Careers

Description:

Department of Public Health – Seattle and King County is recruiting for six (6) Peer Community Specialists (Education Specialist) to join the Family Ways team. Family Ways supports pregnant, parenting families and children up to age five. Services are provided to 3 specific focus communities: U.S. born Black/African American, Native American/Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander communities. Our goal is to have a team that is representative of the populations we serve and dedicated to serving clients with quality and compassion. 

Applicants passionate about equity in public health innovation and community-led health initiatives will find this position exciting and meaningful. Family Ways is a thriving and cohesive team committed to client-centered support during the perinatal and early years.

The Peer Community Specialists will work in a team environment and practice care coordination with other disciplines. The team includes a Public Health Nurse, Nutritionists, Social Worker and Administrative Support staff. Peer Community Specialists will be responsible for partnering with program participants and families in creating a care plan and supporting them through pregnancy or parenting. All services are culturally relevant, participant-centered, and strengths-based. 

Job Duties

 

•  Partner with program participants and families to develop care plans and goals. 

•  Identifying social and health systems resources.

•  Identifying and connecting participants to community resources.

•  Setting and achieving personal and family wellbeing goals.

•  Conduct educational and informational learning opportunities for staff, clients, community groups and other professionals.

•  Document interactions with program participants in record-keeping systems, acquire necessary paperwork, and respond to calls, emails, or requests in a timely manner. 

• Promote and/or market sound, accurate, culturally appropriate educational materials and information.

• Collaborate with program participants, families, communities, and King County programs to support access to services and referrals.

• Foster and coordinate community and agency partnerships, attend community events.

• Help assess needs for education for program participants, families, and other program staff. 

• Assist with identifying program and curriculum development needs.

• Maintain and update a library of training and reference materials, gather and assemble data.

• Foster relationships with community organizations.

• Support community engagement activities.

• Support expanding partnerships and program participation.

• Collaborate and coordinate with other King County programs and community-based organizations to advance racial equity and social justice. 

• Participate in development of racial equity/anti-racism trainings or curriculum.

• Engage actively in program goals/objectives. 

• Be an active partner in participant-centered, strengths-based practices.

• Apply trauma recovery and healing strategies to program participants.

• Prioritize racial equity and social justice frameworks and principles in collaborative work with program team and with other County programs.

• Work collaboratively with evaluation team and data management support staff. 

• Collaborate and share decision making with team members fostering and creating space for authentic and respectful dialogue.

• Be an active participant in a continuous improvement workplace culture  

• Ability to meet deadlines

• Other Duties as Assigned.

Skills/Eligibility:

Our ideal candidate will demonstrate the following (Minimum): 

• Skill in leading programs and services through a racial equity lens, fostering respect and participant-centered approaches grounded in strength-based practice, while promoting collaborative decision-making, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated knowledge of theories and practices in health promotion education and behavior-change programs training and assessment methods teaching methods and presentation techniques.
• Demonstrated experience with client interaction in a variety of settings (including home/field visits) and be comfortable accompanying participants and families to appointments.
• Demonstrated experience in teaching, coaching, and collaboration with others including strong communication skills, especially in difficult situations.
• Excellent interpersonal skills required and ability to interact professionally with culturally diverse individuals during a time of crisis and distress.
• Customer service, health care, or education skills or experience.
• Excellent organizational skills, with attention to detail and accuracy and ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion and professionalism. 
• Proficient with (Microsoft Office 365) and other web-enabled tools. 
• Ability to exhibit a professional, positive attitude and work ethic. 
• Ability to exercise critical thinking and sound judgement, both independently and as a team member.

The most competitive applicants will have the following experiences and qualifications (Desired): 

• Experience working with communities to build partnerships and gain understanding of unique community needs. 
• Demonstrated knowledge and ability of how to engage authentically with program participants and families. 
• Experience as Community Health Worker, Navigator, or Community Organizer. Marshallese and Chuukese speakers encouraged to apply. 
• Racial Equity, and Social Justice Knowledge of equity and social justice principles and practices. 
• Experience working with communities striving to overcome systemic racism.
• Direct knowledge and/or lived experience working in at least one of these communities: U.S born Black/African American, the American Indian/Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander communities.