Resource Specialist, Re-Entry Facility - The Northwest Regional Re-entry Center

Since 1976, the Northwest Regional Re-Entry Center (NWRRC) has been a trusted non-profit leader in balancing the needs of justice-involved individuals with community safety. As a 150-bed residential facility, we offer critical transitional services that help residents reintegrate into society. Over the years, we've grown and expanded our programs to better serve our residents, and we're proud of the positive impact we've made. Our commitment extends not only to supporting those in our care but also to safeguarding the community through accountability, collaboration with law enforcement, and fostering lasting behavioral change.

Mission: To support, educate, and encourage our residents, while they do the work necessary toward successful transition from the criminal justice system back into their communities with improved life skills. We are committed to assuring effective supervision, providing structure, expecting accountability, and as a result protecting the community.

Position:

We are looking for an enthusiastic and dynamic Resource Specialist to join our team. The purpose of this position is to focus on personalized career development and housing navigation for our residents, aiding them in achieving financial independence and sustainable housing. This role is part of the Resource Room Team and reports to the Social Services Supervisor. NWRRC is dedicated to supporting individuals impacted by justice involvement, and we recognize that financial stability and secure housing are crucial factors to help residents avoid triggers related to substance use relapse, mental health challenges, and recidivism.

Responsibilities:

Career Development:

• Coordinate with residents in obtaining appropriate identifications to begin job search, vocational training and/or academic coursework.
• Assist residents in developing and/or updating an accurate skill set and strength-based portfolio which will include career specific resumes and cover letters. Facilitate pre-employment preparation such as mock interview and scenario training.
• Evaluate and refer residents to appropriate community resource programs that meet their individual and diverse needs regarding employment, vocational and academic goals.
• Assist residents with the use of digital technologies to include computers, smart phones, and laptops as tools to access employment, vocational and academic opportunities, and various useful applications regarding navigation/maps, public transportation planning, employment payroll, basic banking, emailing with attachments, etc.
• Verify and monitor resident job search, vocational training and academic coursework itineraries.

Resident Housing:

• Coordinate with case managers within the first 10 days of arrival regarding release planning, housing barriers, and needs. This will require an understanding of the dynamics and needs of individuals dealing with housing insecurity and barriers to obtaining housing.
• Evaluate and refer residents to appropriate community housing resource programs that meet their individual and diverse needs.
• Assist residents with the completion and submission of housing applications and documentations necessary for all community housing programs and/or private residential spaces. Facilitate housing interview skills and scenario training.
• Establish and maintain connections with diverse community housing programs, property management companies, and other community resources to build and manage a portfolio of housing options.

Other:

• Develop and facilitate workshops focused on life skills, employment preparation, financial literacy, and other identified topics to aid in re-entry transition.
• Monitor residents' use of computers and other electronic devices in the Resource Room to ensure the appropriateness of content accessed.
• Collaborate with Resource Room coworkers so that the space is open and available to as many residents a day as possible.
• Provide administrative support to the Employment Placement Specialist as directed by the Social Services Supervisor.
• Other duties as assigned.

Compensation: Starting wage is $27.61 hourly.

Benefits: Employees working full-time will enjoy a competitive benefits package, including:

• Healthcare: Insurance begins the first of the month following date of hire. NWRRC covers 100% of the medical, vision and dental premiums for employees. NWRRC covers 50% of the premium cost for a spouse and/or dependents. NWRRC also covers the cost of group life insurance, AD&D insurance and long term disability insurance.
• Retirement: NWRRC has an employer-funded Simplified Employee Pension plan. Employees are eligible after one year and NWRRC contributes 7% of gross earnings on a quarterly basis.
• Vacation time: Accrue 18 days of vacation and PTO time annually (3.6 weeks).
• Sick time: Accrue 12 days of sick time annually (2.4 weeks).
• Holidays: Receive 6 paid holidays annually.
• Tuition assistance: Receive up to 50% tuition assistance for a degree or certificate in a related field of study. Employees are eligible after 6 months.
• Fitness: Earn up to $50 monthly for exercising.
• Free Meal: Enjoy a free meal from NWRRC's cafeteria during meal service. Our food services program is fantastic!
  Other benefits and perks

Qualifications:

A combination of education and experience that demonstrates a comprehensive knowledge of career development activities, employment services, and housing-related resources to overcome barriers frequently encountered by justice-involved people. At least two years of justice involved direct-client case management experience is highly preferred. Professional experience and maturity are required for this position; the work and decisions made in this department affect all other departments. Effective and solution-oriented communication, verbally and through written documentation, between multidisciplinary departments is critical to success in this position.

NWRRC provides EEO to all individuals regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law.

Due to the nature of the population we work with and our federal and state contracts, all staff must be able to pass a comprehensive background investigation and a pre-employment drug screening, which includes testing for the use of cannabis/thc.