Birth Doula

The mission of Healthy Start is to improve maternal and child health and to reduce poor birth outcomes and infant mortality in Allegheny County.

Overview:

Healthy Start is adding full-time birth doulas to the team! As a part of the Healthy Start multidisciplinary team, our doulas have a passion for maternal and child health, and advance family systems and life course approaches to support improved birth outcomes and family and community health and well-being. Our doulas focus on health equity, using evidence-based practice, supporting Healthy Start’s unique contributions to the field of maternal and child health, eradicating disparities faced by members of the Black community, and will work to serve the Healthy Start participant population and the community at large.

Duties of the Position:

· Provide birth support that is trauma-informed, culturally responsive and centers the lived experiences of Black women and families.

· Support a positive customer service experience and timeliness of communication for all participants who interact with the program.

· Provide ongoing education and support to Healthy Start participants and community.

· Provide on-call or emergency birth support on occasion to birth doula clients

· Ensure documentation of all service provision.

· Attend bi-weekly meetings conducted by the doula program manager.

· Attend bi-weekly ongoing educational topics for doula skills development.

· Operate a variety of office equipment, i.e., copier machine, facsimile, etc.

· Perform other job-related duties as assigned by immediate supervisor.

· Represent Healthy Start and the doula programs in local, regional, and national meetings and on committees/working groups as needed and assigned.

Qualifications of Position:

Must be a trained doula or committed to completing a doula education training program (preference will be given to trained doulas and we are excited to support certification for the right candidates). Must demonstrate a passion for maternal and child health, with an understanding or willingness to understand public health concepts and health disparities. Must understand or be willing to understand the current and historical context of birth work and doula support for Black women and within the Black community, with a level of cultural humility in working with the target population. Must be proficient in or committed to learning Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook. Preference will be given to doulas that demonstrate deep knowledge of and experience supporting Black women.

Other:

o COVID vaccination required

o Act 33/34 clearances are required

o A valid unrestricted Pennsylvania Driver’s License (preferred but not required)

o Current and valid unrestricted automobile insurance and be listed as an insured driver

Skills and Knowledge Required:

· Passion, energy, and drive.

· Knowledge of the competencies and scope of practice for birth and/or postpartum doulas.

· Ability to provide education and direct support to program participants and their supports (partners, other family members, medical providers, etc.)

· Knowledge of prevention strategies needs and risk assessment and family systems.

· Understanding of community and service delivery systems.

· Ability to motivate and guide participants to keep appointments, obtain goals and take advantage of services.

· Ability to work with multi-cultural participants/agencies.

· Attention to detail.

· Excellent organizational, interpersonal, communication (written and verbal), and analytical skills.

· Must be able to prioritize and multi-task while working in a fast-paced environment.

· Commitment to developing an understanding of the Healthy Start model.

· Ability to follow instructions, take direction from management and comply with the boundaries of the established policies and procedures, while embracing the importance of contributing new ideas.

· Strong computer literacy (Microsoft Professional Office, Access) and understanding of basic data analytics.

· Ability to meet deadlines and process assignments in a timely and accurate manner.

· Work well under pressure and be able to prioritize and manage multiple tasks.

· Ability to travel within Allegheny County.

· Commitment to protecting the confidentiality of employee and agency information.

· Professional demeanor is required as you will interact with persons at all levels within the organization, outside of the organization and community.

· Must possess a valid unrestricted Pennsylvania Driver’s License and current and valid unrestricted automobile insurance and be listed as an insured driver.

· Personal transportation with employee listed as an insured driver on the vehicle used for work.

Supervisory Relationship:

This position works under the direction of the Doula Program Manager.

Physical Demands:

• The work performed is 80% conducted in the field as perinatal or birth support. Candidate must possess the ability to be on call and work at locales outside of the office environment, including homes, hospitals and birth centers.
• Intense mental, visual and aural attention is required as the work involves responding to requests, planning or performing work that is at times, can be fast-paced.
• The other 20% of the position is office work requiring sitting, typing and answering phones, with occasional light lifting, carrying, stooping, standing, bending, walking and filing.
• Out of town and overnight travel may be required on occasion.

Compensation:

The starting salary for this position is $36,000-46,000 annually commensurate with experience, with competitive benefits package that includes professional development and room for self-care. This is an exempt position.

To apply, email resume and cover letter to hr@hsipgh.org.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $36,000.00 - $46,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person

Salary : $36,000 - $46,000