Community Health Worker & Organizer – Rio Grande Valley (RGV)

Planned Parenthood South Texas•Harlingen, TX

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

Planned Parenthood South Texas is the region's most trusted name in women's health. Operating 7 health centers, our mission is to provide and protect the information people need to plan their families and their futures. We are seeking dynamic, qualified individuals to join our amazing Planned Parenthood family. Community Health Worker & Organizer is a full-time position located in the Rio Grande Valley - serving the Harlingen & Brownsville, TX area. Flexibility in hours is essential to this role to ensure the needs of the community we serve are being met. Saturday & evening work will be required on a regular basis for health fairs, community events & meetings. POSITION SUMMARY: The Community Health Worker & Organizer - RGV connects community members to health care while also educating the community about things they can do to protect and expand their rights to health care. The position will focus approximately half of their time on Community Health Worker responsibilities and the other half on Organizer responsibilities. While reporting directly to the Regional Health Care Director - RGV to promote awareness of PPST's health services, navigate patients to PPST's health centers, and deliver health education, the Community Health Worker & Organizer - RGV will take direction from and work closely with the Sr. Manager for Organizing & Advocacy to support and expand the volunteer program and to implement local, statewide, and national reproductive rights campaigns. In all things, the position amplifies the voices of the people served by PPST and seeks to empower them through education, information and access to care and opportunities. The Community Health Worker & Organizer - RGV will spend the majority of their time outside the health centers, in various community settings, both private and public. While most of the work will take place in Cameron County, travel throughout the RGV will sometimes be required, as will occasional trips to San Antonio and Austin.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED is required.
CHW - Community Health Worker (CHW) certification through a state agency or a community college is required.
Bilingual (Spanish & English) is required.
At least 1-2 years of Community Health Worker or community education work – as an employee or a volunteer – is required.
Experience in delivering community health education presentations in the areas of family planning, women’s health, sexual and reproductive health is required.
Public speaking experience is required.
Ability to engage with, support, manage or mobilize people from diverse backgrounds, and establish and maintain positive, professional relationships with them.
Highly organized, great attention to details, and accurate/precise in all matters of work.
Full functionality in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
Ability to proficiently utilize the Voter Activation Network (VAN) and Every Action software.
Bilingual (Spanish & English) – oral and written – is required.
Good understanding of social media platforms and use of these to reach supporters.
Ability to work as a team member and leader.
Ability to quickly adapt to changing landscape.
Ability to make independent decisions that show sound, professional judgment.
Excellent verbal communication skills.
Access to reliable personal transportation with ability to travel within Cameron County/Rio Grande Valley frequently.
Ability to travel to PPST’s central offices in San Antonio, TX occasionally.
Ability to travel outside the service delivery area occasionally.
Ability to lift, bend, stoop, carry, push and pull 1-20 pounds frequently.
Highly sensitive and competent regarding issues of multiculturalism.
Comfortable with issues of sexual and reproductive health.
Able and willing to work for an organization that supports a patient's right to make personal decisions regarding health care including their right to choose what option is best for them if faced with an unintended pregnancy.
Demonstrates a strong, personal commitment to the organization’s position on customer service, internally and externally, for all clients, all services and all departments.

Nice To Haves

Studies, certificates or degrees in the areas of public health, health education, social work, public policy, non-profit operations, or related field are preferred.
Experience in adolescent issues and advocacy related to women’s health issues and comprehensive sex education is preferred.
1-2 years of experience in organizing/advocacy work is highly desirable.
Experience organizing others is preferred.

Responsibilities

Executes health promotion initiatives designed to increase in-person and telehealth patient volume at RGV health centers.
Conducts patient navigation activities that help potential clients to access health care in person at RGV health centers, and through telehealth at all Planned Parenthood South Texas (PPST) health centers.
Collaborates with the Regional Health Care Director – RGV and works closely with the Habla Con Tu Hermana SM team, to plan and execute various events, information campaigns and sidewalk health fairs that promote health center services, achieve project goals and gain positive attention for the organization.
Conducts a referral and follow-up system.
Provides health education presentations in the community on various topics related to family planning, women’s health and sexual health.
Assists with regular curriculum review to ensure education content is accurate, up-to-date and science-based. Also contributes to project evaluation.
Collaborates with the Sr. Manager for Organizing & Advocacy on the development and execution of grassroots and digital organizing strategies, including rapid response events, Healthy Neighborhood Canvassing, Patient Advocacy Program, door-to-door canvassing, storytelling, text banking, phone banking, leadership development trainings, and more.
Delivers presentations and education sessions on public policy, social justice, civic engagement, and legislation to community members, grassroots and grasstops leaders, as well as elected officials.
Develops and grows the number of PPST volunteers in the RGV, with a focus in Brownsville and Harlingen. Facilitates the New Volunteer Orientation training for both RGV and San Antonio volunteers, ensuring volunteers from both regions are up-to-date on all requirements.
Recruits, educates and supports activists and mobilizes them to take action that furthers the public affairs goals of Planned Parenthood.
Under general direction, coordinates meetings with government officials and lawmakers, to include volunteers and PPST staff, in an effort to build strong relationships with local governments.
Works with Community Engagement Manager for Data + Impact Analysis to input all program data in a timely manner, and track and analyze volunteer/advocacy campaigns in approved constituent management software, including the EveryAction/Voter Activation Network (EAVAN).
Leads the RGV volunteers and support at Lobby Day (occurs every 2 years). Responsible for the following on Lobby Day (occurs every 2 years): welcoming RGV attendees; overseeing RGV attendees’ participation that day; ensuring travel arrangements, sign-in sheets, scholarships & trainings are completed timely & accurately; and that all related activities run smoothly.
Collaborates with Planned Parenthood Texas Votes on C3 permissible activities, as assigned. Adheres to C3/C4 separation policies and procedures.
Develops relationships with organizations that serve the client profile of Planned Parenthood and provides staff and clients of those organizations with information about services offered at Planned Parenthood, as well as volunteer and advocacy opportunities, if appropriate.
Further develops PPST’s relationships with coalition partners and establishes a Planned Parenthood presence in area colleges/universities, ensuring students have the resources they need to have successful groups.
Prepares and provides various reports and tracking sheets to the Sr. Manager for Organizing & Advocacy, the Regional Health Care Director -RGV, and the Habla Con Tu Hermana SM team.
Attends meetings, serves on committees, and represents PPST as assigned.
Performs other job-related duties as assigned.
Complies with the organization’s Workplace & Customer Service Standards, which are a required part of the organization’s orientation, training and performance.