Wellness Program Consultant jobs in Grand Rapids, MI

About Community Action House

Since its founding in 1969, Community Action House has been the focal point of community efforts to provide critical support and pathways out of poverty for our neighbors in need. Our community-powered work takes a client-centric approach that meets people wherever they are at and offers services that enhance ownership and agency. Our work is organized in three interconnected areas: Food Access, Resource Navigation, and Financial Wellness. Welcome, excellence, and collaboration are some of our core values. Learn more at www.communityactionhouse.org.

In October 2021, we launched our new ‘Food Club & Opportunity Hub’ to expand efficient, impactful healthy food assistance with the on-site integration of other pathway programs. More recently, we announced a partnership with Dwelling Place to help address the affordable housing crisis here in Holland. In July 2023, we publicly launched our expansion of Lakeshore Food Rescue (www.lakeshorefoodrescue.org).

Organizational budget: $9M-10M (inclusive of $5M in-kind support)

Agency Size: 60-70 staff and 2,300 annual volunteers

Our Values

Who we are. Who we aspire to be. What drives us. What unites us. Learn more, here!

- Radically Welcoming

- Guest-Centered

- Lead with Kindness

- Curiosity-Driven

- Always Improving

- Collaborative by Design

- Contagious Commitment

- One Team

Position Details

Position: Full Time, exempt

Reporting to: Vice President (VP) of Programs

Direct Reports: Financial Wellness Specialist (3)

Compensation: $50,000 - $58,000 annual salary

Benefits:Full time positions are eligible for a comprehensive benefits package

About the Position

Reporting to the VP of Programs, the Financial Wellness Manager will have direct team leadership over our program commitment to ensure all our guests have the financial tools everyone deserves, empowering them to confidently take charge of their financial futures. The Manager will lead a team of Financial Wellness Specialists to deliver programming that makes financial education and training available to everyone, while building partnerships and shaping pathways that change families’ financial futures.

While empowering this team, the Manager will also become our key subject matter expert in financial empowerment and economic mobility, staying abreast of industry trends and opportunities, and managing key external relationships amongst various service providers and entities that interact with our guests through referral or collaborative efforts related to economic mobility. Further, the Manager will partner with leadership to shape our organization’s future efforts to enhance economic mobility for our guests through refined or new program opportunities and/or collaborations.

• Ensure ongoing programmatic excellence and work with staff to develop systems to ensure consistent, high-quality service delivery.
• Serve as the primary point of contact and problem solver for the Financial Wellness Team and services related to financial empowerment and economic mobility. 
• Define and refine program goals in collaboration with the VP of Programs, and create clarity of action and performance for the team in pursuit of program goals.
• Research and identify best practices in relevant program areas such as case management, motivational interviewing, intake management, financial counseling, classes and facilitation, VITA programming, asset building, economic mobility coaching, homeownership pathways, and curriculum development, etc, to enhance service offerings and impact.
• Strengthen current programming, creating efficiencies in the intake and enrollment processes, workshop presentations, course materials, and program evaluation, including review and updating of education curriculum and agency policy/procedure to comply with Housing & Urban Development (HUD), MI State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), and other relevant guidelines (such as VITA site requirements).
• Identify potential risks and issues within current and new programming to drive resolution by developing options and recommendations.
• Identify and define programming opportunities using qualitative and quantitative sources in a timely and responsive manner to changing community needs. Ensure that new programming aligns with our integrated approach to our core service offerings at our Food Club & Opportunity Hub.  
• Collaborate with front line staff to determine feasibility of new initiatives and develop plans for execution. Define success metrics for decision-making of pilot initiatives.
• Work alongside the VP of Programs to identify and map guest pathways through Community Action House programs, identifying guidelines for when guests move between programs.
• Work in collaboration with the VP of Programs and organizational leadership to identify opportunities to innovate program offerings to clients and community.
• Support cross-team functions when needed to ensure continuity of leadership and direct client service. 

• Strengthen existing partnerships and establish new relationships, including resource connections, home ownership, job placement and upskill, financial partners, etc.  Financial partnerships include those in the social service field, banking and lending institutions, mortgage companies, insurance providers and other local professionals.
• Establish relationships and credibility with partner organizations for referral and program development purposes. Communicate resources available and partnership pathways to program staff.
• Embody, represent and communicate values of Community Action House to internal and external audiences.

• Create, document, and update program operating procedures.
• Analyze current processes and implement opportunities for process improvement to increase the efficiency & effectiveness of our services. 
• Establish expertise in case management software and databases used (Apricot, COMPASS, HMIS, etc.) to provide recommendations on improving processes for clients and staff.
• Serve as a primary point person for client records and database use, ethics and standards and grant compliance.
• Establish meaningful metrics for internal and external reporting requirements, and ensure systems and processes are in place to collect and report on data.
• Enhance Financial Wellness team excellence by maintaining current operational benchmarks, metrics and timelines needed to achieve strategic goals and increase operational service quality via daily, weekly, and monthly performance metrics.

• Attract, develop, coach, and retain high-performance program team members, empowering them to elevate their level of responsibility and performance.
• Coach and develop staff members to become high performing team members. Develop and maintain internal team training, including onboarding and continuous improvement of internal training processes to improve overall staff retention and satisfaction. 
• Lead various tactical team meetings and huddles.
• Establish clear role expectations and accountabilities across team members to enhance overall team performance and execution of program and services.
• Work collaboratively with the team to expand volunteer opportunities, creating training documentation and pathways for easy onboarding and training of new volunteers to work in our ‘One Team’ approach to service.

• General Direction: Receives broad guidance and direction and has some autonomy in decision-making and flexibility in determining how to achieve goals. Supervisor provides support and resources as needed but may not be directly involved in day-to-day decision-making or task assignments.

• Primary Supervisor: Serves as a People Leader (supervisor). Develops a healthy working relationship to support those they directly supervise. Manages workload, up-skilling and training of employees, and provides regular feedback. Responsible for timesheet approval, approving employee time off, and scheduling. Has influence on compensation, hiring, and termination decisions.

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred
• Minimum 1 year of experience managing and leading people in the human and social services field
• 6 years of relevant work experience
• Curriculum development and/or casework experience preferred
• Previous experience or comfort working with numbers, taxes, and personal finances, preferred
• HUD Certified preferred
• Certification is obtained by receiving a passing score on the HUD Certification Exam (paid training time and study materials will be provided)
• A HUD Certified Housing Counselor is preferred in this role. If not already certified, an individual can attend relevant training and certification classes such as foreclosure prevention certification to become certified after starting this position.
• Bilingual Spanish proficiency preferred

• Ability to work independently and manage multiple concurrent projects and deliver results, with strong prioritization skills
• Commitment to continuous improvement; process oriented
• Creativity in developing new and innovative services and approaches to challenges
• Team player with a roll-up-one’s-sleeves attitude and innate sense of proactivity
• Creative thinker who thinks out of the box and is not afraid to question the status quo 
• Experience working with Excel, Google suite, and other Microsoft products
• Analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret information to support decision making. 
• Fosters trust with others by consistently conducting work with honesty, reliability, and mutual respect, while also demonstrating transparency and emotional openness.
• Cultivates a collaborative and supportive work environment, empowering team members, fostering collaboration and teamwork, and providing guidance and mentorship as needed.
• Ability to resolve conflicts and implement de-escalation techniques, fostering a calm and constructive environment where team members feel supported and conflicts are effectively managed.
• Demonstrate a genuine passion for our mission and a commitment to upholding our team’s values: Radically Welcoming, Guest-Centered, Lead with Kindness, Curiosity-Driven, Always Improving, Collaborative by Design, Contagious Commitment, & One Team
• Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people.
• Willingness and interest in continuous learning and adaptation based on your professional interests and organizational needs.
• A high standard of performance and integrity, and ability to lead by example to foster a positive workplace culture.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, along with strong interpersonal abilities.

• This position requires the ability to drive between Community Action House buildings and to various community locations throughout Ottawa County, predominantly Holland/Zeeland area. Access to consistent and reliable transportation and a valid driver's license is required.
• Must be able to work independently and occasionally non-traditional hours (weekends, evenings).

• This position is required to stand or sit for long periods of time; talk or hear, both in person and by telephone; use hands and fingers to handle objects and use a computer / type. 
• This position is infrequently required to stoop, kneel, bend, crouch and lift up to 25 pounds.

We will consider candidates who do not meet all qualifications but whom have similar experience in lieu of qualifications such as education. We encourage you to apply!

Application

Interviews are conducted on a rolling basis until position is filled. To apply, submit resume and 1 page cover letter, depending on position. Contact peopleandculture@communityactionhouse.org with questions.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Community Action House is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth), sexual orientation, and gender identity, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, height, weight, marital status, veteran status, or any other status protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws. We encourage applicants of all backgrounds to apply.

Note: This Job Description is a description of the typical duties of this position, and is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties. Job incumbents may be asked to perform other duties as required.