Senior Community Worker - Spanish Speaking Required (Open and Promotional)

County of San Mateo; Redwood City (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

County of San Mateo's Vocational Rehabilitation Services Division is seeking an experienced Senior Community Worker to provide advanced community services, including counseling, outreach, case management, and education for disadvantaged individuals. This role requires Spanish fluency and strong independent work skills, with a high degree of autonomy and collaboration with external partners.

The position is full-time and in-person, with duties that emphasize client advocacy, tailored support, and

Qualifications

• Two years of experience providing community services.
• Spanish language proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking.
• Ability to work independently and in teams.
• Client-centered approach and strong advocacy.

Responsibilities

• Support clients in developing independent job skills at worksites.
• Assess client and employer needs; observe, train, coach, and monitor onsite.
• Educate and assist in workplace assimilation; devise immediate solutions.
• Mediate workplace differences between co-workers and employers.
• Maintain documentation in the case management system.
• Participate in team meetings; coordinate with partners.

Skills

Program marketing

Policy interpretation

Data management

Time management

Community engagement

Written reports

Problem solving

Public speaking

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

TEAMS

Outlook

Job description

TheVocational Rehabilitation Services Division of the County of San Mateo's Human Services Agency is seekingan experiencedSenior Community Workerto provide a wide variety of advanced community services of a remedial, educational, and emergency nature for socially, economically or mentally disadvantaged persons, which may include group and individual instruction and counseling, needs assessment and plan development, outreach, case management and direct patient care services.

This position requires the ability to read, write and speak Spanish.

The Senior Community Worker will perform the most complex types of duties assigned to the class series, exercising a high level of autonomy, judgment, and initiative demonstrated by a high level of involvement in the development of individual (non-medical) care or support plan, significant levels of advocacy with external groups on behalf of the clients and advanced level of group facilitation, community education and training activities.

There is one regular position within the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Division of the Human Services Agency.

This is a full-time-in person position.

The ideal candidate will:

• Be sensitive to the needs of the economically/socially disadvantaged.
• Have experience providing supportive services to individuals with barriers.
• Be client and customer centered.
• Motivate others and work as a team member.
• Collaborate effectively with community partners and other agencies.
• Be highly organized, flexible and work independently.
• Make effective decisions without supervision.
• Provide excellent customer service.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Use various computer applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, TEAMS, Outlook and other programs as needed.
• Have reliable means of transportation to drive throughout San Mateo County.
• Abide by program rules and regulations and apply them to policy and procedures.

Days and hours may vary, as the work schedule will be based on the clients’ work schedules. Additionally, the incumbent will be available to work evening and weekends to perform duties of the position.

Duties include:

• Provide individual support in developing independent job skills at the worksite to assist the client in maintaining employment with the goal of self-sufficiency.
• Assess the client and employer needs and the work environment; observe, shadow, train, coach, create and provide tools, model, interpret, and monitor the client onsite in employer facilities to support and facilitate client success.
• Educate and assist in assimilation in the workplace; develop solutions, often immediate, to problems and situations as they arise.
• Assist the client in resolving differences or challenges in the workplace; mediate differences between co-workers and employers when necessary.
• Participate in team meetings to discuss client strengths, challenges, and resources available to support the client.
• Maintain clear and concise documentation including letters, reports and case notes, utilizing the case management system.

Language Requirement: Position requires the ability to speak, read and write fluently in both English and Spanish.

Knowledge of:

• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules and regulations and County program policies and guidelines.
• Problems, needs, attitudes and behavior patterns of disadvantaged individuals and of the total community served.
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment and applications related to the work.
• Social and community resources.
• Basic techniques and dynamics of assessment and engagement.
• Techniques for group and individual counseling.
• Basic case management techniques and processes.
• Perform effectively in stressful, emotional, and confrontational situations.
• Recognize factors causing reaction or changes in a client's condition or behavior.
• Evaluate information received and make appropriate recommendations and referrals.
• Identification, development, and utilization of social and community resources.
• Techniques for effectively representing the County in contacts with the general public, other agencies, community groups, and various business, professional, educational, and regulatory organizations.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, clientele, and staff.

Skill/Ability to:

• Effectively market and represent a program, its clients, and services to external agencies.
• Interpret, explain, and apply administrative and departmental policies and procedures.
• Organize, maintain, and update office database and records systems.
• Organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
• Enter and retrieve data from a computer with sufficient speed and accuracy to perform assigned work.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines.
• Interpret agency programs and policies to members of the community served.
• Write clear and comprehensive reports.
• Analyze problems, formulate plans and put them into effect with a minimum of supervision.
• Stand and walk for extended periods of time and lift and carry equipment and supplies used in the course of the work.

Education and Experience: Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and skills is qualifying. A typical way of gaining the knowledge and skills is two years of experience providing community services of a remedial and educational nature which includes experience counseling and conducting outreach to the client population served.

Licensure/Certification: Some positions may require possession of a class C California driver license or equivalent.

Physical Demands: Must possess mobility to work in the field as well as an office environment; to operate a motor vehicle to attend meetings, and visit various County sites/employers, and to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone. The job involves fieldwork requiring frequent walking. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard. Positions in this classification may bend, stoop, kneel, reach, and climb to perform work.

Environmental Elements: Employees may be exposed to loud or excessive noise levels, unpleasant odors, or dust. Protective clothing such as gloves when supporting client job training.

About the County

San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo is committed to advancing equity in order to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering diversity, equity and inclusion at all levels.

Analyst: Arlene Cahill (Senior Community Worker - G117)