Social Services Assistant

Primary Purpose :

To assist with connecting Newton residents with social services and resources.

Essential Functions :

• Have phone calls and meetings with current and new clients regarding needs and resources
• Assist with filling out and submitting benefit paperwork
• Research additional resources as needed
• Design outreach and informational materials
• Assist with programming for the community
• Coordinate service delivery with other relevant city staff and partner organizations
• Maintain case notes and other documentation
• Participate in team meetings and group supervision

Qualifications :

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and / or ability required.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Bilingual ability in Spanish, Portuguese, or Russian is preferred.

Education and Experience : Bachelor’s degree and / or relevant social services experience

Necessary Knowledge, Skills and Abilities :

• Possesses strong clinical judgment while working with a wide variety of residents presenting with diverse needs.
• Collaborative and responsive professionalism
• Understanding of and able to maintain strict client confidentiality
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Highly organized and detail oriented with excellent follow through
• Superior interpersonal skills with outgoing style and willingness to engage diverse constituents

Physical Demands and Working Environment :

COMPUTER SKILLS : computer skills including Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook. Experience using databases a plus. Strong typing skills with attention to detail and the ability to conduct computer searches for resources, answers to questions, and fact-based information.

LANGUAGE SKILLS : Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common technical journals, and legal documents. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from residents.

Ability to write / document information that conforms to prescribed style and format. Ability to present information effectively, which may be controversial in nature.

Additional language abilities in addition to English a plus.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS : Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.

Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

REASONING ABILITY : Ability to define problems and use judgement to work toward results, modify methods / techniques and make recommendations dealing with several abstract and concrete variables within clearly defined laws, precedents and policies.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS : The physical demands described here represent those requirements 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. The job may require one to carry materials, heavy at times, to support clinics.

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.

• Fast paced
• Multi-tasking
• Extensive interpersonal interaction
• Variable

Performance Standard :

Employees at all levels are expected to effectively work together to meet the needs of the community and the City through work behaviors demonstrating the City’s values.

Employees are also expected to lead by example and demonstrate the highest level of ethics.

This is a non-benefited position