Position Overview
BANANAS Inc. is searching for an experienced, community-minded, energetic and multi-talented leader to join our the team as Family Resource Navigator. The successful candidate will need to be flexible, have good customer service and time management skills and the ability to handle competing priorities.
About BANANAS Inc.
BANANAS is a nonprofit organization that supports families, children and early care and education providers. Our programs help families connect with all types of child care options from family child care home-based settings, preschool centers, family, friend, neighbor caregivers and nannies so they can work or continue their education. Providers are supported with technical assistance and professional development. We are experts in the field of early care and education and our wide variety of services support families and child care providers in raising early learners. We offer workshops, playgroups, coaching, and support groups for parents and caregivers. Low-income families are supported with financial assistance so they can access quality child care. BANANAS is a great place to work with colleagues who care about their clients, our youngest learners and each other.
Key Responsibilities
BANANAS is extending is robust service offering to our new satellite location at the Lion Creek Crossing Family Resource Center (FRC) Kinder-Readiness Hub in the Havenscourt area of East Oakland. The primary responsibility of the Family Resource Navigator is to help families’ access child care services, including referrals to providers and assessing eligibility for subsidies to pay for childcare. Other key responsibilities include the identification and referral of other supportive services families may need. The Navigator will conduct extensive outreach in the Havenscourt area of East Oakland connecting with local partners, agencies and the community.
Major Duties
- Conduct community outreach in the Havenscourt area and creatively engage and identify parents for the program.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for navigation services at the Healthy Havenscourt Early Care & Kinder Readiness Hub.
- Document family stories, challenges, and systems barriers.
- Provide resource and referral services assisting families with identifying quality child care settings and support families in selecting a “best fit” provider to meet their families’ needs.
- Assess eligibility for various subsidized child care programs including Early Head Start/Head Start, OUSD Child Development Centers, CalWORKs, and California Alternative Payment Programs (CAPP)
- Enroll families into eligible BANANAS programs and assist families in enrolling in other programs and services.
- Attend regular case management team meetings with BANANAS and collaborative partners to ensure the coordination of services and support for families.
- Enter program data into reporting systems and provide reports as required.
Represent BANANAS and the Lion Creek Crossing FRC in community meetings
Required Qualifications
- Community outreach experience
- Experience working with low-income families and demonstrated a commitment to working with the systems that support them.
- Strong organizational skills.
- Strong verbal and written skills.
- Computer literacy - experience with entering information into databases, email, Word and Excel
- Ability to periodically work evenings or weekends.
- Demonstrated experience of cultural competency and effectively working with people from diverse backgrounds.
- Have your own transportation and proof of insurance.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bilingual Spanish or Arabic
- Experience working in or navigating social services systems.
- Experience with Child Care Resource and Referral systems and the Alameda County child care subsidy system.
- Knowledge of child care subsidy eligibility criteria (e.g., Early Head Start/Head Start, subsidized child care centers, CalWORKs).
- BA or BS level degree in child development, social work, public administration or a related degree; the combination of BA/BS degree in the unrelated area combined with relevant work experience
- Demonstrated personal life experience or work-related experience with families
- Demonstrated ability to partner with public and non-profit system providers
- Demonstrated ability to persist through bureaucratic or other barriers on behalf of families and program goals
- Experience with children with special needs or the systems that serve them, particularly in Alameda County
We take pride in our family-friendly workplace, which is reflected in our generous benefits package. Benefits include:
Choice of Health or Dependent Care:
- 100% Employer Paid - Medical Insurance for Family or may opt out and receive reimbursement equivalent to group plan coverage.
- Dependent care benefits - $12,000 annual allowance
- 100% Employer Paid - Dental Insurance for employee only (Delta Dental PPO $2,000)
- 100% Employer Paid - Life Insurance equivalent to the annual salary
- Wellness - out of pocket health/dental reimbursements, currently $640 annual allowance
- Vacation Leave (12 days annually for 0-4 yrs)
- Sick Leave (12 days annually)
- Paid Holidays (11 days annually)
- Floating Holiday (1 day per Fiscal year)
- Generous December Holiday Hours
- 403b Plan; enrollment at time of hire for employee contribution and 2-year waiting period for an employer contribution, currently 6% of annual salary
- Bereavement, the state paid family, medical, catastrophic sick, unpaid leave
- BANANAS Parental Leave
(Note: all BANANAS benefits are subject to annual review and adjustment)
BANANAS is committed to maintaining a staff that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring, promotions, or any other personnel action on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender, ethnic group identification, race, ancestry, national origin, religion, color, economic status, age, veteran status, marital status, parental status, medical condition, and/or mental or physical disability, or any other consideration made unlawful by local, state, and federal laws.