priorities, and write and review soft code for upcoming updates.
• Take lead on managing the development status and testing of content-specific Member Goals and resources such as the Working on Employment Member Goal.

Community Partner Coordination (5%)

• Coordinate referral pipeline with local service partners alongside Durham Member Services Coordinator

CEF Team Member (5%)

• Actively participate in CEF staff meetings, caucuses, retreats, board meetings, and organizational decision-making.
• Participate in Durham staff meetings, as well as all-staff meetings.

An ideal candidate will have:

• Critical thinking skills
• Curiosity to learn more
• Ability to communicate clearly about needs and boundaries
• Exceptional listening skills
• Strong project management and organizational skills
• Ability to build supportive and authentic relationships with people of diverse backgrounds and abilities

Relevant Skills & Qualifications:

• Exceptional organizational abilities and attention to detail; ability to follow through on simultaneous projects, including daily tasks and long-term projects.
• Experience managing projects and case-management responsibilities in collaboration with internal and external partners.
• The ability to work well with people across race, class, gender, sexual orientation, ability status, education level, religion, and other diverse identities and experiences.
• An aptitude for database management and technical skills with an ability to learn how to soft code.
• Availability for regular evening and weekend hours to accommodate volunteer schedules.
• Experience with technology and willingness to learn new technologies including but not limited to Salesforce, Google Suite, Slack, and Asana.
• Creative, comfortable taking initiative, and works well independently.
• Bilingual or bicultural skills are preferred but not required.

Compensation:

This is a full-time, salaried position. This position is expected to work an average of 32 hours per week and will be paid $40.000/year. This position is also eligible for 100% employer-paid health insurance; a 401(k) plan with employer match; optional employee-paid dental and vision; paid vacation, sick, and holiday leave; and a professional development stipend. See an outline of CEF’s benefits here. All CEF staff are expected to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit weekly negative test results.  

To Apply:

Please submit (1) a cover letter, (2) a resume, and (3) contact information for three references to hiring@communityef.org with the subject “Member Resource Specialist”. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis  and will remain open until filled. Your cover letter should speak to your interest in working with CEF, one goal you would have for your first year in this position, and the experiences and qualities that will make you a great fit.

CEF is an equal opportunity employer, and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, LGBTQI identified people, and people with lived experience with homelessness or poverty. Thank you for your interest! Please contact hiring@communityef.org with any questions.

Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.

About the Community Empowerment Fund:
CEF is a non-profit organization operating in Durham and Orange Counties that supports people experiencing homelessness or financial insecurity. We work alongside approximately 100+ volunteers and 3,000 Members in their pursuit of employment, secure housing, and financial stability. We are valued by Members and partners alike for our ability to meet people where they are and walk alongside each individual to achieve personal goals, as well as our collaborative approach to address systemic gaps in our local communities. We are passionate about sustaining transitions out of homelessness, and combine flexible relationship-based support with innovative matched savings accounts, referral networks, resource databases, and programs to support Members in achieving their long-term dreams. Learn more at www.communityef.org.

 

Position Summary:
The Advocate Program Coordinator (APC) is a member of the core program staff in the Durham office. This position leads recruitment, training, coordination, and support for the activities of 50-70 volunteer Advocates per semester, as well as the Advocate Leadership Team (ALT). The APC serves as co-Lead of the Durham office with the Member Services Coordinator (MSC) and collaborates closely with its counterpart in the CEF Orange County office to steward a trauma-informed, anti-racist Advocate program centered around relationship-based support.

Responsibilities:

Advocate Program Stewardship & Supervision (60%):

