Social Worker, Director

POSITION OBJECTIVE: To strengthen the social work services of the Ecumenical Outreach Partnership (EOP) program, an outreach program to the homeless and vulnerable. The social workeris a core team member of the EOP located in mid-town Manhattan, NY. The social worker will: 1) enhance the quality of care and services offered to the most vulnerable in our midstby applying the social work skills to support housingoutcomes, client intakes and securinggovernment identification and 2) provide client management to EOPas it relates to the client intake, service plans and interventions.

In 2017, Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church established the Ecumenical Outreach Partnership, an outreach program to the homeless and vulnerable, as a collaborative ministry with St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Saint ThomasChurch. With the three faithpartners, EOP workstogether to engageand connect with the mid-town Manhattan homeless population. The program supports people living on the street, in the shelter system, or those insecurely sheltered; or people struggling with ramifications of poverty, unemployment, hunger, mental and physical illness, substance abuse, trauma and isolation. EOP works with clients by offering case management, referrals and direct assistance.

In concert with the Director of Social Work, the social worker responds directly to, or supports, EOP staff to identify the appropriate intervention strategy or method for each unique client. The EOP program goal for each client is a form of self-empowerment facilitating progress on the continuum of care. To achieve that end, our small team of social workers manage the day-to-day client interventions and services, working towards advancing outcomes in the core program pillars:housing, physical and mental health,food security, and benefits assistance. Simultaneously, the social workers support the day-to-day administrative responsibilities related to client case load, metrics and reporting. Through a series of client touch points and/or staff recommendations, the ideal socialworker candidate will gauge the needs of our clientsrelated to EOP’score pillars with a particular focus on intaking new clients, driving housing outcomes and obtaining client identification. In this position the social worker will perform in a generalist capacity focusing on routine client needs and interventions associated across the spectrum in the four above focus areas.

The SocialWorker is an employee of Fifth AvenuePresbyterian Church, workingonsite with clients,and reports to the Directorof Ecumenical OutreachPartnership. In addition,s/he will work closely with the Directorof Social Work to address client needs and develop actionable client service plans. The Director of the Ecumenical Outreach Partnership will provide executive oversight of the programs to ensure program, mission and value alignment with Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, and the other sponsoring church partners.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Intake new guests during walk-in servicehours or throughappointment-based engagements to best support needs within the EOP core pillars. Assign client support designation as:
  • Triage care to guests with basic and immediate needs
  • Advanced care to escalate more complex cases and emergencyneeds to Directorof Social Work
• In concertwith the Directorof Social Work,develop client serviceplans or interventions specific to housing and identification needs.
• Support the Monday and Wednesday “A Place at the Table”meal services by providing line management to program participants. This can include leading guest check-in, conversing with guests and creating a welcoming environment as part of an overall hospitable environment and a means of de-escalation.
• Anchor day-to-day conduct to meet monthly deliverables of
  • 15-20 guest walk-in servicesinterventions
  • 3-5 government issued identification per month
  • 3-5 housing referrals per month
• Document and track programmetrics on a weekly basis
• Create new client profilesin client database
• Participate in all EOP weekly team meetings and FAPC staff events
• Support the growth and partnership capacityof the EOP with city-wideSocial Service providers
• Ad-hoc responsibilities as assigned

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degreein a human services field,with a Master of SocialWork preferred.
  • Licensed Social Worker strongly preferred or working towards licensing within six months of hire.
• Three to five years of experience addressing the needs of vulnerable populations, with proven clinical assessment skills.
• Awareness of and contactswith city agencies providing resources to marginalized communities.
• Experience in crisis counseling and de-escalation strategies with mentally ill populations.
• Demonstrated interventions relevant to the needs of homeless and insecurely housed individuals.
• Bilingual (Spanish) strongly preferred.
• Organizational and communication skills to manage administrative details and client needs.

PERSONAL QUALITIES DESIRED:

• Professional commitment to the EOP mission, and the missionand values of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church.
• Knowledge of current trendsin social work and mentalwellness, as well as New York City agency specific services that support the homeless (e.g., New York City Department of Homeless Services).
• Cultural competency and fluency interacting with the homeless, mentally ill, and non-English speakers.
• A professional demeanor with a collaborative and adaptive work style.
• A self-starter, who is also self-directed.
• Ability to function well within a small and nimble team
• Comfortable working within a complex, fast-paced organizationwith multiple competing priorities.

To apply, please email your cover letter and resume to eop@fapc.org. Only complete applications will be considered. A completed application consists of a resume,cover letter and three professional references. No phone calls please.

Applicants of all experiences and diversities are welcome to apply. Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis.

Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church provides a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision and 403(B) contributions, along with three weeks PTO, plus holidays.

Bilingual (English/Spanish) strongly preferred.