Description

 Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence Region 

Position: Community Based Match Support Specialist

Location: Philadelphia, PA/Norristown, PA/Cherry Hill, NJ

Job Status: Full-time, non-exempt

Reports To: Team Leader, Community-Based Enrollment & Match

Effective Date:  May 10, 2024 

Salary: $40K-$44K

AGENCY OVERVIEW 

JOIN A FORWARD-THINKING AGENCY THAT SEEKS TO ENSURE THAT ALL YOUTH ACHIEVE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL. Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence (BBBSI) is the largest BBBS agency in the state and fourth largest in the nation. Our mission is to ignite the power and promise of youth and close the mentoring gap, by creating and supporting one-to-one mentoring relationships and strengthening the quality of the mentoring field.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence (BBBSI), seeks a Match Support Specialist, tasked with supporting a caseload of adult volunteer mentors (“Bigs”), youth mentees (“Littles”) and their parents/guardians. The goal of a Match Support Specialist is to build, develop, and coach mentoring relationships that are strong and healthy, and therefore more likely to produce positive program outcomes. Typically, the position is based in an office environment and requires occasional travel. Note: Typical schedule involves 2 evening shifts per week and 1 weekend day per month. This will be discussed further in the interview process. 

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES 

Match Making (Match Introduction Facilitation) – Done in conjunction with the Enrollment & Match Team

• Receives new matches from the Enrollment Team and introduces them by scheduling and facilitating initial virtual or in-person Match Meetings, which take place virtually, in clients’ homes or in BBBSI offices. (currently virtual)

• Reviews ground rules and expectations during the Match Meeting to lay the foundation for a successful match relationship.

Child Safety and Match Support

• Manages a personal caseload of matches consisting of Bigs, Littles, and parents/guardians of Littles. 

• Determines if and ensures that indictors of positive relationship building, elements of child safety, and youth development, as well as a sense of affiliation with the Agency are present within each match relationship. Provides support and educates Bigs, Littles, and parents/guardians within these areas as needed. Regular contact with each match is achieved primarily through telephone contact, but also through occasional e-mail and virtual or in-person conversations during Agency events. 

• Identifies, addresses, and helps resolve potential problems and barriers to successful match relationships. Promptly informs supervisor regarding concerns about any factors that may negatively impact the match.

• Records match relationship takeaways and notes from calls/conversations with all match parties in the Agency’s online database system Matchforce (a Salesforce program). 

• Effectively promotes the Agency mission and vision internally and with the broader community; ensures a strong affiliation with the Agency is present within each match relationship. 

• Possesses the ability to achieve specific program compliance metrics through results-driven processes; monitors progress with clear measures. 

Closure and Re-engagement

• Determines when a match is no longer beneficial for all parties involved and ensures a proper healthy closure to the relationship. 

• Properly reassesses match parties to determine if they should be eligible for re-engagement and completes necessary process for rematch. 

Training and Resource Sharing

• Works in an industry that focuses on helping others through cultivating relationships, coaching others, and fostering positive connections; uses proactive and creative problem-solving techniques to navigate and resolve difficult situations; deals effectively and compassionately with diversity and youth in underserved communities.

• Continually develops skills and knowledge through Agency provided trainings and shares information with matches to ensure they have all the information they need to be successful. 

Match Activity Support

• Facilitates and participates in annual picnics, cultural events, sporting activities, and other Agency events (virtual or in-person offerings).

• Facilitates and coordinates parent/guardian engagement opportunities to allow interactions with subject matter experts, agency leadership and access to needed resources.

Candidates with a strong connection to the community that BBBSI serves and the Southeastern Pennsylvania/Southern New Jersey area are given preferential consideration. Occasional travel to community partners, events, and conferences is required, as is some night and weekend work.

REQUIREMENTS

Academic/Educational Requirements: 

High School Diploma/GED and 4 years relevant experience or Associates Degree and 2 years relevant experience or Bachelors Degree (adjust if needed for the role)

Skills and Professional Requirements:

• Minimum 3 or more years professional experience in human services.

• Willingness to commit to a minimum of two (2) years in the role. 

• Passion for youth development and a commitment to BBBS Independence's mission and values

• Bilingual skills, particularly Spanish and English, preferred. 

• Demonstrated ability to work with and motivate a wide variety of diverse groups, with a preference for candidates with lived experience in racially, ethnically, and socio-economically diverse urban and/or recent immigrant communities.

• Attentive and active listening skills, organization, flexible thinking, ability to function well in a fast-paced environment

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and CRM/Case Management packages required (Salesforce preferred)

• Flexible to accommodate job responsibilities (including ability to work evenings/weekends as required)

• Daily and dependable access to a car, valid driver's license, and meet State-required automobile insurance minimums preferred

• Other as appropriate to role

Ability to commute to office and/or sites at least 3 days a week is required.

COVID-19 vaccinations or medical/religious exemptions are required.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing work in an office environment and include the essential functions of this job. The noise level in the work environment 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: the ability to work independently; remain sedentary for extended periods of time (6 hours per day); lift 10-15lbs; push, pull, bend kneel, as needed for normal operations. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

BENEFITS 

BBBSI offers a robust benefits package including but not limited to paid vacation and PTO, 403(b) retirement plan, medical/dental/vision options, telemedicine, employee assistance program (EAP), life insurance, AD&D, short-term disability, flexible spending accounts (medical, dependent day care, commuter benefits-parking & transit). Please note that some of these offerings may require full-time employment.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS 

If interested, please apply with resume and cover letter. Only those applicants believed to be viable candidates for this opportunity will be contacted. No phone calls or 3rd party solicitation please.

WHO SHOULD APPLY 

At BBBSI, we serve many youth annually in Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties in Pennsylvania, and Burlington, Camden and Gloucester Counties in New Jersey. Our aspiration is to develop an organization that reflects our constituent base. We embrace justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI). We recognize, affirm, and celebrate the diverse backgrounds, lives, and experiences of all of our stakeholders, including youth, families, donors, volunteers, and staff. BBBSI is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, veteran status, first and second-generation immigrants, and people from low-income families, or any legally protected factor. Please review our JEDI Intentionality Statement.

Requirements