OUTREACH SPECIALIST

Agency HRA/DEPT OF SOCIAL SERVICES; New York (NY); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of New York's Public Engagement Unit seeks Outreach Specialists to engage New Yorkers, assess their needs, and connect them with housing benefits and city services. You will conduct door-to-door outreach, phone outreach, and texting, while maintaining case management to help residents access benefits and resources.

Ideal candidates have at least one year of community or political organizing experience, strong communication skills in English (Spanish a plus), and the ability to manage

Qualifications

• 1 year of community, issue, labor, or political organizing experience required.
• Must be detail-oriented with strong organizational skills.
• Familiarity with NYC government, housing issues, and helping others preferred.

Responsibilities

• Engage New Yorkers through outreach tactics (door-to-door, phone, texting) to assess needs and inform them of City services.
• Provide ongoing case management to help residents access benefits, focusing on housing resources.
• Conduct outreach Days of Action and other community events.
• Respond to incoming calls from the Tenant Helpline.
• Maintain ongoing reporting and communication with the assigned supervisor.
• Liaise with community stakeholders, nonprofits, and partner agencies.
• Support partners with outreach to provide additional resources citywide.
• Assist with special projects and synthesize input with data to create outreach strategies.

Skills

Community outreach

Case management

Communication skills

Data tracking

Bilingual English/Spanish

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Equivalent experience accepted

Job description

The Department of Social Services (DSS) is comprised of the administrative units of the New York City Human Resources Administration (HRA) and the Department of Homeless Services (DHS). HRA is dedicated to fighting poverty and income inequality by providing New Yorkers in need with essential benefits such as Food Assistance and Emergency Rental Assistance. DHS is committed to preventing and addressing homelessness in New York City by employing a variety of innovative strategies to help families and individuals successfully exit shelter and return to self-sufficiency as quickly as possible.

The NYC Public Engagement Unit (PEU) identifies and executes proactive strategies to connect New Yorkers to key City services. Relying heavily on data analytics, new technologies, and large-scale outreach tactics, the unit identifies New Yorkers in need of assistance and helps them navigate and obtain City services.

The Public Engagement Unit consists of teams of specialists who are trained to effectively engage New Yorkers and connect them with vital resources. The Unit uses data to identify demographics that likely want or need city services; and works with partner agencies, elected officials, community groups, non-profit organizations, and service providers to engage directly with communities and subject matter experts in all five boroughs. The unit is frequently involved in citywide events, special projects in conjunction with multiple city agencies, and targeted days of action.

PEU is seeking Outreach Specialists with experience with community-based outreach and/or case management. Successful candidates should have at least one year of community, issue, labor or political organizing experience, and excellent communications and outreach skills. The candidate should have demonstrated the ability to closely track metrics and outcomes and be detail-oriented and organized. Familiarity with New York City government, housing issues, and a commitment to helping others is preferred.

The NYC Public Engagement Unit (PEU) is recruiting five (5) Community Associates to function as Outreach Specialists who will:

• Engage New Yorkers through various outreach tactics including door-to-door canvassing, phone calls, and peer-to-peer texting, to assess their needs and inform them of relevant City services and resources.
• Provide ongoing case management to help New Yorkers access benefits, with a primary focus on housing benefits and services.
• Conduct outreach Days of Action and other community events.
• Respond to incoming calls from the Tenant Helpline.
• Maintain ongoing reporting and communication with their assigned supervisor.
• Liaise with community stakeholders, including community-based organizations and agency partners.
• Support partners with outreach efforts to provide additional resources and information to New Yorkers citywide.
• Assist with special projects, as needed. A successful candidate will know how to run an effective meeting, read the room, and build strong relationships with diverse groups of stakeholders. They will be able to synthesize input from staff with hard data to create viable outreach strategies.

Hours/Shift: Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm or Tuesday - Saturday 10:30am - 6:30pm.

COMMUNITY ASSOCIATE - 56057

Minimum Qualifications

Qualification Requirements

• 1. High school graduation or equivalent and three years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to duties described above; or
• 2. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" above.

Preferred Skills

• 1 year of experience with community issues, labor, or political organizing.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a proven ability to engage people in conversation.
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English Spanish is a plus.
• Ability to prioritize and effectively manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced work environment.
• Willingness to learn, be flexible and adapt to work assignments in a variety of situations and problem solve.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education's website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.