Require Benefits Hub Coach in Seattle, WA

Job title: Benefits Hub Coach
Company: United Way
Job description: Organization Overview

Community and technical colleges are an affordable way for people to get a higher education, yet fewer than half of community college students earn a credential. Further, the COVID-19 crisis demonstrated the importance of a college education. So far during the pandemic, the unemployment rate for those with a high school diploma has been roughly twice that of those with a bachelors degree at 9% and 4.8% respectively, disproportionately impacting black, indigenous, and people of color individuals. Benefits Hub helps students stay in school and complete their education by offering financial tools and resources through coaching, workshops, and grants. In the 2023-2024 school year, Benefits Hub will provide 15,000 interventions to 7,000 students and target our efforts toward students of color, parenting students, and first-generation college students to take steps towards undoing systemic inequities.

Position Description

As a Benefits Hub Coach your role will be to meet with students individually and connect students to critical financial and emergency resources as well as provide information that aid students in achieving their educational goals. You will also build the capacity of the Benefits Hub program by developing strong partnerships and referral pathways that increase awareness and use of Benefits Hub services on campus. This position will offer opportunities to further develop your skills and understanding of direct services and outreach in higher education and non-profits.

Locations

We are seeking to hire Benefits Hub Coaches at the following campuses:

• Bellevue College
• Green River College
• Highline College
• North Seattle College
• Renton Technical College
• Shoreline Community College
• South Seattle College
• UW Bothell & Cascadia College

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide coaching to assess financial needs and eligibility for potential resources and services and encourage financial literacy
• Provide resource navigation to connect with campus and community resources, emergency resources when needed, making appropriate referrals, and assistance enrolling in those services
• Ensure on-going assistance to students by responding to emails and phone calls during service hours
• Effectively manage your weekly schedule to accommodate drop-in hours, student appointments, data entry, campus outreach, and other service tasks
• Deliver workshops on financial literacy topics and tailor content to meet the needs of students
• Outreach and engage students for the purpose of strengthening relationships or helping students access resources through Benefits Hub or other United Way/campus opportunities
• Develop and maintain on-campus partnerships to increase awareness of Benefits Hub services and referrals, including campus departments, staff & faculty, student groups, etc.
• Maintain confidential and accurate files in our online database (Apricot)
• Coordinate on-site logistics for quarterly stakeholder convening, workshops, and events to increase student, staff, and faculty engagement
• Participate in ongoing trainings, apply learnings, and implement racial equity strategies to reduce racial disparities in homelessness and poverty for community and technical college students
• Campus specific responsibilities that further support student needs, including data management, special projects, staffing food pantries, etc.

Qualifications:

• We believe that the communities we serve must be centered in the work we do therefore people of color, first generation college students, and community college graduates or past attendees are highly encouraged to apply
• Second language skill is highly desirable so that we can offer connections to students in their preferred or native languages; Our top 5 most spoken languages by students are: Spanish, Farsi, French, Amharic, and Somali
• Understanding of systemic racism and commitment to anti-racist work to ensure outputs are relevant and accessible to students
• Flexibility and quick problem-solving skills to balance the variety of service activities and any potential shift in student/program priorities
• High emotional intelligence to be able to manage stress and emotions of your own and students
• Experience working on multiple projects at once and ability to self-manage
• Ability to communicate clearly with staff members, partners, and community members
• Ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with team, partners, and the campus community

Preferred Knowledge and Experience:

• Familiarity with Washington State, especially communities most greatly impacted by food and housing insecurity
• Strong computer skills and experience using Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and social media sites
• Experience as a tutor, mentor, or resource navigator

If you do not have the preferred knowledge, experience, or qualifications, please do not be discouraged from applying. We offer professional development, support, and on-the-job learning.

Position Length: September 5th, 2023 ? August 31st, 2024

AmeriCorps Program Eligibility:

Applicants must:

• Must be over 18 years old on the first day of service
• Must be a U.S. citizen, national, or legal permanent resident of the United States. Unfortunately, F1 visas are not sufficient.
• Must be available 40 hours per week through August 2024. Exact hours may vary by site placement, but will primarily be Monday ? Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Must be comfortable working in-person. All members will be required to serve in person at minimum of 3days/week or more based on site needs and responsibilities. All AmeriCorps members MUST be able to transition from working remotely to commuting to their site to serve the full 40 hrs. per week at any time during their service year.
• Must undergo a Washington State Patrol background check, FBI background check and National Sex Offender Registry Check, plus state of residence background check if not currently living in Washington.
• Have a high school diploma/equivalent or be working toward completing one during the service year.
• Understand that AmeriCorps members serve on a full-time (40hrs/week) basis and must prioritize their service hours and responsibilities. Therefore, members currently enrolled in school or with outside employment should not apply if it would interfere with their ability to meet service expectations.
• Per United Way of King County Policy, AmeriCorps members must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by the first day of service. Being fully vaccinated means that an individual is at least two weeks past their final dose of an authorized COVID-19 vaccine regimen. If you are a selected candidate, you will be required to provide proof of vaccination.
• Must be able to attend all orientation/training sessions including both in-person and virtual sessions.

Compensation and Benefits

• Bi-weekly stipend of $1,303.70 (pre-tax)
• $6,895 Education Award upon successful completion of service
• Loan deferment and payment of interest accrued during service year on qualified student loans (loans must be federally-backed; personal/private loans not eligible)
• Health benefits that meet the minimum standards of ACA compliance
• Unlimited free transportation with a pre-paid ORCA Card
• Childcare assistance
• 10 days sick leave, 10 days personal leave plus 11 federal holidays
• Enrollment in an assistance program with 24-hour access to phone counseling
• Access to emergency assistance program to mitigate unforeseen financial emergencies that put your continued participation in AmeriCorps service at risk
• Monthly team meetings, high-quality training, professional development, and networking opportunities
• Lifelong friends and colleagues who are passionate about service

Professional Development Benefits

As a member of this cohort, you will be supported with a robust orientation, ongoing professional development opportunities, training, check-ins, and the tools and resources you need to succeed.

• Robust professional development to support your personal, professional, and service goals and growth
• Skills to be gained include but not limited to: Interpersonal and Intercultural communication, community outreach, adaptability, relationship building, conflict management, customer service, resource navigation, data entry, knowledge of WA public benefits, knowledge of inner workings of non-profits and community college systems
• Career development trainings provided by UWKC AmeriCorps team. Previous trainings include: How to Network, Resume Workshops, Mock Interviews, How to make your LinkedIn Profile Shine
• Optional Certifications: Mental Health First Aid, Food Handler?s Permit (Required by sites with Food Pantries)
• Networking opportunities within United Way and Community Partners

Notice to Applicants:

Please note that United Way of King County has moved to remote and limited in-person operations. As such, be prepared to participate in interviews remotely and to complete service responsibilities in a hybrid environment (in-person and remote) should we move forward with your candidacy. If technology presents a barrier to applying, interviewing, or accepting the position, please reach out to for accommodations.

All members will be required to serve in person at minimum of 3days/week or more based on site needs and responsibilities. Additionally, per United Way and public health guidance, all AmeriCorps members must be able to transition from working remotely part-time to commuting to their site to serve 40 hrs. per week at any time during their service year. Upon entry into service, full COVID-19 vaccination is required for this role. Proof of record will be requested during the onboarding process.
Expected salary:
Location: Seattle, WA

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