Cash Assistance Coordinator

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IRC - The International Rescue Committee

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Job Description

Founded in 1933, the IRC is a leading nonsectarian, voluntary organization providing relief, protection and resettlement services for refugees and victims of oppression or violent conflict. One aspect of the IRC is to assist refugees resettling in the United States. The IRC opened a Denver office in 2016 to provide reception and placement services to newly arrived refugees. The office is slated to resettle approximately 500 refugees and more than 700 Afghan parolees in federal fiscal year 2022, in addition to serving an active long-term caseload of more than 1,600 people. Wraparound program services and holistic supports aim to realize positive impact in clients’ safety, health, education, economic wellbeing, and power. Some services are limited to refugees and other Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)-eligible populations, while others are open to a broader population of refugees, immigrants, and forcibly displaced people.

The IRC in Denver’s approach is client-centered, empowerment-focused, trauma-informed, and multigenerational. Advancing racial equity and narrowing the gender gap are priorities for the IRC in Denver. The team’s efforts in this space are ongoing and evolving. Current work is focused on participating in learning and dialogue to deepen understanding and awareness of systemic inequities and systems of oppression; building an internal organizational culture that reflects a commitment to antiracism and gender equality for clients as well as staff, volunteers, and the broader community; engaging clients more deeply in making decisions that affect them, whether at the individual, household, program, or organizational level; using our power and influence to advocate for rules, policies, and laws that address inequities experienced by the people we serve and seek systemic change for the benefit of all who are impacted by these inequities; undertaking intentional efforts to shift dynamics and promote power sharing between leadership and the broader team as well as between staff and clients; and examining and changing practices in recruitment, recognition, and other areas of employee engagement and talent development to prioritize access to opportunity and work toward full inclusion and belonging for clients, staff, and volunteers who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and LGBTQI, as well as those who have lived experience as refugees and immigrants.

JOB OVERVIEW The Cash Assistance Coordinator will coordinate rent planning, budgeting, and cash assistance administration through multiple programs including Matching Grant (MG) as well as Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) within the Reach Program operated under contract with the Colorado Refugee Services Program (CRSP). Working closely with all departments, the Cash Assistance Coordinator facilitates timely access to cash assistance while clients pursue economic self-reliance. The Cash Assistance Coordinator will work closely with the Employment Specialists, Financial Capability Coordinator, Education Coordinator, Caseworkers, Casework Supervisors, Public Benefits team, Health team, and other colleagues to ensure proactive rent planning, household budget creation, client education to inform cash enrollment program decision making, and ongoing cash assistance administration.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Coordination • Develop a comprehensive understanding of direct assistance and cash assistance programs including the Reception & Placement Program (R&P), Afghan Placement Assistance Program (APA), Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA), Matching Grant (MG), and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs. • Work with and in cooperation with Employment Services Coordinator and Casework Supervisors to continuously identify and assess client eligibility for cash programs, including but not limited to TANF, MG, RCA, and emergency assistance through Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) and other funds. • Work closely with colleagues in casework, education, and employment services to ensure clients receive appropriate employment training and meet the workforce development requirements of their respective cash programs. • Follow up with participants regularly and ensure that contact records and data required for program eligibility and reporting purposes are collected and recorded accurately and timely, in both case files and in the Efforts to Outcomes (ETO) database, in accordance with program requirements. • As requested, attend TANF, Reach, and MG-focused meetings and trainings, as well as other appropriate meetings with the CRSP and/or other state and local partners.

Coaching Services • Under the direction of Resettlement and Integration Manager and Casework Supervisors, create rent plans for clients and establish monthly direct assistance schedules. • Work closely with clients, caseworkers, and employment specialists to develop individualized client budgets that help clients to develop a nuanced understanding of assistance they will have access to and the pathway leading to early self-sufficiency. • Conduct additional assessments and update rent plans and budgets for each client on cash programs on a regular basis. • Build rapport with clients through verbal and non-verbal communication, employing motivational interviewing techniques to support their progress toward identified goals. • Support gender equality and promote full participation of women and girls in programs and services.

