About the Community Empowerment Fund:
CEF is a non-profit organization operating in Durham and Orange Counties that supports people experiencing homelessness or financial insecurity. We work alongside approximately 100+ volunteers and 3,000 Members in their pursuit of employment, secure housing, and financial stability. We are valued by Members and partners alike for our ability to meet people where they are and walk alongside each individual to achieve personal goals, as well as our collaborative approach to address systemic gaps in our local communities. We are passionate about sustaining transitions out of homelessness, and combine flexible relationship-based support with innovative matched savings accounts, referral networks, resource databases, and programs to support Members in achieving their long-term dreams. Learn more at www.communityef.org.

 

Position Summary:
The Advocate Program Coordinator (APC) is a member of the core program staff in the Orange County office. This position leads recruitment, training, coordination, and support for the activities of 50-100 volunteer Advocates per semester. The APC collaborates closely  with the OC Member Services Coordinator (MSC) and  with its counterpart in the CEF Durham County office to steward a trauma-informed, anti-racist Advocate program centered around relationship-based support.

Responsibilities:

Advocate Program Stewardship & Supervision (60%):

• Recruit several times per year, select, support, and retain dedicated Advocate volunteers, summer interns, and seasonal staff 10 times per year (7 seasonal staffing periods, summer internship, fall and spring general recruitment)
• Maintain and organize personal work calendar, email, and Google Drive
• Develop and maintain tracking documents to support the recruitment and retention of volunteer Advocates
• Create and share fliers, communication materials, and weekly Advocate announcements and updates
• Develop and maintain partnerships and relationships with organizational partners to support Advocate recruitment and retention
• Develop, adapt, and lead interactive training content to share CEF’s foundational practices in relationship-based support, equity, and justice.
• Cultivate awareness of structural inequities, anti-racism, and trauma-informed care
• Foster ongoing opportunities for reflection and learning.
• Coordinate office hour sign-ups, absences, and coverage for Advocates, including supporting Advocates with self-care and co-care practices.
• Manage Advocate Hub Google Site
• Serve as a conduit between Advocates and organization-wide visioning and development.
• Steward the Advocate accountability process to increase volunteer retention and ensure volunteers have the support they need to show up fully in their Advocate hours.
• Supervise 6-8 full-time and part-time summer interns in the summer, 50-100 advocates year round
• Develop project work for the summer internship program
• Provide empowering mentorship and general support to Advocates.
• Collaborate with the Durham County APC  to conduct annual program evaluations and guide Advocate Program strategies and priorities.
• Onboarding for all Advocates
• Plan and coordinate the annual CEF-Orange County Spring Graduation Celebration in the Carrboro office and monitor the budget.
• Navigate and monitor budgets for training sessions, the internship program, and seasonal staffing.

 

In-office Staff Support for Members & Advocates (20%):

• Provide a minimum of 10 hours per week or more of in-office staff support to support Advocates and Members, ensure delivery of quality Member services, and promote office policies and boundaries, especially regarding emotional and physical safety.
• Be available to support any office hours that may need coverage, but sometimes office hours can be shifted.
• Facilitate general skills, and social justice-oriented training sessions 5 or more times per year on the weekends.
• Provide support to Advocates & Members in situations when policies are broken or boundaries are crossed
• Co-facilitate weekly case-conferencing with OC  Member Services Coordinator to ensure quality Member services and Advocate learning, growth, and retention.
• Provide excellent relationship-based care coordination for CEF Members.
• Manage the Member meeting calendar in Connect
• Review and make sure notes are properly added in the Connect database

 

CEF Team Member (10%):

• Work regularly with Members as an Advocate, an expectation for all staff.
• Actively participate in CEF staff meetings, caucuses, retreats, professional development training, board meetings, and organizational decision-making.
• Be an active member of the Member Services Leadership Team.
• Attend and support mandatory organizational events that often fall on weekends
• Serve as the OC office Technology Lead responsible for onboarding and training volunteers and staff to technology platforms, including Google Suite, Slack, Asana, and Connect through Salesforce.
• Review Advocate notes on a regular basis to ensure clarity and quality of information gathered and shared in the agency database.
• Co-facilitate weekly staff meetings with the OC Member Services Coordinator.
• Co-coordinate office closures and practices with the OC Office & Community Organizer, MSC, and ED.

