Participant Services Navigator, SOT Program

Heartland Alliance International • Chicago, IL

7d • Onsite

About The Position

Heartland Alliance International (HAI) is a global human rights organization advancing the health and human rights of marginalized communities. HAI implements programs addressing trauma-informed mental health care, access to justice for survivors of rights abuses, and stigma-free health services. Through innovative, equity-driven approaches, HAI promotes human rights protections and gender equality across its global and U.S.-based programs. HAI's Marjorie Kovler Center (MKC), based in Chicago, is a nationally recognized treatment center for survivors of torture (SOT) and severe trauma and their families. Serving individuals from more than 60 countries, MKC provides trauma-informed, culturally responsive mental health, medical, and social services. The center also advocates for the end of torture worldwide and for the rights of immigrant and refugee communities.

The Participant Services Navigator promotes participant engagement and facilitates access to integrated services across the Marjorie Kovler Center. The role serves as a central support and coordination point between participants, case management, clinical, legal, and other service teams. The Participant Services Navigator helps ensure participants remain connected to appropriate resources throughout their involvement with the program. Differing from ongoing case management, the Participant Services Navigator adds an additional layer of focus on quality services integration, proactive outreach and follow-up, referral coordination, resource development, scheduling, and end-to-end participant engagement.

Requirements

• Associate's degree in Human Services, Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, Public Health, or a related field required; Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Minimum of three (3) years of relevant experience required with a Bachelor's degree, or five (5) years of relevant experience required with an Associate's degree.
• Relevant experience includes participant navigation, care coordination, case management support, community outreach, refugee and immigrant services, behavioral health, victim services, healthcare navigation, or other human services settings.
• Experience working with survivors of torture, asylum seekers, refugees, immigrants, trafficking survivors, or other populations affected by trauma, displacement, or human rights violations strongly preferred.
• Bilingual proficiency in a language other than English (e.g., Spanish, French, Arabic, or Portuguese) required.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with participants, community partners, and multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong interpersonal, customer service, and public-speaking skills required.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, and other databases, case management systems, and software routinely used by Heartland Alliance International.
• Ability to accurately enter, track, and report participant and service data.
• Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages, and data tracking functions.
• Ability to apply sound judgment in assessing participant needs, triaging requests, prioritizing activities, and coordinating appropriate services.
• Ability to interpret and follow written, oral, and procedural instructions.
• Demonstrated commitment to anti-racism principles and the ability to apply an anti-racist lens to program design, implementation, and evaluation.
• Demonstrated commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Demonstrates cultural humility, with a deep understanding of participant populations’ culture, traditions, and migration experience.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Experience working with survivors of torture, asylum seekers, refugees, immigrants, trafficking survivors, or other populations affected by trauma, displacement, or human rights violations strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Support Case Managers during periods of high demand, by meeting with participants following intake to review recommended services and explain available program resources in a timely manner.
• Conduct proactive outreach to participants who have become disengaged from services or have not received services within established timeframes.
• Serve as a support contact for unscheduled SOT Program participant walk-ins, phone calls, and inquiries.
• Assist participants in understanding available services and accessing appropriate supports.
• Support coordination between case management, clinical, legal, and other service teams.
• Facilitate improved levels of communication and detailed information-sharing among service providers, consistent with confidentiality requirements.
• Monitor participant movement across services to help ensure continuity of care and reduce service gaps.
• Actively participate in multidisciplinary team meetings to support coordinated service delivery.
• Coordinate internal and external referrals and track referral completion in Activity Info, the data management system.
• Develop, maintain, and regularly update community resource directories, referral networks, and participant resource guides.
• Cultivate relationships with community service providers to expand available resources.
• Identify service gaps and emerging participant needs and communicate findings to leadership.
• Utilize databases and reporting tools to identify participants requiring outreach, re-engagement, or follow-up.
• Assist with participant case closure activities, including documentation review, closure communications, and closure letters.
• Monitor service utilization trends and support data quality initiatives.
• Schedule participant appointments for intake, therapy, legal services, acupuncture, wellness services, and other program activities.
• Coordinate appointment reminders and follow-up communications.
• Maintain accurate records related to outreach efforts, referrals, scheduling activities, and participant engagement.

Benefits

• The position is subject to a Collective Bargaining Agreement, including grade levels, salary scales, and other terms and conditions of employment, as negotiated and ratified by the parties.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree