HEOP Community Engagement Specialist

Hybrid remote work schedule: 3 days in office/field and 2 days remote

Base office in Asheville, Hendersonville, Rutherfordton, Marion and Morganton

Position Status: Several full-time and part-time positions available

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Job Posting

Nature of the Position: Pisgah Legal Service is introducing a new program, the WNC Health and Economic Opportunity Program (HEOP) to support our mission in 18 Western North Carolina counties as part of a multi-year grant funded expansion of anti-poverty work within the broad areas of free tax preparation/tax credits and outreach/enrollment for Affordable Care Act health insurance. Counties serviced include: Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, McDowell, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania and Yancey. The WNC HEOP is designed to have long-term impact through two main priorities: (1) reduce the child poverty rate in each WNC county and (2) increase the insured rate through quality, affordable health care coverage in each WNC county. The program will work in conjunction with the entire PLS legal aid staff to support expanding free legal assistance to help a growing number of low-income people each year to solve problems related to basic needs, particularly housing, domestic violence, health care, and insufficient income.

The Community Engagement Specialist works at the grassroots level with communities of color in Western North Carolina on the goals of the WNC HEOP: to ensure more people have access to health care coverage, and to help low-income individuals file taxes. The primary work of the position includes understanding the benefits of enrolling in coverage in the ACA and the basic understanding of how to do so, understanding the benefits of filing taxes to gain access to the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit and the basic understanding of how to do so, community engagement and outreach to provide education and access to quality affordable healthcare and free tax services, and supporting outreach to Communities of Color across the Western North Carolina region. Multiple positions (part-time and full-time) available across WNC, including Buncombe, Henderson, Rutherford, McDowell and Burke counties.

Responsibilities 

Commitment to PLS’ mission, values and vision.

Develop relationships with local community organizations and partners to engage in community education, outreach, and making referrals;

Work with a team of staff and volunteers collaboratively;

Organize and conduct outreach including marketing, public relations, establishing new community connections, and interagency relationships;

Work with other local enrollment assisters and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) to organize outreach and events;

Work with community organizations and key leaders in outreach activities for Medical-Legal Partnership work, building the connection between health outcomes and legal services to alleviate poverty; 

Perform outreach for legal services, enrollment, and tax assistance outreach such as presentations, newsletters and hosting a table in settings such as Jails/prisons/detention centers, Treatment facilities, Faith-based organizations, Low-incoming housing developments, Community-based organizations, Health fairs, and Food banks;

Receive referrals for Pisgah Legal Services;

Learn and utilize web-based software programs for reporting outcomes and tracking consumer forms;

Provide all information and services in a manner that is culturally and linguistically appropriate and ensure accessibility for individuals with disabilities;

Passionately support the idea of access to quality healthcare for all people;

Passionately support the idea of refundable tax credits for low-income families;

Provide all information and services in a manner that is culturally and linguistically appropriate and ensure accessibility for individuals with disabilities;

Provide remote services through phone, Zoom, Microsoft Teams and other platforms until COVID-19 restrictions permit in-office work.

Qualifications

Significant experience and commitment to working with and supporting communities of color.

Bilingual Spanish written and oral skills preferred.

Demonstrated skills at socio-economic and cultural sensitivity.

Commitment to work collaboratively with all constituent groups, including staff, consumers, clients, board members, donors, community groups, member organizations and others.

Comfortable with public speaking and representing PLS in a public setting.

Self-motivated, able to work independently.

Detail-oriented, accurate and organized.

Personal/professional roots in and strong network of connections in WNC communities.

Ability to understand, remember, and carry out complex instructions.

Excellent writing and verbal communication skills.

Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work well with teams.

Have reliable transportation and be available to drive to locations in the Western North Carolina area.

Possess socio-economic and cultural sensitivity and interpersonal skills necessary to communicate with people who may be angry, upset, or ill.

Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience in areas such as Social Work, Public Health, Policy or a related field.

Two years of prior community outreach experience preferred.

Possess a valid driver’s license.

Must have flexible hours including evenings and weekends.

Salary/ Benefits

Salary ranges from $34,515 to $52,252 depending on experience. Additional $1k for Spanish Language Skills upon successful passing of Spanish proficiency testing.

Our salary scale is predetermined based on the years of relative professional work experience that qualify for this position to ensure equity in pay. Pisgah Legal Services is a Living Wage Certified Employer.

Employees are eligible for medical, dental, vision and life insurance coverage the 1st of the month following the start date. Pisgah Legal Services (PLS) pays 100% of the Employee and 50% of the Dependent Cost for BCBS Medical and Dental coverage. PLS pays 50% of the Employee Coverage Cost for BCBS Vision coverage. PLS pays 100% of Long-Term & Short-Term Disability Coverage, Life Insurance Coverage of 5x base salary + an additional $15,000 Life & AD&D Coverage. 401k Retirement Plan after 6 months of employment. Additional Fringe Benefits includes Pet Insurance, Paid Parental Leave, Paid Bereavement Leave, 13.5 Company Holidays, 22 Paid Leave Days, Paid Sabbatical Leave for eligible staff, Employee Assistance Program for entire household and a great working environment with work life balance!

To Apply

Submit your online application with resume and cover letter through our Career Center located at https://www.pisgahlegal.org/jobs.

PLS invites all applicants to include in their cover letter a statement about how your unique background and/or experiences might contribute to the diversity, cultural vitality, and perspective of our staff and legal services practice.

Pisgah Legal Services is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are encouraged to discuss ADA accommodations with our Human Resources department.