Contract: Bilingual Peer and Harm Reduction Specialist

Location: Ocean County, NJ (offices in Barnegat & West Creek, plus outreach/community-based work)

Reports to: Operations Director

Status: Part-Time Contract

Compensation: $26/hour (30 hours per week for 1 year)

This is a grant-funded position. It may be adapted or revised based on evaluations, insights, on-the-job experiences, and organizational needs. The role's continuation is contingent on continued grant funding. This position is a limited-term 1-year contract.

Position Summary

The Bilingual Peer and Harm Reduction Specialist provides person-centered, low-barrier support to people who use drugs and individuals in all stages of recovery, with a focus on providing support, education, and outreach to Latinx individuals at risk of opioid overdose. This position blends outreach, harm reduction education, and community engagement to reduce drug-related harms and support participant-defined wellness goals.

Your work will center dignity, trust, autonomy, and respect, helping to foster equitable access to care for those often excluded from traditional systems. The ideal candidate will demonstrate exceptional attention to detail, adaptability to shifting demands, excellent communication skills, a collaborative spirit, and the ability to listen closely to others' needs and goals.

This role requires flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, to effectively reach target populations, as well as travel within the community for outreach and training activities. The ideal candidate demonstrates a strong commitment to harm reduction principles and dignified, person-centered care, and is team-oriented, mission-driven, and passionate about serving the community.

Key Responsibilities

MISSION ALIGNMENT & REPRESENTATION

• Embody Sea Change’s vision, mission, and values in all daily responsibilities and interactions.
• Positively and professionally represent the organization in community settings, including events, inter-agency collaborations, and stakeholder meetings.

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT

• Identify and schedule community engagement and outreach opportunities (e.g., health fairs, street outreach, tabling events) to expand program visibility and impact, providing weekly updates.
• Coordinate logistics and materials for engagement and outreach events.
• Accurately track and record participant interactions, outreach efforts, supply distribution, and service outcomes in the organizational database.
• Support general administrative tasks such as filing, data entry, internal communications, research assistance, and other duties as directed.
• Collaborate with the Operations Director on organizational initiatives, including planning and executing the annual 100 Waves for Recovery fundraising event.

HARM REDUCTION PROGRAMS SUPPORT

• Engage compassionately and directly with people who use drugs and individuals at risk for or living with HIV, Hepatitis C, and other communicable diseases using a trauma-informed, healing-centered, and harm reduction-based approach.
• Distribute harm reduction member cards and supplies (e.g., naloxone, safer use kits, hygiene kits) through mobile outreach, in-office distribution, and community events.
• Provide education and non-judgmental support on safer drug use, safer sex, overdose prevention, and the reduction of HIV, HCV, and STI transmission.
• Identify and conduct street-level outreach in high-need areas to connect with individuals often excluded from traditional systems of care.
• Make appropriate referrals to services such as housing, substance use treatment, PrEP, medical care, and syringe access programs.
• Support participants in identifying self-defined goals and work alongside them through key transitions (e.g., detox, incarceration, reentry, hospitalization).
• Track and measure participant progress, maintain regular contact, and ensure accurate documentation and follow-up.
• Manage data collection and reporting related to the Opioid Settlement Funds Advocacy and other initiatives.

TEAM COLLABORATION & MISSION SUPPORT

• Work collaboratively with staff across departments to support program goals and ensure continuity of care for participants.
• Prepare for and participate in regular staff meetings, team trainings, and cross-program collaboration efforts.
• Take on additional projects or responsibilities as assigned to further Sea Change’s mission and impact in the community.

Required Qualifications

• Fluency in Spanish and English
• Exceptional communication and listening skills.
• Ability to walk or stand for up to 75% of a shift during outreach and events
• Valid, unrestricted NJ driver’s license or ability to obtain one within 30 days of hire.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with nonprofit program operations and comfort with evolving priorities.
• Experience conducting outreach with people who use drugs and other marginalized groups.
• Experience working with drug user health programs, harm reduction campaigns, or criminal justice advocacy.
• Knowledge of systems related to housing, treatment access, Medicaid, reentry, and public health.

Status: Part-Time Contract

Compensation: $26/hour (30 hours per week for 1 year)

This is a grant-funded position. It may be adapted or revised based on evaluations, insights, on-the-job experiences, and organizational needs. The role's continuation is contingent on continued grant funding. This position is a limited-term 1-year contract.

Fluency in Spanish and English