Financial Counselor, Financial Empowerment

United Way of Summit & Medina•Akron, OH

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

This position works within UWSM’s Bold Goal of Financial Empowerment by providing encouragement, accountability, resources, tools, and information to foster long-term financial stability and self-sufficiency among low- to moderate-income clients and families within Summit and Medina counties. The Financial Counselor provides direct services to low- to moderate-income individuals who are enrolled as Financial Empowerment Center clients. Financial counseling requires the ability to understand, engage, and motivate clients, a strong understanding of personal finances, and the ability to teach and motivate clients with various opportunities and challenges. Financial counseling services are primarily conducted through one-on-one in-person and virtual counseling sessions. Additional duties involve data tracking, case management, community outreach, and support of the overall UWSM mission.

Requirements

A strong understanding of personal finances, particularly in the areas of budgeting, asset building, credit building, and debt reduction.
Candidate must demonstrate a passion for helping individuals understand personal finance and factors, including personal behaviors and external circumstances, which impact personal financial stability.
Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, Communications, Social Planning, Public Administration, Education or similar required.
Ability to obtain and maintain professional financial counselor certifications as required by UWSM.
Competent in MS Office products.
Commitment to advancing diversity, equity & inclusion.
Respect for differences whether racial, ethnic, sexual orientation, gender, or class.
Commitment to excellence and passion for the mission of United Way of Summit & Medina.
Ability to listen, understand, and assess client circumstances to build healthy trust relationships that promote client success.
Ability to empathize with and work with clients in a variety of emotional situations.
Strong interpersonal and conflict management skills
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Critical thinking skills
Self-directed learning
Ability to work independently with minimum supervision and as part of a high-performing team.
Organized, able to prioritize, strategically plan, and meet deadlines.
Public Speaking
Demonstrated ability to collaborate with staff, community partners, stakeholders, volunteers, and clients.
Position is primarily a normal office setting, requiring long periods of sedentary work at a desk and computer.
Ability to pass pre-employment testing including background check, drug, and alcohol screen.
Must be able to sit, stand, reach with hands and arms.
After-hours event attendance occasionally.
This position requires availability for evening hours on a regular basis to meet client and program needs.
Access to reliable insured automobile to be used for work-related travel in Summit & Medina County area.
Valid driver’s license and proof of insurance.

Nice To Haves

Prefer candidate with knowledge in financial service industry or direct client service.
Interest in the improvement of the Summit and Medina County communities
Previous work experience with the FEC’s target population and/or the ability to provide financial counseling services in a culturally sensitive manner.

Responsibilities

Work with clients to assess their present financial situation, address financial concerns, and set financial goals with a focus on proactive financial management.
Provide clients with a holistic approach to working through their finances; engage the client in a long-term relationship while focusing on retention, building rapport, and earning the client’s trust.
Develop strategies and action plans to assist clients with creating and maintaining a budget, increasing savings, reducing debt, building and rebuilding their credit, legacy planning, and accessing safe and affordable banking.
Provide tools, resources, and accountability to help clients meet their goals and achieve financial empowerment.
Use Unite Us to connect clients to other services offered by United Way of Summit and Medina County and other community agencies, such as public benefit screening, legal aid, and workforce development.
Track the stories and successes of program participants.
Utilize FECBot, a cloud-based client management system, to document client demographics, client progress, service plans, and outcomes in a timely manner.
Assist in the convening and development of community-level data systems measuring progress around Financial Empowerment.
Provide feedback and recommendations.
Annually, request and gather two client success stories.
Support client retention by maintaining consistent engagement, with the expectation of conducting a minimum of five sessions per client to promote sustained financial progress and measurable outcomes.
Attend IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) certification to support program needs and strengthen collaboration across departments, while increasing counselors’ knowledge of tax laws and procedures that support their work as a financial counselor.
Provide support to VITA operations as needed, which may include preparing tax returns, serving as a site coordinator, conducting final reviews, managing rejected or in-progress returns, and completing client call-backs, particularly during periods of client no-shows or cancellations.
Assist with outreach initiatives and financial empowerment programming, including Bank On, VITA, and Wellness at Work, dedicating approximately 10-25% of work activities toward client engagement, outreach and program participation efforts.
Maintain current knowledge of financial industry trends, including student loan policy changes, FinTech developments, and credit scoring models.
Complete required certifications and ongoing training, including IRS VITA certification.
Meet annual professional development requirements of at least 30 hours, including ethics training fulfilled through VITA recertification, and complete 16 CEUs every two years to maintain financial counseling certification.
In the event of client no-shows, cancellations, or rescheduled appointments, remain productive by engaging in meaningful work activities. This includes supporting other Financial Empowerment initiatives, administrative responsibilities including data reporting, outreach efforts, or special projects that align with their individual skill sets.
Participation and support in assigned engagement calendar events, marketing events, and related preparatory meetings.