JFCS Career Development Center

Holding down a job is part of life, but keeping a job or finding a job that you love is challenging. You can help improve peoples’ lives and careers at the JFCS Career Development Center. The team at JFCS helps people find their pathway to obtaining and maintaining satisfying employment by providing career counseling, workshops, job fairs, and other services for job seekers of all ages and backgrounds.

There is a strong ripple effect to our service delivery - happy and well-matched employees actively support the growth and wellbeing of our region’s economy. JFCS Career Development Center works holistically with all other departments in the agency to ensure that people who are struggling get the range of assistance they need.

Position Summary:

The Refugee Employment Community Navigator will work within a team of professionals to implement activities focused on welcoming, orienting, mentoring, and inspiring success for job-seeking refugee clients and their families. This includes addressing barriers, connecting to community resources, and working alongside the family to achieve their goals. This individual will also provide interpretation, lead outreach efforts in Pittsburgh’s refugee communities, and help staff members organize and facilitate groups. The Community Navigator will also serve as a cultural advisor and help CDC staff to implement culturally-relevant strategies to enhance the services JFCS provides. This position may require some evening and/or weekend hours to lead enrichment activities or groups.

Why You Should Apply:

Every year, refugees arrive in Pittsburgh ready to work and begin providing for their families. Our region offers many opportunities, but due to language barriers, low literacy, skill mismatches, and cultural differences, finding and retaining work can be challenging. The Refugee Employment Community Navigator will work closely with the Career Development Center (CDC) team to help refugees (and by extension their families) achieve financial and economic self-sufficiency to ensure successful community integration.

JFCS Pittsburgh

In today’s world, it is important that your life’s work brings you value and purpose. By joining the team at JFCS, you will experience hands-on opportunities that directly help people in the Greater Pittsburgh region through life’s changes and challenges.

Proudly voted by JFCS employees as one of Pittsburgh’s best places to work for +10 years, our care and commitment to our employees and our clients is our top priority. We are looking for new employees who share our commitment to providing critical, high quality services to the community.

Benefits:

• Collaborative work environment and diverse staff
• 37.5 hours work week with flexible scheduling to support work-life balance
• Hybrid work model (part of the week in office, part remote)
• Sick Time = 12 days a year
• Vacation Time = starts at 2 weeks the first year and then increases with longevity up to 4 weeks total
• Additional paid time off for all employees = most federal holidays, 3-5 floating holidays (to be used at employee’s discretion), and a number of Jewish holidays
• Comprehensive health insurance - medical, dental and vision
• Short and long term disability, life insurance and a 401k package for which JFCS contributes 4% of salary after the first year of service
• Annual longevity bonuses after the first year of service

Competencies:

• Belief in justice and equality in providing opportunities for immigrant and refugee populations.
• Passion for helping individuals achieve independence through employment and education.
• Ability to form strong and compassionate connections with others.
• Enthusiastic, engaging, and empathetic disposition.

Qualifications:

Experience providing services to refugees and immigrants in the United States or overseas. First-person experience as an immigrant/refugee is required. Bachelor’s degree a plus. Creativity, innovation, curiosity, and patience are essential skills. Must have English ability (spoken and written); top level organizational, communication, problem-solving skills; ability to work under strict deadlines. Comfortable making home visits to clients living throughout the region. Experience with inputting information into data systems. Must work well as part of a team. Must be sensitive to cultural differences of clients and staff from diverse backgrounds. Ability to work flexible hours. Access to a vehicle is required.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist clients with initial contact to service providers; help them gain confidence in accessing services independently to achieve self-sufficiency.

• Serve as an advocate for the clients to ensure their understanding of available resources.
• Conduct outreach activities and follow up with individuals and families.
• Provide support to the employment team and other Career Development Center staff to help clients navigate systems and access resources.
• Ensure proper documentation and management of client information while ensuring confidentiality.
• Interpretation, in-person or via phone, for clients and their families. Locations include at clients’ homes, area employer sites, community organizations, and government offices.
• Translate forms and relevant documentation, texts, and other materials as needed.

• Maintain a highly collaborative relationship with all individuals involved in JFCS programming, including clients and other staff.

• Participate in ongoing training and other professional development activities.
• Support volunteers, mentors, and interns involved with the program, as appropriate.
• Assume other related duties as assigned.