Statement of Duties

The Equity Support – Housing staff will help disseminate information and connect community members to City and community resources including but not limited to housing, food access, financial support, educational access, childcare, employment, trainings, and health. The Equity Support - Housing staff will support community outreach efforts targeting traditionally under considered and marginalized populations including members of the community living in subsidized housing or public housing. Methods of outreach will include but are not limited to event tabling, community walk-abouts/roaming, office hours, drop-ins at partner organizations/businesses, houses of worship, flyering, phone-based outreach, leading focus groups, social media outreach and door-knocking. 

Essential Functions:

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• Reports directly to the Director. 
• Support community outreach efforts by sharing vital information, programming, and services with residents of subsidized and public housing. 
• Aid residents of subsidized and public housing in the completion of surveys to capture experiences and feedback, and in the completion of applications to connect these constituents to services and programming. 
• Participate in events sharing City information and connecting community members to City services. 
• Assist constituents via telephone or in person to navigate available services and programs. 
• Assist in recruitment efforts to increase the participation of Somerville’s residents of subsidized and public housing in the City of Somerville’s committees, commissions, boards, task forces, focus groups, among others. 
• Attend regular staff meetings, trainings and other meetings, as requested. 
• Maintain the highest standards of confidentiality. 
• May require evening and weekend hours in order to maximize engagement with the community. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:One (1) or more years of directly relevant experience engaging with vulnerable populations and connecting them to services. Fluency in any of Somerville’s top three spoken languages preferred (Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian Kreyol.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skill

Knowledge: Strong commitment to social justice. Proficient in all Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook email. Knowledge of community agencies and resources.

Ability: Ability to work independently and within a multicultural team. Creative and analytical thinking. Ability to problem-solve and use social media platforms.

Skill: Must have strong interpersonal skills and communication skills. Strong listening skills and ability to ask questions. Fluency in any of Somerville’s top three spoken languages preferred (Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian Kreyol). Demonstrated organizational and time management skills

Work Environment

The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant. Employee may be required to work beyond normal business hours in response to attend evening meetings or complete work assignments.

Physical and Mental Requirements 
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 position’s essential functions. 

Physical Skills
Minimal physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. Work requires some agility such as moving in or about construction sites or over rough terrain. There may also be some occasional lifting of objects such as office equipment or photocopy paper (up to 30lbs.). When in the field, more physical skill may be required to accomplish the duties required.

Motor Skills
Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone, personal computer and/or most other office equipment including word processing, filing and sorting of papers.

Visual Skills
Visual demands require constantly reading documents for general understanding and analytical purposes. 

Hours:19 hours a week
Salary:$22.00 per hour 
Union: Non-Union 
Date: March 13, 2024

City of Somerville residents are especially encouraged to apply.

The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Adrienne Pomeroy at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or apomeroy@somervillema.gov.

Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees:

• MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) clearance
• Completition of Conflict-of-Interest Law Education training for municipal employees

Overview of Total Rewards:

• 4 weeks annual vacation (for non-union positions) union positions vary by contract
• Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) - 80% of premium costs paid by City
• Dental coverage low and high plans through Cigna
• Vision care through Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Long term disability through Sun Life
• Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual
• Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending through Benefit Strategies
• Deferred compensation plans through a choice of three vendors
• Free, confidential services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health
• Annual cancer screening & wellness release
• Somerville Retirement Pension System
• Tuition reimbursement
• MBTA pass program
• FREE Blue Bikes membership
• Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Benefits listed are for benefits-eligible positions and the above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the City of Somerville and not a binding contract.