Quality Assurance and Compliance • Perform administrative tasks, including maintaining accurate and timely case notes, updating client case files per program requirements, filing documentation, and completing data entry in the Efforts to Outcomes (ETO) and Geneva databases. • Conduct regular file reviews and support ongoing quality assurance for cash program case file documentation. • Respond to monitoring and audit requests, in consultation with the Resettlement and Integration Manager and the Finance team. • Work with the Resettlement and Integration Manager to establish necessary data collection systems.

Other • Abide by the standards of case management and delivery expectation set forth by the IRC, state of Colorado, Office of Refugee Resettlement, and Department of State. • Perform other duties as assigned.

KEY WORKING RELATIONSHIPS Position Reports to: Resettlement & Integration Manager and works cross-functionally to coordinate client support across all internal teams and with external community partners. Position Directly Supervises: N/A but may have oversight for volunteers and interns.

JOB REQUIREMENTS • Undergraduate degree with at least two years of related work experience. • Prior work in refugee resettlement or another direct service capacity serving immigrants and/or refugees. • Experience supervising staff, including coaching, conducting formal performance evaluations, and participating in all phases from recruitment to separation. • Familiarity with R&P, APA, Matching Grant, Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) and other resettlement programs preferred. • Proficient in general office software, e.g., MS Word, Excel, Outlook, internet applications and database systems. • Excellent written and oral communication skills; bi-lingual in English and one or more refugee languages a plus. • Superior attention to detail, ability to navigate complexity, time management, and organizational skills. • Ability to effectively communicate and work as a team leader and team member in a cross-cultural environment.

COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENT In accordance with IRC’s duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards and our commitment to safeguard the health of our employees, clients, and communities, IRC requires candidates who are selected for interview to furnish proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 to be considered for this position.

WORK ENVIRONMENT • At present, the IRC in Denver office is partially open. Hybrid remote/in-person work modifications are in place due to ensure staff and client safety given public health guidance related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff will be provided with IRC laptops and cell phones and must have access to a location with secure internet service where remote work can be performed according to the schedule negotiated with their supervisor. • All staff are required to adhere to IRC’s COVID risk mitigation policies, which include but are not limited to masking, physical distancing, enhanced hygiene practices, symptom screening, and isolation and quarantine when needed. In some cases, these policies may be stricter than those imposed at the federal, state, or local level. • The IRC in Denver strives to offer a positive working environment, with intentional efforts to ensure that it is diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible for all. Staff are required to adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates under policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Respect at Work, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation. • This role entails periodic travel in and around the Denver metro area to attend meetings, carry out the responsibilities outlined above, and represent the IRC with donors, partners, and vendors. • Hours outside of typical office hours, including weekends and evenings, are occasionally required.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS This position is a full-time, regular, position scheduled at 37.5 hours per week, classified as non-exempt and eligible for overtime under state and federal law. Starting compensation is $25.00-$28.00 per hour, depending on experience and qualifications. As a regular, full-time employee, the Cash Assistance Coordinator qualifies for the IRC’s phenomenal benefits package, which includes: • Generous paid time off with 20 days of paid vacation per year, 10 days of paid sick leave per year (not inclusive of paid COVID leave), and at least 9 paid holidays per year. • Outstanding medical, dental, and vision care benefits with low employee premiums. • Optional health care and dependent care flexible savings accounts and commuter benefits. • Life, accident, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance. • Comprehensive parental and family leave benefits. • A 403(b) retirement savings plan that offers generous employer contributions and a matching contribution program. • A comprehensive employee assistance and resilience program. • Business travel medical insurance, access to Guardian Nurses, and more.

In addition, the IRC in Denver actively promotes learning and growth for its team members, through staff development accounts that allow staff to engage in individualized goal-aligned professional development, access to a range of talent development offerings to build skills in a wide array of areas from humanitarian principles to management skills, and opportunities to lead and engage with colleagues from across the IRC through communities of practice, special assignments, and designated roles that represent the Denver office, whether here in the U.S. or globally.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us at [email protected] to request an accommodation.

Qualifications

Added 2 years ago - Updated 11 months ago - Source: rescue.org