• Recruit several times per year, select, support, and retain dedicated Advocate volunteers, summer interns, and seasonal staff 10 times per year (7 seasonal staffing periods, summer internship, fall and spring general recruitment)
• Maintain and organize personal work calendar, email, and Google Drive
• Develop and maintain tracking documents to support the recruitment and retention of volunteer Advocates
• Create and share fliers, communication materials, and weekly Advocate announcements and updates
• Develop and maintain partnerships and relationships with organizational partners to support Advocate recruitment and retention
• Develop, adapt, and lead interactive training content to share CEF’s foundational practices in relationship-based support, equity, and justice.
• Cultivate awareness of structural inequities, anti-racism, and trauma-informed care
• Foster ongoing opportunities for reflection and learning.
• Coordinate office hour sign-ups, absences, and coverage for Advocates, including supporting Advocates with self-care and co-care practices.
• Manage Advocate Hub Google Site
• Serve as a conduit between Advocates and organization-wide visioning and development.
• Steward the Advocate accountability process to increase volunteer retention and ensure volunteers have the support they need to show up fully in their Advocate hours.
• Supervise 6-8 full-time and part-time summer interns.
• Develop project work for the summer internship program
• Provide empowering mentorship and general support to Advocates.
• Supervise the Advocate Leadership Team (ALT)
• Collaborate with the Orange County APC  to conduct annual program evaluations and guide Advocate Program strategies and priorities.
• Onboarding for all Advocates
• Plan and coordinate the annual CEF-Durham Spring Graduation Celebration in the Durham office and monitor the budget.
• Navigate and monitor budgets for training sessions, the internship program, and seasonal staffing.

 In-office Staff Support for Members & Advocates (20%):

• Provide a minimum of 10 hours per week or more of in-office staff support to support Advocates and Members, ensure delivery of quality Member services, and promote office policies and boundaries, especially regarding emotional and physical safety.
• Be available to support any office hours that may need coverage, but sometimes office hours can be shifted.
• Facilitate general, skills, and social justice-oriented training sessions 5 or more times per year on the weekends.
• Provide support to Advocates & Members in situations when policies are broken or boundaries are crossed
• Co-facilitate weekly case-conferencing with DU Member Services Coordinator to ensure quality Member services and Advocate learning, growth, and retention.
• Provide excellent relationship-based care coordination for CEF Members.
• Manage the Member meeting calendar in Connect
• Review and make sure notes are properly added in the Connect database

CEF Team Member (10%):

• Work regularly with Members as an Advocate, an expectation for all staff.
• Actively participate in CEF staff meetings, caucuses, retreats, professional development training, board meetings, and organizational decision-making.
• Be an active member of the Member Services Leadership Team.
• Attend and support mandatory organizational events that often fall on weekends
• Serve as the Durham office Technology Lead responsible for onboarding and training volunteers and staff to technology platforms, including Google Suite, Slack, Asana, and Connect through Salesforce.
• Review Advocate notes on a regular basis to ensure clarity and quality of information gathered and shared in the agency database.
• Co-facilitate weekly staff meetings with the Durham Member Services Coordinator.
• Co-coordinate office closures and practices with the Durham Office & Community Organizer, MSPM, and ED.

 

Relevant Skills & Qualifications:

• Exceptional organizational abilities and attention to detail; ability to follow through on simultaneous projects, including daily tasks and longer-term visioning.
• Experience managing projects.
• Experience using Google Suites (Sheets, Docs, Forms, Sites, etc)
• The ability to work well with people across race, class, gender, sexual orientation, ability status, education level, religion, and other diverse identities and experiences.
• Fosters a culture that promotes anti-racism practices and equity
• Strong skills as an engaging trainer and facilitator around topics related to racism and injustice.
• Engaging and collaborative leadership style with empowering mentorship for volunteers.
• Availability for regular evening and weekend hours to accommodate volunteer schedules.
• Facility with technology, including willingness to learn new technologies.
• Creative, comfortable taking initiative, and works well independently.
• Bilingual or bicultural skills preferred but not required.
• Time management skills
• Emotional intelligence
• Ability to establish and maintain healthy boundaries

 

Compensation:

This is a full-time, salaried position. This position is expected to work an average of 40 hours per week and will be paid $42,000/year. This position is also eligible for 100% employer-paid health insurance; a 401(k) plan with employer match; optional employee-paid dental and vision; paid vacation, sick, and holiday leave; and a professional development stipend. See an outline of CEF’s benefits here. All CEF staff are expected to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit weekly negative test results.  

To Apply:

Please submit (1) a cover letter, (2) a resume, and (3) contact information for three references to hiring@communityef.org with the subject “DU – APC”. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Your cover letter should speak to: your interest in working with CEF; one goal you would have for your first year in this position; and the experiences and qualities that will make you a great fit.

CEF is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ applicants. Thank you for your interest! Please contact hiring@communityef.org with any questions.