Community Specialist

Springboard to Opportunities

Springboard to Opportunities is a 501(c)3 organization that connects families living in affordable housing with resources and programs to help them advance themselves in school, work, and life. We are practitioners, working on the ground and deeply embedded in community and guided by our radically resident-driven model, ensuring all we do is informed by the voices and wisdom of our residents and implemented in partnership with them. Our hope is that residents of affordable housing recognize their power to create change in their lives, community, and the larger social structures around them and feel equipped with the tools, resources, and support systems necessary to enact that change.

Community Specialist – Overview

Community Specialists work directly with residents of affordable housing communities to help them reach their goals in school, work, and life. They do this by building relationships with members of the community, helping residents meet their basic needs, connecting them with resources to support them in their goals, and facilitating opportunities for community building and social connection. Community Specialists utilize a coaching approach when working directly with residents and strive to build collaborative, transparent, relationships with everyone in the community, and treating every resident with respect.

Community Specialists meet at least annually with every resident in their community and continue to meet with and support residents, utilizing a coaching approach, as they work toward their goals and navigate other support systems. Community Specialists build on an individual's strengths and strive for collaborative, transparent, relationships with everyone in the community.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the go-to, on-site contact for residents of affordable housing communities where Springboard To Opportunities provides services.
• Provide resident-centered coaching for residents, offering support, knowledge, and resources as they work toward their personal goals.
• Co-create coaching plans and roadmaps with residents to help them achieve their goals. Provide encouragement and compassionate accountability throughout the process.
• Offer continued one-on-one support with residents as they work toward self-defined goals, and to offer support, care, and respect as resident navigate through the complexities of their lives and situations.
• Develop supportive, professional relationships with residents to get to know their families, their needs, and their goals for themselves, their children, and their communities.
• Work together with the Springboard team and leadership to uplift resident needs and goals to develop solutions and strategies to best support families.
• Help create and maintain a local network of partners in collaboration with the Community Specialist team to provide community resources and assistance, ensuring residents can meet their basic needs, access essential services, and work toward achieving larger goals.
• Collaborate with Property Management teams to identify when residents are at risk and proactively work alongside them to ensure their needs are met, enabling them to maintain stable housing and support their families.
• Help conduct community outreach and disseminate information on-site for Springboard initiatives such as fellowships, The Magnolia Mother’s Trust, and other programs and other pertinent knowledge products and information.
• Create strategic and engaging opportunities for residents to participate in programs designed to satisfy the service requirements in each community.
• Develop and implement periodic community events as opportunities for residents to get to know each other, build trust and community, and disseminate information as needed.
• Ensure Springboard’s database system is updated with current contact and demographic information for the residents Springboard serves.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Passion for working directly with people and communities.
• A demonstrated ability to build strong, trusting relationships.
• Flexibility and the ability to respond to changing conditions with questions and curiosity.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to handle logistics and administrative tasks for several different projects at one time.
• Knowledge and experience working with low-income families and diverse populations.
• Excellent writing, editing, analytical, organizational, and oral communication skills.
• Knowledge and experience with technology, including Microsoft and Google products, Canva, and data tracking systems.
• Familiarity with the Greater Jackson Area and the state of Mississippi, including local community organizations and resources.

Compensation

The starting salary range for this position is $50,000 and will vary depending on experience.

Working Conditions/Atmosphere

This is primarily a day shift position to include 40 hours a week, exempt from overtime pay. This is an in-person position and will require working from the Springboard To Opportunities office.

How to Apply

Please submit a resume and cover letter to info@springboardto.org with the subject line “Community Specialist.”