 

Relevant Skills & Qualifications:

• Exceptional organizational abilities and attention to detail; ability to follow through on simultaneous projects, including daily tasks and longer-term visioning.
• Experience managing projects.
• Experience using Google Suites (Sheets, Docs, Forms, Sites, etc)
• The ability to work well with people across race, class, gender, sexual orientation, ability status, education level, religion, and other diverse identities and experiences.
• Fosters a culture that promotes anti-racism practices and equity
• Strong skills as an engaging trainer and facilitator around topics related to racism and injustice.
• Engaging and collaborative leadership style with empowering mentorship for volunteers.
• Availability for regular evening and weekend hours to accommodate volunteer schedules.
• Facility with technology, including willingness to learn new technologies.
• Creative, comfortable taking initiative, and works well independently.
• Bilingual or bicultural skills preferred but not required.
• Time management skills
• Emotional intelligence
• Ability to establish and maintain healthy boundaries
• Accountability
• Ability to be a part of a team

 

Compensation:

This is a full-time, salaried position. This position is expected to work an average of 32 hours per week and will be paid $42,000/year. This position is also eligible for 100% employer-paid health insurance; a 401(k) plan with employer match; optional employee-paid dental and vision; paid vacation, sick, and holiday leave; and a professional development stipend. See an outline of CEF’s benefits here. All CEF staff are expected to mask in the office and be vaccinated against COVID-19 as much as possible.  If people experience COVID-like symptoms, we ask that they stay out of the office, and if symptoms persist for more than 5 days, a doctor’s note will be requested.

To Apply:

Please submit (1) a cover letter, (2) a resume, and (3) contact information for three references to hiring@communityef.org with the subject “OC – APC”. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Your cover letter should speak to: your interest in working with CEF; one goal you would have for your first year in this position; and the experiences and qualities that will make you a great fit. 

CEF is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ applicants. Thank you for your interest! Please contact hiring@communityef.org with any questions.

About the Community Empowerment Fund:

CEF is a non-profit organization operating in Durham and Orange Counties that is working to end the racial wealth gap by supporting people experiencing homelessness or financial insecurity. We work alongside approximately 250 volunteers and 3,000 Members in their pursuit of employment, secure housing, and financial stability. We are valued by Members and partners for our ability to meet people where they are and walk alongside each individual to achieve personal goals, as well as our collaborative approach to address systemic racism and oppression which causes gaps in our local communities. We are passionate about sustaining transitions out of homelessness, and combine flexible relationship-based support with innovative matched savings accounts, referral networks, resource databases, and programs to support Members in achieving their long-term dreams. Learn more at www.communityef.org.

To discourage practices of negotiating that have historically reinforced larger systems of inequality, CEF posts the amount we are able to offer for each position. All employees have the opportunity to earn raises based on increased competencies in their positions and all employees will receive a 2% annual cost of living increase. Please do not apply to a position if the compensation listed does not meet your requirements.

Position Summary: The Member Services Coordinator (MSC) position is a part of the core program staff of the Durham office. The MSC stewards all services provided to CEF’s Members in the Durham office and works collaboratively with the MSC of CEF’s Orange County program to ensure consistent and equitable services across our two geographies. The MSC also maintains CEF Durham’s relationships with a wide variety of local service providers, and represents CEF in collaborative spaces within Durham County’s human services systems, and will manage special projects specific to the Durham geography. This position works closely with the Durham staff team to support office operations, including providing in-person support in the office several days a week, facilitating and supporting teams of volunteers, supervising staff and interns, and participating in and co-facilitating regular staff team meetings. Some of the MSC’s work may be completed remotely,  but most require an in-person presence. When working in the office the MSC is expected to model and hold volunteers and staff accountable to all CEF’s safety procedures associated with COVID-19.

Position Responsibilities: 

Partnerships and Special Projects (30%)

• Represent CEF at Durham County service collaborations and partnerships including the Homelessness Services Advisory Committee,
• Steward CEF’s referral processes, coordination process, case management and communication with Entry Point and other partners around housing issues
• Maintain existing partnerships with nonprofit, government, and community organizations to cultivate two-way referral pathways and service integrations and manage CEF’s referral materials, as well as communicate consistently with partners to ensure effective transmission of necessary information.
• Manage in-house resources, including the community fridge and clothing closet, by processing and organizing donations.

Steward Member Services Policies and Practices (25%)

• Participate in collective cross-geography policy and practice-building processes for Member Services (confidentiality, grievances, conflict resolution, etc).
• Uphold confidentiality and safety standards.
• Steward an effective case-conferencing system for staff and Advocates to check in, collaborate, and troubleshoot challenges in order to better serve CEF Members.
• Provide technical assistance, along with Advocate Program Coordinator, to CEF’s volunteer leaders and Advocates in providing services to Members and achieving program outcomes.
• Coordinate logistics of language access for Members requiring services in languages other than English.
• Provide program-specific data and anecdotes for use in grant writing and individual donor solicitation.
• Spearhead Member case-conferencing by participating in direct outreach to Members, especially those experiencing more complex cases.

