What are the responsibilities and job description for the Kinship Program Specialist (Bilingual - Spanish/English) position at Opportunity Council?
We're hiring a Kinship Program Specialist — Spanish fluency required. Make a meaningful impact in families' lives every day!"
DETAILED SUMMARY:
The Kinship Program Specialist offers support services and resource navigation to kinship caregivers, individuals raising the child of a relative or close family friend, in Whatcom, Island, and San Juan Counties. This role empowers caregivers by providing information, referrals, and advocacy to help them overcome challenges and access essential resources, ultimately strengthening families and promoting stability and well-being within the kinship household. The Specialist delivers client-centered, solution-focused services to help families manage legal, financial, educational, and emotional needs by connecting them with vital supports. Responsibilities include conducting intakes, tracking services, performing home visits, and contributing to program development.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Conducts intakes and provides assessments.
2. Delivers financial assistance programs to eligible households and works within associated support service budget line items.
3. Maintains client files and enters all client information and data into databases and reporting systems, in compliance with contract requirements, in a timely manner.
4. Assists with family goal setting and creating a household budget.
5. Develops and maintains cooperative working relationships with other agencies and service providers.
6. Performs outreach to educate clients and service providers and to facilitate access to services.
7. Serves as a link between client and resources.
8. Provides reporting and tracking information for data management systems.
9. Determines eligibility for the Kinship Caregiver Support Program.
10. Ensure that all funding guidelines are met.
11. Assists in program development work.
BILINGUAL POSITIONS ONLY:
Specialize in providing services to clients and families who speak a language other than English as a primary language. May occasionally be asked to support with translating/interpreting a language other than English to assist potential or current clients.
OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Attend staff training and meetings as required, including a monthly Kinship Custody Clinic evening event.
2. Facilitates Kinship support groups and educational meetings for Kinship Caregivers.
3. Other related duties as assigned.
EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, TRAINING REQUIREMENTS:
1. Two-year degree or equivalent education/experience to replace degree.
2. Two years of related experience.
3. Experience in social service setting, and a working knowledge of issues and resources in relation to low-income families, child custody, and DCYF services preferred.
4. If hiring for a bilingual position. Must be able to speak, read, and write with proficiency and fluency in the required language.
5. Valid Washington State driver’s license and five-year driving history within Opportunity
Council’s Auto Insurance Standards.
SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:
1. Competent language skills, including demonstrated ability to express oneself clearly verbally and in writing.
2. Demonstrated ability to relate in a supportive, nonjudgmental manner to families of varying cultural, educational and socioeconomic backgrounds.
3. Competence in documentation and record keeping.
4. Computer skills, which include word processing, data entry, e-mail, etc.
5. The ability to create an innovative approach or new procedure or system as appropriate.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
Work is performed in a fast–paced office environment with frequent interruptions and occasional crisis situations. Travel also includes attending local and statewide level meetings. Majority of work centers on client services and procedures that require a high degree of confidentiality, tactfulness and respect for clients from a diversity of economic and ethnic backgrounds.
Benefits@Opportunity Council
Opportunity Council offers the following benefits to eligible employees:
- Paid time off earned on an accrual basis (vacation, sick, personal holidays)
- Paid time off for wellness needs
- Employer-paid holidays
- Employer-paid HDHP and low-cost traditional health care options
- HSA and FSA, subject to plan terms
- Eligibility for Critical Illness coverage
- 403(b) retirement plan (5% employer contribution)
- Eligibility for health coverage for legal dependents
- Eligibility for employee/family dental and vision coverage
- Voluntary benefits such as life insurance, long-term disability, long-term care and personal legal services
Opportunity Council is a private, non-profit Community Action Agency serving homeless and low-income families and individuals. Our mission is to help people improve their lives through education, support, and direct assistance while advocating for just and equitable communities. For over 50 years we have offered a broad scope of services that range from addressing immediate and crisis-oriented needs (food, emergency shelter, eviction-prevention) to longer-term programs that promote self-sufficiency in our community (early childhood education, home weatherization). For more details, please visit our website at https://www.oppco.org.
