Program Assistant

Title: Program Assistant

Status: Full-time (Hourly), 10am to 6pm; 9am to 5pm

Location: Maplewood, MN

Supervisor: Supportive Housing Emma’s Place Program Manager

Direct Reports: None

Compensation: $19.00

Organization

Emma Norton Services works with women, children, and families who are on their journey of recovery from homelessness, mental illness, chemical dependency, and other life stressors. Emma Norton Services provides safe, permanent housing in combination with programs and support services, through a housing first and harm reduction model, to provide an environment where victory over homelessness, mental illness, and chemical dependency is possible.

Purpose

The Program Assistant works with the Program Manager to ensure all administrative responsibilities are completed in a timely matter and compliant with all applicable regulations, provides desk coverage following all current guidelines and processes, communicating adult resident needs to Case Managers and youth resident needs to Youth Staff, and completes special projects as assigned by the Program Manager.

Responsibilities

1. Administrative Support

• Partners with Finance to ensure billing compliance in the Pavilio System
• Utilizes AWARDS Foothold program to maintain accurate shared records for clients and residents
• Inventories and orders office supplies and welcome basket materials
• Updates MHIS (Mental Health Information System) and HMIS (Homeless Management Information System)
• Assists in the coordination and management of third-party contractors
• Assists Program Manager with projects as assigned
• Assists Property Manager with projects at the direction of Program Manager

2. Desk Coverage

• Performs guest and phone reception duties in a courteous and responsive manner
• Interact with youth residents, providing them daily snacks and communicating further needs to Youth staff.
• Provides programming information to prospective clients and community members with referrals to programming or administrative staff as appropriate
• Manages outgoing mail and packages, and distributes incoming mail for clients and staff
• Processes daily faxes and scans to appropriate recipient
• Distributes documents, supplies, and other materials to clients and staff
• Receives and processes in-kind donations
• Completes projects and duties as assigned by programming and administrative staff
• Updates daily check-in log

3. Functions as a team member

• Follows through with own job responsibilities and assignments
• Engages in constructive problem solving and conflict resolution, assists other team members in doing the same
• Provides information needed by other team members in a timely and effective manner
• Offers assistance to team members as needed
• Gives and receives feedback to and from team members
• Takes direction from supervisor or manager, and implements team decisions as made

4. Other duties

• Participates in staff and team meetings
• Promotes community awareness of Emma Norton Services
• Attends community meetings when necessary
• Participates in agency efforts to promote a mutually respecting, multicultural environment, and participates in training opportunities related to economic, racial, and cultural diversity as requested
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge and expertise in areas related to job duties including the completion of HIPAA and Vulnerable Adult training within the first 7 days of hire
• Performs other duties as assigned

Requirements

• Associates degree with two years of relevant experience, Bachelor’s degree preferred. Candidates with transferable skills and significant lived experience working with unhoused populations will be considered.
• Ability to undergo and pass a background study as detailed in Minnesota Statute 144.057 and Chapter 245C
• Ability to identify and assess a wide range of client needs
• High level of proficiency using Microsoft Office
• Ability to interact with people in a manner which shows sensitivity, respect, and professionalism
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing
• Ability to exercise good judgement and problem solving in a variety of circumstances
• Ability to work with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries
• Moderate physical effort, with intermittent lifting or carrying limited to no more than 50 pounds
• Duties may require physical ability to climb stairs
• Duties require extended use of a keyboard
• Ability to work with initiative in a fast-paced environment, where interruptions are frequent and the ability to multi-task and set priorities are necessary

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Emma Norton Services we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

At Emma Norton Services we are committed to living our definitions of DEI.

Diversity is the recognition that there are differences between people, and that these differences must be intentionally valued as a part of the whole. These differences extend beyond what we can see physically, and include ways of being/knowing/living/working. We continuously work to achieve and maintain diversity in our staff and relationships, in alignment with the ways that the communities we serve change and evolve.

What does Diversity look like at Emma Norton? No one is the same, and every person has inherent value. People aren’t only different based on their physical bodies, but also in their minds and life experiences. We need all these differences to make us better.

Equity: An organizational perspective that emphasizes collaborative processes; equity strives to center around the needs of those most impacted by organizational decisions, acknowledging autonomy, and facilitating different ways of being/knowing/living/working.

What does Equity look like at Emma Norton? When important decisions need to be made, leadership seeks input from all relevant members of the organization, and gives extra weight to the opinions of those whose day-to-day work would be most impacted.

 Inclusion: Establishing and maintaining a transparent environment that lays the foundation for policies and practices that are welcoming to all, community-directed, and support different ways of being/knowing/living/working.

What does Inclusion look like at Emma Norton? We want everyone involved with Emma Norton to be able to bring their whole self to the work. No one should be made to feel that their life, self, or needs are judged or unimportant. We see new requests for accommodation not as challenges, but as opportunities to create stronger community.