Social Services Coordinator, Newark, NJ

KIND • Newark, NJ

6d • $48,902 - $61,128

About The Position

Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) seeks a Social Services Coordinator in Newark, New Jersey. The coordinator works with KIND’s child clients and their families to identify needs and gaps in services, help families access services related to education, health, mental health, housing, mediation, and childcare, and build and sustain relationships with local and state social services partners.

The role develops knowledge of services available in assigned areas, builds community and provider partnerships, assesses referred clients’ needs and circumstances, documents and tracks service access and outcomes, and supports families with referrals and intake requirements. The coordinator also assists KIND legal staff with families in crisis and transition, collaborates nationally on best practices and training, trains pro bono attorneys and community providers, supports resource-sharing among partner organizations, and supervises interns and volunteers.

Requirements

• Undergraduate degree in Social Work or a related field; counseling or a related specialty is preferred.
• At least 2 years of experience working with immigrant populations.
• At least 2 years of experience working with children.
• Ability to work collaboratively.
• Strong intercultural responsiveness, sensitivity, awareness, and cross-cultural communication skills.
• Experience working with diverse social service providers and advocating on behalf of clients.
• Ability to verbalize and implement therapeutic-focused strategies for children and families.
• Ability to conduct training effectively for diverse audiences in person and virtually, including attorney training and presentations for child clients.
• Familiarity or ability to work with adult immigrant caretakers, or training in trauma-informed parenting.
• Ability to manage, create, and oversee events intended to bring resources and services to child clients.
• Ability to network with local coalitions and establish relationships that enable cross-referrals.
• Ability to travel as assigned.
• Ability to work in an office environment, communicate regularly with KIND’s team by telephone, teleconference, instant messaging, and email, and meet with clients in person.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Spanish.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, such as Teams and Excel.
• Ability to collaborate and multitask while managing numerous priorities and emerging opportunities.
• Excellent organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple projects in a deadline-oriented environment, prioritize tasks, and delegate as appropriate.
• Ability to multitask and work with a sense of urgency in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Commitment to practicing and supporting wellbeing and work-home life balance.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working with unaccompanied minors.
• Experience working with immigrant and refugee children, or with survivors of abuse, human trafficking, or other trauma.
• Prior experience working with attorneys, law firms, or other legal service providers.
• Experience working and communicating in a remote environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain knowledge of social services available to clients in assigned work areas.
• Develop relationships with community coalitions in areas with high client concentrations.
• Establish working relationships and partnerships with local service providers and administrators to enhance referral processes.
• Assess referred clients, including the broader context in which each child is living, and identify needs, barriers, and safety concerns.
• Maintain documentation of attempts to access services and service delivery.
• Track and report client data, outreach actions and outcomes, and other information for program evaluation, performance quality, and development.
• Refer families to services, assist with completing service intake requirements, and follow up as necessary.
• Assist KIND legal staff in working with families in crisis and transition.
• Collaborate with KIND Social Services Coordinators nationally to develop best practices and protocols and provide training and support to KIND staff.
• Conduct training for pro bono attorneys and community social service providers.
• Work with legal services providers, law firms, corporations, and law schools to identify and support resource-sharing among partner agencies.
• Supervise interns and volunteers.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance; KIND pays 100% of the employee-only premium for one of the three medical plan options, as well as dental and vision premiums.
• Pre-tax flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care.
• Pre-tax transit and parking spending account.
• Employer-paid life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment insurance.
• Employer-paid short- and long-term disability insurance.
• Mindfulness and wellness trainings, wellness platforms, employee assistance and resilience programs, time away, and office wellness activities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level