ABOUT OUR TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANT TEAM FOR FIRST STEPS TOGETHER AT JF&CS

FIRST (Families in Recovery SupporT) Steps Together is a peer-led program focused on empowering parents as they work towards recovery from substance use. There are seven sites across Massachusetts and services are delivered in the home, in the community, or virtually. Each site is staffed by a team of Family Recovery Support Specialists, Clinicians, Supervisors, and a Project Director and serves families with children 5 or younger.

The Training and Technical Assistant Team (T/TA Team) supports the FIRST Steps Together staff across all seven sites. We assist with project implementation through training, targeted technical assistance, project management and the facilitation of learning communities.

ABOUT YOU:

The Training and Technical Assistant Specialist (T/TA Specialist) is responsible for providing technical assistance, in-person and virtual training and support to FIRST Steps Together direct service sites who serve parents affected by substance use. The T/TA Specialist provides support to site staff around their work in home visiting, advocacy for families and collaboration with collaterals such as Department of Children and Families and other community providers. This person will walk alongside direct service staff across the state through the process of onboarding, and by facilitating collaborative learning communities, and providing one-on-one technical assistance and support.

WHAT YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO:

• Being part of a supportive, creative, and collaborative team.
• Making a significant and tangible difference by supporting staff across the state.
• Utilizing and developing your training and facilitation skills.
• Applying your skills in an environment focused on respectful and high-quality services that are strengths-based and trauma-informed.
• Contributing to the continued improvement of our peer led services designed to empower families.

JOB DESCRIPTION (these responsibilities are a general summary and not all inclusive):

• Direct support to FIRST Steps Together sites, including attending monthly meetings, following up on needs assessments, visiting sites and providing responsive technical assistance.
• Coordinate onboarding for new staff across the state and assist site supervisors through the new hire process, including ensuring staff have completed required trainings, walking staff through training modules and providing new staff with real time support.
• Closely collaborate with other T/TA team members in planning, designing and implementing trainings and other resources.
• Provide support and training to project staff that is strengths-based, trauma informed and in line with FIRST Steps Togethers core values. Specific tasks include:
• Contributing to the creation of training materials.
• Facilitating online and in-person trainings.
• Leading virtual Learning Communities.
• Collaborating with the T/TA Team to create written resources such as newsletter articles and tip sheets.
• Providing reflective, responsive support to project staff by phone, email, virtually or in-person.
• Develop strong relationships with project staff at all levels of the project, as well as collaborative partners.
• Contribute to T/TA team meetings including identifying training and technical assistance needs, training planning, responsive TA services, and project evaluation.
• Participate in division staff meetings and other groups as needed.

EDUCATIONAL, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS REQUIEMENT

• Strong interpersonal and written communication skills.
• Ease and confidence with facilitating online groups, meetings and trainings.
• A strong desire to support staff with both tangible supports and resources and by creating safe spaces for collaboration, support and encouragement.
• Direct service experience in one of the following areas: home visiting, peer recovery support, maternal mental health, early childhood, parent support and/or substance use disorders. Content expertise can come from direct service, lived experience, and/or education.
• Ability to work and advocate in a collaborative style with diverse ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and socio-economic groups, as well as diversity based on ability/disability, sexual orientation, and religion.
• Proficient with the use of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Outlook, Power Point) and willingness to learn and use technology for documentation and communication.
• Access to a car and a valid driver's license.
• Willingness to travel within Massachusetts.

Preferred Experience:

• Lived experience as a parent in recovery from substance use with a minimum of 5 years in recovery
• Experience developing and delivering high-quality training and materials that incorporate adult learning frameworks and the needs of diverse learners, in both in-person and virtual training formats
• Experience providing technical assistance, especially related to recovery coaching, care coordination, working with DCF and/or parenting
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including ability to create written resources

THE ROLE COMES WITH THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS:

• Best-in field paid time off, including 22 days of vacation time, plus national and Jewish holidays
• 15 Sick days per year with carryover
• Mileage reimbursement
• Hybrid work schedule - 2 days required working in Waltham Office
• Immediate eligibility for insurance and benefits
• Medical, Dental and Vision Plans
• Life Insurance
• Pet Insurance
• 403b Retirement Plans
• Disability, Critical Illness, and Accident Insurance


ABOUT JF&CS

For more than 150 years, Jewish Family & Children's Service has been helping individuals and families of build a strong foundation for resilience and well-being. We intentionally serve and employ people of all faiths, backgrounds, cultures, and abilities. Through an integrated portfolio of more than 40 programs reaching communities throughout Eastern and Central Massachusetts, JF&CS focuses on meeting the needs of new parents and their children, older adults and family caregivers, children and adults with disabilities, and people experiencing poverty, hunger, or domestic abuse.

JF&CS is an equal opportunity employer who serves and employs people of all cultures and faith traditions and highly values diversity, equity, and inclusion. Employment opportunities are available to all without regard for race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability.