Participant Services Navigator, SOT Program

Heartland Alliance International; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Heartland Alliance International, based in Chicago, seeks a Participant Services Navigator for the SOT Program (Bilingual) to enhance participant engagement and access to integrated services at MKC.

The role serves as a bridge among case management, clinical and legal teams, coordinating referrals, scheduling, and follow-up to ensure continuous care and timely resource connections for survivors of torture and trauma.

Qualifications

• Associate degree required; Bachelor's preferred.
• Minimum of three years of relevant experience with a Bachelor's, or five years with an Associate degree.
• Experience with survivors of torture, asylum seekers, refugees, or trauma-affected populations preferred.
• Bilingual proficiency in a language other than English is required.

Responsibilities

• Support Case Managers during high demand by meeting with participants after intake to review services and explain program resources.
• Conduct proactive outreach to disengaged participants.
• Coordinate referrals and track completion in Activity Info and other data systems.
• Develop, maintain, and update community resource directories and referral networks.
• Schedule appointments and maintain records related to outreach and engagement.

Skills

Bilingual proficiency

Communication skills

MS Office proficiency

Client-facing coordination

Education

Associate's degree in Human Services or related field

Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Case management systems

Activity Info

Outlook

Job description

Job Title: Participant Services Navigator, SOT Program (Bilingual)

Location: Chicago, IL

Job Type: Regular Full-Time

Classification: Non-Exempt

Department: US Programs, Marjorie Kovler Center

Reports To: Shira Cavalieri; Manager of Case Management

Work Arrangement: In person

Union: Yes

Union Grade: 2

This position is subject to a Collective Bargaining Agreement, including grade levels, salary scales, and other terms and conditions of employment, as negotiated and ratified by the parties.

About Heartland Alliance International & Marjorie Kovler Center: Heartland Alliance International (HAI) is a global human rights organization advancing the health and human rights of marginalized communities. HAI implements programs addressing trauma-informed mental health care, access to justice for survivors of rights abuses, and stigma-free health services. Through innovative, equity-driven approaches, HAI promotes human rights protections and gender equality across its global and U.S.-based programs.

HAI's Marjorie Kovler Center (MKC), based in Chicago, is a nationally recognized treatment center for survivors of torture (SOT) and severe trauma and their families. Serving individuals from more than 60 countries, MKC provides trauma-informed, culturally responsive mental health, medical, and social services. The center also advocates for the end of torture worldwide and for the rights of immigrant and refugee communities.

Summary: The Participant Services Navigator promotes participant engagement and facilitates access to integrated services across the Marjorie Kovler Center. The role serves as a central support and coordination point between participants, case management, clinical, legal, and other service teams. The Participant Services Navigator helps ensure participants remain connected to appropriate resources throughout their involvement with the program. Differing from ongoing case management, the Participant Services Navigator adds an additional layer of focus on quality services integration, proactive outreach and follow-up, referral coordination, resource development, scheduling, and end-to-end participant engagement.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Participant Engagement & Outreach

• Support Case Managers during periods of high demand, by meeting with participants following intake to review recommended services and explain available program resources in a timely manner.
• Conduct proactive outreach to participants who have become disengaged from services or have not received services within established timeframes.
• Serve as a support contact for unscheduled SOT Program participant walk-ins, phone calls, and inquiries.
• Assist participants in understanding available services and accessing appropriate supports.

Integrated Services Coordination

• Support coordination between case management, clinical, legal, and other service teams.
• Facilitate improved levels of communication and detailed information-sharing among service providers, consistent with confidentiality requirements.
• Monitor participant movement across services to help ensure continuity of care and reduce service gaps.
• Actively participate in multidisciplinary team meetings to support coordinated service delivery.

Referral Coordination & Resource Management

• Coordinate internal and external referrals and track referral completion in Activity Info, the data management system.
• Develop, maintain, and regularly update community resource directories, referral networks, and participant resource guides.
• Cultivate relationships with community service providers to expand available resources.
• Identify service gaps and emerging participant needs and communicate findings to leadership.

Participant Monitoring & Case Closure Support

• Utilize databases and reporting tools to identify participants requiring outreach, re-engagement, or follow-up.
• Assist with participant case closure activities, including documentation review, closure communications, and closure letters.
• Monitor service utilization trends and support data quality initiatives.

Scheduling & Administrative Coordination

• Schedule participant appointments for intake, therapy, legal services, acupuncture, wellness services, and other program activities.
• Coordinate appointment reminders and follow-up communications.
• Maintain accurate records related to outreach efforts, referrals, scheduling activities, and participant engagement.

Education and Experience:

• Associate's degree in Human Services, Social Work, Psychology, Sociology, Public Health, or a related field required; Bachelor's degree preferred.
• Minimum of three (3) years of relevant experience required with a Bachelor's degree, or five (5) years of relevant experience required with an Associate's degree.
• Relevant experience includes participant navigation, care coordination, case management support, community outreach, refugee and immigrant services, behavioral health, victim services, healthcare navigation, or other human services settings.
• Experience working with survivors of torture, asylum seekers, refugees, immigrants, trafficking survivors, or other populations affected by trauma, displacement, or human rights violations strongly preferred.
• Bilingual proficiency in a language other than English (e.g., Spanish, French, Arabic, or Portuguese) required. Language needs may vary based on program and participant populations served.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities (K/S/A):

• Language Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with participants, community partners, and multidisciplinary teams. Strong interpersonal, customer service, and public-speaking skills required.
• Computer Skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, and other databases, case management systems, and software routinely used by Heartland Alliance International. Ability to accurately enter, track, and report participant and service data.
• Mathematical Skills: Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages, and data tracking functions.
• Reasoning Ability: Ability to apply sound judgment in assessing participant needs, triaging requests, prioritizing activities, and coordinating appropriate services. Ability to interpret and follow written, oral, and procedural instructions.
• Demonstrated Commitment to Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Demonstrated commitment to anti-racism principles and the ability to apply an anti-racist lens to program design, implementation, and evaluation. Demonstrated commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Cultural Humility: Demonstrates cultural humility, with a deep understanding of participant populations’ culture, traditions, and migration experience.

Work Environment:

HAI has a dynamic and collaborative work environment. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The noise level in the work environment at the Marjorie Kovler Center is usually moderate.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Sit, reach with arms and work with hands to operate computers or equipment
• Stand, walk, climb stairs, and may need to kneel or crouch to access workspace equipment
• May occasionally need to lift or move items up to 10 pounds

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement:

Heartland Alliance International makes all hiring and employment decisions, and operates all programs, services, and functions without regard to race, receipt of an order of protection, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, amnesty, physical or mental disability, protected veterans status, genetic information, sexual orientation, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, use of FMLA, VESSA, military, and family military rights, ex-offender status (depending on the offense and position to be filled), unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of living conditions and human relations, height, weight, or HIV infection, in accord with the organization's AIDS Policy Statement of September 1987.