Family Services Coordinator (Social Worker/Bereavement Counselor)

New England Donor Services; Hartford (CT); On-site; USD 53,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous paid time-off

Health, Dental, Vision, and Mental健康

2x Annual Salary Life Insurance

Fertility Benefits

403(b) Retirement Plan with Company

Tuition Reimbursement

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Pet Insurance

Personal career and skill development

Job summary

New England Donor Services coordinates organ and tissue donation across Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Bermuda. The Family Services Coordinator supports donor families with empathy and guidance, including discussions about end-of-life options such as donation.

The FSC fulfills an on-call schedule, travels regionally, conducts donation discussions by phone when appropriate, and documents all consent activities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, health sciences or related field, or significant equivalent experience.
• Experience in hospice care, bereavement counseling, pastoral counseling, crisis intervention or social work preferred.
• Previous hospital experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Fulfills an on-call schedule, including some weekends and holidays.
• Responds to new and open referrals in hospitals to offer donor families the opportunity for organ and tissue donation.
• May conduct donation discussions by phone as appropriate.
• Through education, helps donor families to understand and accept the diagnosis of death as described by the primary care physician.
• In the absence of donor designation, assesses the patient’s legal next-of-kin’s readiness to engage in a discussion for the opportunity of organ and tissue donation.
• Advocates for donation while being respectful of cultural and/or religious beliefs.
• Maintains an individual authorization rate that demonstrates best practice skills in obtaining authorization.
• Completes all required documentation regarding approach and authorization.
• Provides initial follow up to donor family after donation.
• Carries out other duties as deemed appropriate by the Senior Director, Family Services, Manager, Family Services or designee.

Skills

Empathetic communication

Crisis intervention

Relationship building

Clinical assessment

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in SW/Health Sciences

Tools

Word

Excel

Outlook

True North

Job description

Family Services Coordinator (Social Worker/Bereavement Counselor)

• Full-time
• Compensation: USD 38.46 - USD 39.42 - hourly

Join our award-winning team and be part of an organization recognized as the Boston Business Journal's #3 Best Places to Work in 2026 and the Boston Globe's Top 100 Women-Led Businesses in Massachusetts from 2018-2026!

Our mission to save and heal lives through organ and tissue donation unites our employees and inspires our work every day.

New England Donor Services (NEDS) coordinates organ and tissue donation in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, the eastern counties of Vermont and Bermuda. Responsible for one of the largest of the 55 Organ Procurement Organizations (OPOs) that make up the nation’s donation system, NEDS works with over 200 hospitals and serves nearly 15 million people in our region, screening nearly 55,000 potential donor referrals annually. With nearly $150M in operating revenues, NEDS employs 410 clinical and non-clinical staff members throughout New England and across the country.

Our vision is to be a leader in the development and implementation of strategies to increase the life-saving and life-enhancing gifts of organ and tissue donation through effective relationships with our clinical partners, donor families and the communities we serve.

Are you a compassionate individual that enjoys meaningful work, being part of a team, working through challenges and making a positive difference in people’s lives? If so, we want to connect with you!

As a Family Services Coordinator you will provide support and guidance to family members of trauma patients and discuss end-of-life decision options, including organ and tissue donation.

Please note: Will be required to travel a significant amount throughout New England. Mileage and other reimbursements available. The ideal candidate will live within 1 hour of Hartford, CT.

The Family Services Coordinator (FSC) is an empathetic, respectful and skilled professional dedicated to the NEDS mission of saving and enhancing lives through organ and tissue donation. The FSC assists hospitals 365 days a year to support collaborative donation processes (CDP) to ensure that all potential donor families are offered the opportunity for donation. FSCs fulfill a call schedule that provides coverage to the entire NEDS service area.

• Fulfills an on-call schedule, including some weekends and holidays.
• Responds to new and open referrals in hospitals to offer donor families the opportunity for organ and tissue donation.
• May conduct donation discussions by phone as appropriate.
• Through education, helps donor families to understand and accept the diagnosis of death as described by the primary care physician.
• In the absence of donor designation, assesses the patient’s legal next-of-kin’s readiness to engage in a discussion for the opportunity of organ and tissue donation.
• Advocates for donation while being respectful of cultural and/or religious beliefs.
• Maintains an individual authorization rate that demonstrates best practice skills in obtaining authorization.
• Completes all required documentation regarding approach and authorization.
• Provides initial follow up to donor family after donation.
• Carries out other duties as deemed appropriate by the Senior Director, Family Services, Manager, Family Services or designee.

Administrative:

• Participates in required meetings and trainings if not responding to a case.
• Checks email at least daily unless on planned benefit time.
• Completes assigned trainings within defined timelines.

Schedule:
The schedule for this position is 12 on-call shifts per month. Shifts begin at 0600 and end at 2400 (18 hour shifts). In some instances, the Coordinator may be required to remain on-site past 2400 depending on case dynamics and clinical activity.

During orientation: Plan on 4 shifts a month, plus didactic training

Please note: Will be required to travel a significant amount throughout New England. Mileage and other reimbursements available. The ideal candidate will live within 1 hour of Hartford, CT.

A week in the Waltham office for new hire orientation is also required.

NOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES – ALL LEVELS:

• Ability to work empathetically, compassionately and professionally with families in crisis, to provide education on organ and tissue donation, and to advocate for donation while being respectful of individual family circumstances.
• Ability to develop effective professional relationships, possess superior communication skills, and demonstrated ability to quickly understand the culture and dynamic of an organization and/or situation and work effectively within it.
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret donor medical records.
• Ability to conduct and document medical/social histories.
• Strong clinical assessment and crisis intervention skills.
• Computer skills in Word, Excel, Outlook and the ability to learn NEDS’ internal systems including but not limited to True North.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE – ALL LEVELS:

• Bachelor’s Degree in social work, health sciences or related field; or significant equivalent experience in another OPO.
• Experience in hospice care, bereavement counseling, pastoral counseling, crisis intervention or social work preferred.
• Previous hospital experience preferred.

CERTIFICATION/LICENSE – ALL LEVELS:

• CPE, Social Work License preferred.
• Required to travel by personal vehicle to meet the duties and responsibilities of this position. Must maintain the requirements of an "eligible driver" including being at least 21 years old, maintaining an acceptable Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) and required minimum personal automobile insurance per NEDS automobile policy.

What You’ll Be a Part Of:

You will be part of a team that supports the NEDS mission, to Save and Heal Lives, through the gift of Organ and Tissue Donation. As an NEDS employee, our benefits include:

• Generous paid time-off program
• Health, Dental, Vision, and Mental Health insurance coverage
• 2x Annual Salary Life Insurance
• Fertility Benefits
• Flex Spending Account Options
• 403(b) Retirement Plan with Organizational Contributions
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Pet Insurance
• Personal career and skill development opportunities

You can also participate in Corporate sponsored events like the annual Blue & Green Walk, Community Volunteering opportunities, Organization-wide team-building outings, and more!

When you join New England Donor Services you can expect competitive salaries and a great benefit package. Benefits include a generous paid time off program, BCBS Health and Dental Insurance, Healthcare Reimbursement Account, 2x Annual Salary Life Insurance, Pet Insurance, Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Coverage, 403(b) Retirement Contribution, Tuition Reimbursement, Employee Assistance Program and Discounts through Working Advantage.

New England Donor Services is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates from all backgrounds to apply to meet the needs of the communities we serve.

Hear from some of our employees at www.neds.org/careers