HSPRS Community Engagement Associate - Church World Service
Houston, TX
About the Job
Imagine waking up every morning with the chance to change someone's life. Imagine knowing your efforts will benefit both your career and our neighbors around the world. At CWS, our team knows they are making a difference every day. Whether you're in our U.S.-based offices supporting refugees, asylees or unaccompanied children ... implementing hygiene initiatives in Cambodia or rebuilding projects in Central America ... or even connecting remotely from your home on fundraising campaigns, grant reports, or critical communications - you have the opportunity to work towards a world where everyone has food, a voice and a safe place to call home.
Purpose:Working with the CWS-Houston Office Director, Associate Director HSPRS, this position will collaborate and create goals around community engagement that aligns with HSPRS program goals, ORR policies, cooperative agreement and NOFO. The Community Engagement Associate will support case managers with activities such as supporting Unaccompanied Children with connections to local volunteer supports such as mentors. The Community Engagement Associate will also conduct outreach in the community to build awareness of the program to increase capacity to serve this population. This team member will develop and implement a local strategy to meet both local and national goals for community engagement to support unaccompanied children. This position will work in close partnership with the National Community Engagement team for Children Services to ensure that activities and initiatives created also help propel the national goals forward and that appropriate training, support, and tracking are provided and recorded.
This position requires time allocated to relationship and community building, engaging with volunteers, interns, and various other constituencies, such as faith partners and denominations. Other activities include event leadership capacity building, collaboration with local staff and the HSPRS national team, strategic planning with the support of the local Office Director and US Regional Director, office administration, and reporting.
Responsibilities:- In collaboration with the HSPRS Supervisor, Associate Director, and US Regional Director, coordinate local community outreach and engagement activities; Support the director with planning and implementing local engagement events targeted at increase access to local resources.
- Develop and implement a community resource engagement strategy to support provider relationships across the service area
- Integrate the subject matter expertise derived from caseworkers, casework supervisor and Associate Director to share the story of Church World Service’s work in the area of HSPRS.
- Create and implement effective local community engagement strategies for the recruitment of interns and volunteers, including but not limited to corporations, businesses, universities, civic and faith-based organizations.
- Provide support to the supervision of interns and volunteers.
- Support content creation that reaches diverse constituents and is developed in a timely and strategic manner, including contributing to quarterly and annual reports.
- Maintain day-to-day contact and provide technical assistance to staff on community engagement; Serve as the primary point of contact on matters relating to community engagement for national network staff.
- Coordinate with CWS Community Engagement national staff to ensure a comprehensive approach to community engagement and provide support to the CWS network.
- Represent local CWS office at internal and external conferences, meetings, committees and working groups with CWS colleagues and other stakeholders.
- Support outreach and trainings to communities, volunteers and various stakeholders which include but are not limited to faith-based organizations and educational institutions to build new partnerships and grow awareness of program activities
- Work closely with CWS Development and Communications teams to ensure programmatic work is aligned with CWS’s efforts in service of building community; assist in responding to volunteer needs and inquiries that correspond to co-sponsorship program activities.
- Develops a strong understanding of refugee and immigrant issues via trainings, webinars, media, books, publications, and reference tools, using current information to educate broader community about refugees and immigrants.
- Works varied hours, including possible night and weekend work. Supports the resettlement team with arrival pick-ups and other resettlement services in times of high arrivals.
- Other duties as assigned.
Education:
- Bachelor’s degree is required.
Experience:
- 4 years of previous work experience. Prior direct service experience with unaccompanied children, asylum seekers, and/or refugees highly preferred,
- Prior direct service experience with unaccompanied children, asylum seekers, and/or refugees highly preferred, but not required.
- Experience in social media and newsletter development on behalf of an organization preferred.
Skills:
- Superior written and verbal communication skills.
- Able to engage stakeholders and conduct follow-up.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office applications.
- Organized and ability to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.
- Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment required.
- Able to sit for an extended period in an office setting. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.
- English and Spanish fluency preferred.
- Standard work hours with occasional evening or weekend assignment
- Successfully pass PSA, FBI and Child Abuse and Neglect Checks.
- Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and willingness to support CWS’ Platform on Racial Justice as a CWS employee required.