Community Care Advocate

United Way Worldwide; Detroit (MI); Remote; USD 10,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading nonprofit organization is seeking a Community Care Advocate to assist callers seeking information on social services. This role involves demonstrating compassion and exceptional listening skills, processing high-volume calls, and connecting clients with essential resources. Ideal candidates will have experience in crisis centers and possess a high school education.

Benefits

Work-from-home opportunity

Qualifications

• 1 year of experience in a high-volume crisis center preferred.
• Basic computer skills including MS Word, Outlook, Excel.
• Demonstrated customer service experience.

Responsibilities

• Process calls from low-income clients seeking assistance.
• Connect callers with local resources for social services.
• Utilize technical skills to maintain database information.

Skills

Effective Listening

Problem Solving

Empathy

Customer Focus

Relationship Management

Adaptability

Education

High school diploma

Social services coursework or experience

Tools

MS Word

Outlook

Excel

Job description

The Community Care Advocate answers calls and provides information and referrals to community members who are in need of assistance. The incumbent in this position demonstrates compassion and empathy while employing exceptional listening skills in order to fully understand caller's needs and recommend effective alternatives for resolution.

Key Responsibilities:

• Process a high volume of incoming calls from low-income clients seeking information and referrals for social services. This may include: food, clothing, shelter and housing, and utility bill payment assistance.
• Employ listening skills in order to understand all of the caller's needs.
• Demonstrate a high degree of empathy, showing the appropriate levels of care and understanding, without being, or being perceived as, judgmental.
• Identify and offer effective solutions to both expressed and latent needs.
• Connect callers with resources in the caller's area that offer assistance.
• Utilize the department's database information, demonstrating technical skills that lead to efficient and effective outcomes.
• Report inaccurate database information to the Resource group for correction.
• Record caller data accordingly to prescribed policies.
• Represent United Way 2-1-1 at community events designed to inform people in the community about 2-1-1 services.

In addition to the core responsibilities of the position, may be asked, or may seek, to engage unique abilities, strengths and passions through participation on cross-functional teams.

Competencies:

• Communicates Effectively
• Relationship Management
• Adaptability
• Tenacity
• Continuous Learning
• Self-Management
• Drives for Results
• Problem Solving / Critical Thinking
• Customer Focus
• Teamwork and Inclusion
• Self-Awareness

Demonstrated Abilities:

• High-impact, customer-focused telephone communication skills
• Effective listening and problem solving involving customer service via telephone
• Ability to function successfully in a fast-paced, often stressful work environment

Acquired Knowledge:

• High school diploma, with some social services coursework or experience preferred
• A minimum of 1 year of experience in a high-volume crisis center
• Basic computer skills, including MS Word, Outlook, Excel, and Internet searches

This position pays $19.24 per hour and will primarily be a work-from-home opportunity