Family and Client Support Specialist

Global Roles; Turlock, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

International Rescue Committee in the United States seeks a Family and Client Support Specialist to collaborate with refugees and other newcomers, promoting stability, wellness, and self-sufficiency through wraparound services in homes, schools, and community settings.

You will conduct intakes, develop individualized plans, connect clients with housing, health care, benefits, education, and employment, and coordinate with partners to secure resources, all while applying trauma-informed,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, public health, human services, psychology, sociology, or related field preferred.
• Experience with refugee resettlement and client/family support preferred.
• Fluency in English required; proficiency in another language preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assist clients with arrival services, housing, health care, and community resources.
• Conduct intakes, assessments, and develop individualized support plans.
• Coordinate with partners to secure furniture and essential items.
• Provide trauma-informed, client-centered support to promote safety and dignity.
• Engage families in setting self-sufficiency goals and SMART objectives.
• Document case notes, referrals, and progress in required systems.

Skills

Refugee Resettlement

Client and Family Support

Human Services

Public Health

Social Service

Trauma-Informed Practice

Person-Centered Support

Family-Centered Support

Strengths-Based Approach

Resource Navigation

Advocacy Skills

Cross-Cultural Engagement

Partnership Building

Organizational Skills

Time Management

Problem Solving

Microsoft Office Suite

Database Management

Data Entry

Report Writing

Safe Driving

Passenger Van Operation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in social work, public health, human services, psychology, sociology, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

ETO system

Job description

The Family and Client Support Specialist partners with individuals and families throughout their resettlement journey to promote successful integration, stability, wellness, and long-term self-sufficiency. The role supports refugees, asylees, immigrants, newcomers, and other eligible populations in navigating their communities, accessing essential resources, pursuing self-defined goals, and building a foundation for a successful future.

Responsibilities

• Support newly arrived clients and families with arrival services, including airport reception, warm meal, transportation, home setup, orientation, and connection to essential resources that promote safety, stability, and successful resettlement.
• Conduct client intakes, assessments, and ongoing follow-up to identify strengths, needs, barriers, risks, goals, and priorities; develop and monitor individualized support plans and progress toward self-defined goals and outcomes.
• Partner with clients and families to establish self-sufficiency goals and SMART goals that reflect their strengths, preferences, cultural context, and aspirations.
• Provide holistic, wraparound support through advocacy, coaching, resource navigation, referrals, follow-up, and coordination with providers and partner organizations.
• Assist clients and families in accessing healthcare, behavioral health services, public benefits, housing, education, employment, transportation, interpretation, legal resources, family support, and other community services.
• Deliver support using trauma-informed, person-centered, family-centered, culturally responsive, and strengths-based practices that promote safety, trust, dignity, respect, empowerment, collaboration, and client choice.
• Meet clients and families where they are by providing support in homes, community settings, schools, healthcare facilities, partner locations, and IRC offices, and by offering services at locations and times that are accessible and responsive to client and family needs, preferences, and circumstances.
• Maintain regular engagement with assigned clients and families, including conducting in-person meetings at least monthly, or more frequently as required by program guidelines, client needs, or supervisory direction.
• Support clients with applications, appointments, follow-up activities, provider communication, advocacy, and problem-solving to reduce barriers and advance client goals.
• Monitor progress toward client goals and adjust support plans when strengths, needs, priorities, barriers, or circumstances change.
• Collaborate with internal IRC programs and external partners to provide coordinated, family-centered support that responds to client strengths, goals, needs, and preferences.
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with community organizations, healthcare providers, schools, government agencies, employers, landlords, faith-based organizations, donors, and other stakeholders to expand opportunities and resources for clients and families.
• Coordinate with community partners and internal resources, and provide direct assistance when needed, to secure furniture, household goods, and other essential items for newly arrived or other eligible clients and families.
• Assist with furnishing and setting up homes to promote safe, welcoming, and stable living environments.
• Maintain timely, accurate, and complete documentation, including case notes, referrals, reports, service activities, outcomes, and data entry in ETO or other required systems, in accordance with program, grant, confidentiality, and organizational requirements.
• Respond to urgent client needs and crisis situations using sound judgment and supervisory support when needed.
• Identify service gaps and collaborate with colleagues and partners to develop creative solutions that strengthen the client experience, service quality, and program outcomes.
• Participate in team meetings, client and family consultations, training, program planning, and professional development activities.
• Contribute to continuous improvement efforts and a learning culture focused on service quality, client experience, and program effectiveness.
• Work independently to manage assigned clients and families, documentation, follow-up activities, and service priorities while collaborating effectively as part of a team.
• Train, guide, or support volunteers, interns, and other program support staff as assigned.
• Transport clients, families, household goods, and program materials as needed using personal or agency vehicles.
• Safely operate passenger vans and small box trucks as required by program needs and in accordance with IRC requirements.
• Comply with IRC policies, procedures, confidentiality standards, and program requirements.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, public health, human services, psychology, sociology, or a related field preferred.
• One to two years of experience in refugee resettlement, client and family support, human services, public health, social services, community-based services, or a related field preferred.
• Experience working with refugees, immigrants, asylees, newcomers, low-income families, or culturally and linguistically diverse communities strongly preferred.
• Experience providing person-centered, family-centered, trauma-informed, strengths-based, or community-based support preferred.
• Experience with client documentation, data tracking, reporting, resource navigation, referrals, or coordinated support preferred.
• Commitment to supporting client and family stability, wellness, integration, and self-sufficiency through person-centered, family-centered, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and strengths-based practices.
• Ability to promote safety, trust, dignity, respect, empowerment, collaboration, self-determination, and client choice.
• Ability to build respectful and trusting relationships with clients, families, community members, colleagues, and partner organizations.
• Strong advocacy, communication, active listening, cross-cultural engagement, and partnership-building skills.
• Resourcefulness in identifying community resources, addressing barriers, developing creative solutions, and connecting clients and families to immediate and long-term support.
• Ability to prioritize client strengths, needs, preferences, dignity, safety, cultural context, and self-defined goals in decision-making.
• Strong organizational, time-management, follow-through, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work independently, maintain accountability for assigned clients and families, and collaborate effectively with colleagues and community partners.
• Ability to track measurable progress and use documentation, data, feedback, and collaboration to support client goals, program reporting, and continuous improvement.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain timely, accurate, and complete documentation, including case notes, referrals, reports, and required data entry.
• Demonstrated commitment to reflective practice, professional development, continuous improvement, and contributing to a learning culture.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and ability to use databases and digital tools for documentation, communication, research, data entry, and reporting.
• Fluency in English required; proficiency in a language spoken by client communities preferred.
• Valid driver’s license, safe driving record, and reliable transportation required based on program and location needs.
• Ability and willingness to transport clients and families using a personal or agency vehicle when required.
• Ability and willingness to safely operate passenger vans and small box trucks while maintaining a respectful, welcoming, and safety-focused environment.

Skills

• Refugee Resettlement
• Client and Family Support
• Human Services
• Public Health
• Social Service
• Community-Based Project Support
• Trauma-Informed Practice
• Person-Centered Support
• Family-Centered Support
• Strengths-Based Approach
• Client Documentation
• Data Tracking
• Resource Navigation
• Referral Process Coordination
• Advocacy Skills
• Cross-Cultural Engagement
• Partnership Building
• Organizational Skills
• Time Management
• Problem Solving
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Database Management
• Data Entry
• Report Writing
• Safe Driving
• Passenger Van Operation

Languages

English