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.