Hybrid Home to Hope Peer Navigator I presso City of Charlottesville, VA

About the Department

The Home to Hope Peer Navigator I performs responsible administrative and skilled human services work in interactive support to assist former and current justice-involved community members with the reintegration process after incarceration, serving as the first point of contact for the program. Work is performed under general direction and reports to the Employment and Financial Opportunity Manager.

To learn more about the Home to Hope program and its operations, please visit: https://www.charlottesville.gov/212/Home-to-Hope

The preferred hiring range for this position is between $20.66 - $24.87 an hour ($42,972.80 - $51,729.60 Annually). Starting offer is based on applicable education, experience, and internal equity. This is a full-time, non-exempt, position which provides excellent benefits including 13 paid holidays plus 1 floating holiday, paid vacation and sick leave, health insurance options with employer contribution, employer-paid life insurance, City's retirement options, gym membership reimbursement, tuition reimbursement, and continuing education/training opportunities.

• For a general summary of benefits offered by the City, please click the 'benefits' tab on this posting, or visit https://www.charlottesville.gov/1047/Employee-Benefits.
• The City of Charlottesville manages its own retirement system which offers both a defined benefit and a defined contribution option.  While the City does not participate in VRS, the City has a Portability Agreement with VRS and there are certain provisions that must be met. For questions pertaining to the Portability Agreement, please contact the City's Benefits Administrator at 434-970-3462.

Position Duties

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations will be considered to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The essential functions of the job are not limited to those listed in the job description. The City retains the discretion to add to or change the duties of the position at any time.

• Serving as the first point of contact, meets, greets, and receives incoming visitors and contacts to the Home to Hope program as well as other services housed in the Office of Social Equity via phone, email, and in-person visits; takes messages and/or directs appropriately.
• Screens incoming contacts to determine if the community member qualifies for supportive services with the Home to Hope program through the current criteria for participants.
• Assists individuals with completing appropriate intake forms and document provision to enroll as a Home to Hope participant.
• Conducts follow-up with participants receiving services, other community partners, and service providers; provides scheduling assistance, makes referrals to other departments or organizations, and helps coordinate service provisions.
• Assists with removing barriers to help participants access needed services, including housing, benefits coordination, treatment, employment/vocational training, etc., by making and referring participants to available community resources within the organization and community partners.
• Assists participants with resource navigation for employment-related services and solutions to employment barriers; works closely with the Downtown Job Center to support participant employment.
• Completes all documentation, file notes, updates, and assessments accurately and within the timeframe and guidelines established by the program.
• Provides accurate and appropriate information in response to routine and more advanced inquiries, explains and interprets office policies and procedures, stays up to date on community resources and refers contacts to other programs, services, and/or resources available as needed.
• Communicates effectively and professionally with program participants, colleagues, and community contacts through various forms of communication (in-person, electronic, written, phone). Ensures communications are kept confidential to support participant needs and foster trust.
• Attends and actively participates in staff meetings and other organizational events for staff. May participate in other meetings related to participant needs or services.
• Responsible for appropriate use and maintenance of City equipment, tools and other resources, including work time.
• Regular and reliable attendance.

Other Duties:

• Attends all trainings as assigned and maintains all required certifications.
• Prepares reports and works on special projects as assigned.
• Performs additional duties to support operational requirements as apparent or assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Candidates may qualify by demonstrating the required knowledge and skills outlined for the job through experience(s) other than formal education.

• High School Diploma or GED AND general knowledge of community-based and peer support programs/services related to criminal justice, mental health, trauma, substance abuse treatment, and/or other similar area.

• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of the specific requirements listed above.

Certifications/Licenses/Other Requirements:

• Required to successfully pass a pre-employment background check and pre-employment drug screen.

Preferred:

• Coursework or education in sociology, psychology, or related field.
• Direct work experience related to human services.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Characteristics: 
Job Knowledge

• Knowledge (Familiarity with) of principles and practices of modern human services and case management.
• Knowledge (Familiarity with) of local and regional community-based organizations, religious and civic groups, public and private social service and education providers.
• General knowledge of standard office procedures, practices and equipment. 

Reading

• Intermediate: Ability to read, investigate, research, analyze, and understand written materials such as policies, data, technical journals, multi-step instruction manuals, and reference materials.

Writing

• Intermediate: Ability to organize data, maintain records, and writes clear and concise reports, business letters, explanations, and summaries with proper format, punctuation, spelling, and grammar, using all parts of speech.   

Math

• Basic: Performs the four basic arithmetic operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, division.

Communication Skills

• Intermediate: Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with clients, co-workers, city staff, officials, and the public. Decisions regarding interpretation of existing policies may be made. Provides and receives standard to complex information. May include interactions that involve stressful, negative situations requiring significant tact and the ability to diffuse aggressive behavior and reach consensus. Requires recognizing different points of view to ensure understanding and appropriate response. Elements of persuasion may be necessary to gain cooperation and understanding. 

Independence and Decision-Making

• Requires General Direction: normally performs the job by following general instructions or established standard operating procedures and/or policies.  There is some discretion when making decisions among a few easily identifiable choices of the appropriate procedure or policy to apply to duties. Understands and carries out complex oral and written instructions. Performance is reviewed frequently.

Technical Skills

• Basic: Work requires the use of standard technical skills such as data entry and use of computer software, including Microsoft Office Outlook, Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint.

Fiscal Responsibilities

• No budgetary/fiscal responsibilities.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• No responsibility for direction or supervision of others.

Other Characteristics:

• Organization and time management skills, sometimes under strict time constraints
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Demonstrated ability serving culturally diverse populations.
• Works closely with others as part of a team.
• Performing multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Maintains confidentiality and works effectively with sensitive information, issues, and records. 
• May require dealing with angry, frustrated and/or upset individuals.

Other Qualifications

Physical Demands:

• Light Work: Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/ or a negligible amount of force constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.
• Must be able to communicate information and ideas so others will understand.  Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.
• Ability to observe details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Machines, Tools, Equipment, Software and Hardware:

• Requires the operation and use of standard office equipment, including telephones, computer hardware/software and any other equipment as appropriate or assigned.

Work Environment:

• Work is primarily performed in an office environment where there may be exposure to a computer screen for extended periods of time, monitor glare and dust.
• Work may involve threatening and potentially dangerous settings and disturbing circumstances.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

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