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FINANCIAL COACH/CAREER SPECIALIST

TITLE:         FINANCIAL COACH/CAREER SPECIALIST, RCFE
GRADE:      H                                                                                                       STATUS: NON-EXEMPT
DIVISION/DEPARTMENT: OFE/OWD
OVERVIEW
The Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) is the planning and economic development agency for the City of Boston. The BPDA plays a far-reaching role in shaping the City. We are a self-sustaining agency and our love for Boston inspires us to make our City an even better place to live, work, and connect. The Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff with diverse experiences while continuing to work to build and sustain an equitable and inclusive work environment, where cultural diversity is celebrated and valued.  We believe every member on our team enriches our agency and allows us to see a broad range of ways to understand and engage with our city, identify challenges, and discover, design, and deliver solutions.
 
SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES: 
Under the direction of the Roxbury Center for Financial Empowerment’s (RCFE) Manager, the Financial Coach/Career Specialist is responsible for assisting clients in developing a plan of action intended to help them reach their goals and achieve financial and employment stability. Will conduct one-on-one coaching, orientation, and facilitate workshops (and attendance at workshops) on topics such as budgeting, credit building, and banking products. Will work with other staff to ensure that RCFE participants obtain assistance across three major service areas: financial coaching, career services, and income supports. Will use Salesforce and Excel to document and reflect the outcome of their clients in an accurate and timely manner. The Financial Coach will assist in creating recruitment, outreach and retention strategies for program participants.   Will market RCFE services to employers and to the community. Conduct intake and assessment; refer clients to appropriate training and/or employment opportunities. Process and track career coaching, evaluation, placement and guidance. Make presentations to employers, clients and community organizations.
 
GENERAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The general duties and responsibilities of the position are included in but not limited to the information listed below.
  • Ability to articulate the mission, objectives, and programs of the RCFE, the Office of Financial Empowerment, and the Office of Workforce Development.
  • Conduct one-on-one financial coaching and engage the client in a long-term relationship. Assist clients in resolving existing problematic financial situations, while emphasizing proactive financial management moving forward.
  • Work with the client to develop a budget and provide strategies for budget improvements; access client’s credit report/score and provide strategies for credit building; document the client’s balance sheet and provide strategies for increasing net worth; develop plans of action and provide tools, resources and accountability to the client to help him/her meet goals; understand income support services and connect clients to these services, as needed.
  • Use Salesforce and Excel to document and reflect outcomes of clients accurately and in a timely manner; complete the Combined Financial Assessment (CFA) for financial coaching clients; working with the entire RCFE team to ensure that any changes to the client’s CFA (such as new job, new benefit, change in credit score) are properly documented.
  • Assist the RCFE Manager and Lead Financial Coach in creating recruitment, outreach and retention strategies for participants to stay in the coaching program for 18-24 months. Conduct workshops as a form of outreach and education, including topics such as budgeting, saving, banking products, credit building, identity theft, and more, in person and via Zoom.
  • Monitor client retention; assist clients through the application process as needed; maintain contact with clients and document outcomes in Salesforce.
  • Market RCFE services to and maintain relationships with employers; obtain job vacancy information; refer appropriate job candidates.
  • Work closely with culturally and ethnically diverse populations; familiarize and connect them with an array of employment opportunities in fields that include: construction and trades, services, health care, industrial related opportunities, etc.
  • Establish and maintain close working relationships with all community based recruitment sources and with employment and training programs, as assigned. Refer customers to training programs and classes, and/or employment opportunities. 
  • Monitor a job opening referral network that includes public, private, and community based posting of job openings and provides feedback on the appropriateness of referrals and the success of referred candidates. Collaborate with the Career Centers, Boston’s Office of Workforce Development, the Boston Private Industry Council, and other outlets to connect residents to career opportunities. Identify placement opportunities through contact with public agencies; with private commercial, industrial, and service industry organizations and developers.
  • Interview and screen job seekers/clients. Make referrals to job readiness training workshops. Assess customer skills; perform job matching to appropriate employment opportunities. 
  • Meet client activity goals on a monthly, quarterly, or as needed basis. Create and maintain manual and electronic data and files. Ensure accuracy and completeness of records.
  • Assist with the operation of the Boston Tax Help Coalition at the tax site at the RCFE, as needed.
  • Perform other related duties as required.
 
QUALIFICATIONS: 
Work requires a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, Social Services, Public Administration, Marketing, or equivalent and 3+ years work experience. Experience should include working with the public and more than one year in job placement, employment, training or a related field. Knowledge of credit, debt and money management; savings and non-predatory financial products and services required.  Must have the ability to work with culturally and ethnically diverse populations, including individuals in prison re-entry programs. Knowledge of and familiarity with local employer needs and challenges is required. Demonstrated marketing skills are necessary. Must have ability and willingness to work as part of a small team across all program components. Requires knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets and database programs; proficiency with MS Word, PowerPoint programs is preferred. Excellent interviewing, presentation and interpersonal skills are required. Bilingual skills in English/Spanish or English/Haitian Creole are highly desirable. Must be willing and available to work some evenings and weekends to accommodate client and program needs.
 
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Normal office environment. Position is based in Nubian Square.
 
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Ability to lift up to 25 pounds occasionally (including but not limited to tax documents); some local travel.
 
SCOPE:
Work with Boston and area residents on personal finance and employment.
 
**BOSTON RESIDENCY IS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT**
 
ALL APPLICANTS MUST SUBMIT BOTH A COVER LETTER AND RESUME