Doula (Chicago & Western Suburbs)

About the Organization:

New Moms believes in the strength, skills, and potential of young moms. Our comprehensive approach provides housing, job training, academic coaching, and family support to give moms and their children a path to lasting success. Combining behavioral research, proven methodology, and 40 years of real-world experience, New Moms has established an equity-driven model for generational change, challenging the barriers caused by systemic poverty and racism.

Our Commitment to Equity:

New Moms prioritizes racial equity as a strategic and organizational imperative. Strong candidates will be committed to integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) values into their work goals and will be evaluated on their impact.

About the Job:

The Community-Based Doula supports healthy pregnancies, promotes breastfeeding, and builds trusting, strength-based relationships with families experiencing homelessness before, during, and after birth. This role prioritizes serving New Moms participants in Housing and Job Training while collaborating with home visitors supporting families experiencing homelessness. The Doula advocates for families, provides prenatal education, and helps them prepare for childbirth through home visits and group-based services. During labor and delivery, the Doula serves in a non-clinical support role. This position will champion all New Moms values including our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, in both strategic planning and performance. Based in our Oak Park office, this role serves young mothers (ages 24 and under) in Chicago and the surrounding western suburbs and requires significant travel. Starting Salary Range: $48,000 – $50,000 DOQ

Key Job Responsibilities:

Direct Service:

• Provides labor and delivery support for a caseload of at least six (6) participants, offering guidance to the laboring individual and their support system
• Conducts weekly home visits, working with diverse populations in a culturally sensitive manner
• Maintains a flexible schedule, including nights and weekends, to attend births and participate in an on-call rotation
• Completes thorough assessments of participant families, utilizing prescribed assessment tools on an established schedule
• Delivers education and support on topics such as child development, parenting, birth preparation, parent-child interactions, and family well-being through both home visits and group-based services
• Provides mental health case management to participants experiencing emotional distress or mental health symptoms
• Collaborates with internal staff and external community resources to enhance participants’ stability and overall well-being
• Utilizes supportive coaching technologies, including New Moms’ app, survey platforms, and other digital tools to maintain engagement and enhance connection with participants
•  Facilitates prenatal care groups on a rotating basis, typically leading one cycle per year and serving as a backup for additional cycles
• Assists with participant and child transportation as needed and approved by the supervisor
• Leads outreach activities and maintain referral partnerships to ensure their caseload and team is at full enrollment

Training and Administration:

• Completes Parents as Teachers (PAT) core certification training within three (3) months of hire
• Completes Doulas of North America (DONA) training within three (3) months of hire and obtains DONA certification within six (6) months of training completion
• Completes all DOULA BASIC trainings as assigned
• Maintains active PAT and DONA certifications throughout employment
• IL Doula Certification may be required for this position; Must obtain and maintain certification as instructed by supervisor
• Works collaboratively with New Moms staff to integrate services across the organization, coordinating with colleagues and external partners on case-related matters
• Maintains working relationships with other social service and public agencies, secures necessary consent forms, and facilitates inter-agency referrals as needed
• Documents all services provided in participant files and required databases, both internal and external, ensuring accuracy and compliance
• Upholds program compliance under supervisor direction, working to maximize participant engagement and retention

Other:

• Upholds the New Moms’ Executive Skills Coaching approach which is grounded in racial equity
• Regularly participates in agency and program staff meetings, as well as professional group seminars or conferences to enhance professional knowledge and job skills
• Supervises volunteers and/or interns, as determined by supervisor
• Maintains professional communication, ensuring voicemail greetings for office and agency-issued cell phones are current, returning all messages promptly, and providing participants with updated contact information; Establishes a clear after-hours communication plan, including forwarding calls to the on-call doula when unavailable
• Demonstrates fiscal responsibility when using a company credit card, ensuring all expenses are budgeted, pre-approved, and reconciled monthly
• Regularly monitors and responds to agency communications, including Slack, email, and other internal platforms, addressing time-sensitive matters promptly
• Performs other related duties as assigned

Qualifications:

Education:

• High School Diploma or equivalency required

Experience:

• DONA Certification and Parents As Teachers certification preferred
• One or more years of experience in related field preferred
• Experience working with vulnerable populations, preferably in early childhood through adolescent parenting, child and family development; Experience working with families experiencing homelessness and/or housing instability preferred
• Experience collaborating with local, state, and federal homeless systems preferred

Skills/Traits:

• Excellent communication skills, both oral and in writing
• Experience in the use of personal computers and Microsoft software applications

Other requirements:

• Valid driver’s license, with safe driving record and valid insurance; Daily access to a reliable car required
• Must have the ability to be on-call for a minimum of 1 week a month for attendance of labor and birth of participants and cross-coverage of other Doula’s caseload; this includes after hours weekends and holidays as part of a rotating on-call team

Work Environment: The individual must be able to stand, sit, or remain on their feet for extended periods, including shifts longer than eight (8) hours, as needed for birth support. Must be able to walk up and down stairs and lift/move items up to 30-40 pounds or perform these tasks with reasonable accommodations. The work environment may vary, including hospitals, homes, and birth centers, with fluctuating noise levels and temperatures.

New Moms’ Benefits: We offer a comprehensive benefits package to full-time employees including health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; matching on retirement savings up to 3%; 15 paid holidays; and generous paid time off. We also offer several unique benefits to New Moms: discounts on Bright Endeavors products, free optional spiritual direction services, and half days on Fridays in the summer. Our Flexible Work Options policy allows for staff to work some hours remotely once training is complete. For licensed employees, you will receive over 20 free CEU's during onboarding and an additional 1.5 free CEU's/month throughout employment. We promote professional development and provide time for you to attend other external trainings opportunities as well. New Moms is a qualifying employer for student loan forgiveness and your time employed counts toward eligibility.

Salary : $48,000 - $50,000