Team Support and Supervision (15%)

• Provide in-office staff support (minimum of 10 hours) per week ensuring delivery quality of Member services, and support the Advocate team in responding to complex or crisis situations that arise.
• Co-facilitate weekly staff meetings for Durham team alongside the Advocate Program Coordinator.

Advocacy and Organizing Team (15%)

• Attend and facilitate biweekly meetings for the Durham Organizing Team.
• Collaborate with Members, staff, and advocates to plan and facilitate advocacy and social events, including Meeting of the Minds and community classes.
• Implement systems for outreach for events, including identifying interested individuals, making flyers, and sending reminders

Resource and Financial Coaching Development and Database Management (10%)

• Create and update listings based on community feedback.
• Train and supervise volunteers to verify the accuracy of information in existing resource database listings.
• Write and design content for Financial Coaching modules alongside other staff members to be built into CEF’s interactive Connect database with relevant, accurate, and up-to-date information, functionality, and user interface design to support CEF’s person-centered support model.
• Represent the Durham office on the Resource and Financial Coaching team (RFC).
• Participate in developing evaluation measures for CEF services including processes for tracking Member outcomes.
• Assist with program data collection for funder reporting and dissemination of outcomes for any other requests.
• Lead the Durham team in implementation of CEF data standards and support data quality in all programs and operations.
• Update and improve Durham’s rental guide and list of financial assistance resources  to ensure maximum access for a diverse community.
• Manage Durham County content in CEF’s OCConnect.info resource database.

CEF Team Member (5%)

• Actively participate in CEF staff meetings, caucuses, retreats, board meetings, and organizational decision-making.
• Participate in Member Services Leadership Team Meetings.
• Work collaboratively with team members when necessary.
• Engage actively in efforts to improve CEF’s outcomes, impact, and methodologies.
• Embody CEF values and guiding principles, participate meaningfully in meetings, work collaboratively with coworkers, and engage in CEF in ways that are informed by social justice frameworks including, but not limited to relationship-based support, trauma-informed care, harm-reduction, and motivational interviewing.

Position Qualifications (Required unless indicated as “preferred”): 

• Preferred Master’s degree in social work or related fields of Public Policy, Sociology, Psychology, and or Public Administration with a minimum of two years direct service with people experiencing homelessness, case management, or other crisis work;
  • or BS/BA degree with a minimum of five years direct service with people experiencing homelessness or other case management or crisis work;
  • or High School diploma or GED with ten years direct service with people experiencing homelessness, case management, or  crisis work.
• Excellent interpersonal, critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills – ability to work effectively in varied professional, socioeconomic, and cultural contexts with people across abilities and neurological differences, and from diverse racial, socioeconomic, educational, cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds.
• Compassionate, whole person and healing-centered approach to Member Services.
• Direct service experience and coordination working with individuals who are unhoused and unstably housed or equivalency is a priority.
• Strong understanding of at least three of the following and willingness to learn the others and apply them in organizational, program, and policy design and implementation.
  • Racial Equity
  • Trauma Informed Care/Healing Focused Engagement
  • Transformative Justice
  • Housing First
  • Harm Reduction
• Ability to design and implement systems that build towards efficient, collaborative, and effective cross-sector partnerships.
• Prefer strong group project management, team facilitation, training and individual and group supervision skills including an understanding of complex group dynamics.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and Google Suite, preference for experience with client file maintenance in a social service setting.
• Comfortable with and/or willing to learn new communications technology and database systems (i.e., Slack,, Salesforce).
• Works well independently, is able to be a self-starter when working on projects, satisfies deadlines, prioritizes diverse workload effectively and maintains own motivation on multiple long term and short term projects.
• Shared commitment to CEF’s mission.

 

An ideal candidate will: (These are super important to us)

• Hold self accountable
• Have case management experience
• Have critical thinking skills
• Have curiosity to learn more
• Have the ability to communicate clearly about needs and boundaries
• Have exceptional listening skills
• Have strong project management and organizational skills
• Have the ability to build supportive and authentic relationships with people of diverse backgrounds and abilities

Salary and Benefits:

This is a full-time, salaried position. The Member Services Coordinator is expected to work an average of 40 hours per week and will be paid $46,000 in annual salary. This position is also eligible for 100% employer-paid health insurance; a 401(k) plan with 4% employer match; optional employee-paid dental and vision; paid vacation, sick, bereavement and holiday leave; life insurance; and a professional development stipend. See an outline of CEF’s benefits here. All CEF staff are expected to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This position will start as soon as possible.

To Apply:

Please submit a cover letter outlining why you are a great fit for this position, resume, and 3 professional references to hiring@communityempowermentfund.org with the subject “Member Services Coordinator.” Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and will remain open until filled. October 1, 2026 start date.

CEF is an equal opportunity employer, and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, LGBTQI-identified people, and people with lived experience with homelessness or poverty.