EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE COORDINATOR

About the Employee Assistance Program:

The City of Portland is incredibly proud of its internal Employee Assistance Program, which has supported our employees for more than 30 years. Under this unique model, a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor employed by the City has served as a resource for employees, supervisors, and families who need a comfortable, low barrier place to seek support, including clinical counseling. More recently, the City has added a second EAP Coordinator dedicated to supporting Fire Department staff.

With the recent retirement of our long term, city-wide provider, the City is looking for a new EAP Coordinator to help us take the next step with the program to continue supporting our employees. As the City has grown over the years to nearly 1,500 regular, full time employees, and more than 2,000 employees overall, we are looking to build on the excellent program that exists, while slightly shifting the focus of this role. This shift towards more strategic and programmatic work will enable the EAP Coordinator to have a larger radius of impact. The new EAP Coordinator will spend the majority of their time building a supportive program designed to support employees’ holistic wellness with a focus on mental health and wellness, while including other aspects of employee well-being.

Job Summary:

The Employee Assistance Coordinator creates and implements the City’s Employee Assistance Program. This program is intended to support employees’ holistic well-being, and encompasses manager training and support, employee support and referrals to outside resources, creating and supporting peer support teams, assisting with workplace conflict resolution, and generally serving as a trusted resource for employees.

In addition to the programmatic and strategic work, the Employee Assistance Coordinator also may provide short-term counseling support, where appropriate, and facilitate a warm handoff to qualified professionals for longer-term needs. This individual will also work closely with the Fire Department Employee Assistance Coordinator, and may provide oversight and clinical supervision to interns and other support staff.

This is a full-time, permanent role. The successful candidate will have a strong desire to make a real difference in the lives of the City’s employees and support them in their wellness journey.

Key Responsibilities:

The City and its employees highly value in-person, trusting relationships, and the EAP Coordinator will first and foremost need to build relationships and become a highly visible, readily accessible, and trusted resource for employees and managers. Beyond that, the EAP Coordinator will:

• Create and deliver training and programming to equip managers with the skills to support their employees, including identifying when an employee needs help, supporting employees struggling in the workplace, maintaining appropriate boundaries around employee support, and similar topics.
  
• Serve as an ongoing support and consultant for managers.
  
• Create and deliver a program designed to support employees’ resilience, mental health, and well-being, including identifying mental health and well-being needs; delivering other relevant training and programming; providing resources and group information; and creating and/or supporting peer support teams, or other peer-led resources, where applicable.
  
• Provide intervention, critical incident debriefings, and similar services, or oversee the provision of those services by outside providers where personal delivery is not possible.
  
• Make referrals and facilitate a warm handoff to appropriate outside resources, ensuring that services are accessible to employees, and following up as needed. May provide limited counseling support where appropriate, before providing a warm transfer to other appropriate providers.
  
• Assist with workplace conflict resolution.
  
• Partner with Benefits and other teams to help identify, create, and assist employees with accessing additional resources, including interests in financial wellness, dependent care, legal advice, and similar services that support the whole employee.
  
• Regularly engage with Directors, managers, HR partners, and employees to evaluate the effectiveness of the program.
  
• Make recommendations for benefit, policy, and work practice modifications to better support employee wellness.

Required Skills & Experience:

Master’s degree in psychology, clinical counseling, social work, or related area highly encouraged, other combinations of education, experience, and training that provides the necessary skills and knowledge for this position will be considered. Strong preference for Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Social Worker, or Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor. Will consider unlicensed individuals with substantial background in wellness program development, motivational interviewing, and similar skills.

• Knowledge of clinical counseling in areas relevant to the City’s workforce. Preference given to those with experience in culturally competent counseling relevant to one of the City’s culturally diverse populations, such as first responder, recent immigrants, etc.
  
• Knowledge of group support strategies and techniques, with ability to create and run supportive groups.
  
• Knowledge of organizational needs and analysis. Ability to identify individual, group, and workplace needs, and recommend and implement workable solutions.
  
• Knowledge of community resources and ability to identify and connect employees with those resources.
  
• Ability to provide relevant training or programs around stress management, resiliency, conflict resolution, and similar topics.
  
• Ability to advise and work closely with managers, HR partners, and other City resources.
  
• Excellent ability to communicate effectively and build trusting relationships.
  
• Ability to maintain objectivity and confidentiality.

Expected Hours/Schedule:
Monday through Friday, 8am-4:30pm. Full-time hours are 37.5 hours per week.

Applications accepted until filled. The first review of resumes will take place on October 10, 2025.
Offers of employment are contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory criminal background check.

Salary & Benefits:

This is a Non-Union position, Grade C43 - The starting salary for this position is $76,469.00 to $88,653.00/year for well qualified candidates, with a full salary range up to $96,877.00.

The City of Portland prides itself on its outstanding benefits, collegial and mission-driven work environment, work-life balance, and options for some flexible work arrangements.
City benefits include:

• Free employee health insurance with the completion of wellness incentives
  
• Thirteen paid holidays
  
• Sick, vacation, and personal leave
  
• Life, dental, vision and income protection insurances
  
• Choice of retirement plans, including a pension plan
  
• Use of City recreation facilities
  
• Fitness Reimbursement
  
• Discount on professional development programs through USM and Thomas College

If you have any questions or need assistance with the application, please email Human Resources at jobs@portlandmaine.gov or call 207-874-8624.

The City of Portland believes that to do our best work, our employees need to reflect the diverse, vibrant community we serve. We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to celebrating all dimensions of diversity in the workplace. Applicants are considered without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other applicable legally protected characteristics. If you need to request a reasonable accommodation, please call 207-874-8624 or email hrinfo@portlandmaine.gov.

Type : INTERNAL & EXTERNAL

Group : NON UNION

Job Family : ADMIN & SUPPORT SERVICES

Posting Start : 09/26/2025

Posting End : 12/31/9999

Details : Job Description