Compass Lead Financial Counselor, Clarifi

Posted by Clarifi on September 10, 2018

Position Summary: The Compass Family Self-Sufficiency Program (FSS) is a collaboration between Clarifi and Compass Working Capital (“Compass”) providing high-quality financial counseling and coaching for participants in the Philadelphia Housing Authority’s FSS program. FSS is a historically underutilized employment and savings program for families who live in federally subsidized housing that allows them to capture a portion of rent as savings when they increase their earnings. The Lead Financial Counselor will supervise a team of Financial Counselors as well as provide ongoing, customized financial counseling and coaching for a cadre of clients to help them achieve their goals and reach benchmark targets in five core areas: (1) income and employment; (2) credit and debt; (3) savings; (4) utilization of high quality financial services; and (5) asset development. The Financial Counselor will also help FSS participants optimize their escrow funds toward their financial and asset development goals, including post-secondary education, small business development, homeownership, and credit building. By creating strong and sustainable counseling and coaching models for our clients, this counselor fulfills our mission of creating hope by helping people identify and secure the most important assets in their lives.

Qualifications:
 Commitment to Mission. Passion for serving low-income populations and strong and demonstrated commitment to social justice, various forms of equity, and anti-poverty initiatives. Understanding of the root causes of poverty and systems and structures that perpetuate inequality.
 Personal qualities. Clarifi requires the highest ethical standards and integrity in service to our clients and partners. The ideal candidate will possess maturity, self-awareness, empathy, flexibility, cultural humility, and an exceptional capacity for team and community building.
 Strong interpersonal and one-on-one coaching skills. Ability to form strong, trusting partnerships with clients and to provide financial coaching that is non-judgmental, empathetic, and culturally proficient.
 Interest in personal finance and comfort with quantitative calculations. Strong personal finance competencies are not required prior to applying for the role, as training and certification in personal finance will be provided. Interest in learning about, and building proficiency in, personal and consumer finance.
 Commitment to innovation, excellence, and entrepreneurship. Energized to work in an entrepreneurial, growth-oriented nonprofit organization. Demonstrated commitment to testing and evaluating new ideas and to building a model organization. The ideal candidate will be a proactive team player with a willingness to pitch in to support larger goals. Detail-focused and strong commitment to client services and consumer protection.
 Excellent organizational and communication skills. Detail-oriented with the ability to complete work accurately and efficiently. Exceptional presentation, organizational, written and verbal communication skills. Ability to understand and develop processes to make workflows manageable and replicable. Excellent computer literacy, including web-based applications and proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
 College degree or a minimum of 5 years relevant work experience required.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Proficiency or fluency in Chinese, Russian or Spanish a plus.

Essential Functions:
Team Lead
 Manage a team of Financial Counselors serving clients.
 Provide guidance, support, and training; manage team projects as they relate to program and organizational development.
 Assist Program Director in meeting program enrollment targets and ensure Financial Counselors are meeting client asset building and financial security objectives and outcomes.
 Meet regularly with Program Director to provide program updates and to identify and solve problems or inefficiencies. Provide support and input on specialized projects to leadership team when requested.
 Support Program Director in ensuring fidelity to the Compass FSS Program Model.

Financial Counseling and Coaching
 Participate in intensive substantive coaching and counseling training in financial management, personal finance, credit, and pre-purchase and obtain designated certifications including from the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and NeighborWorks Center for Homeownership Education and Counseling, as necessary and within required timeframes.
 Maintain counselor certification by earning required number of Professional Development Units annually through counseling, continuing education, and workshops or seminars.
 Provide high quality financial counseling and coaching sessions that promote financial stability and encourage access to Clarifi programs that further financial capability.
 Support FSS clients to achieve their goals and reach benchmark targets in five core areas: (1) income and employment; (2) credit and debt; (3) savings; (4) utilization of high quality financial services; and (5) asset development. Work with clients around goal setting, budgeting, building credit, savings, accessing high quality financial products, pursuing educational and employment goals, homeownership, small business development, and saving for children’s education.
 Document recommendations in an individualized action plan and effectively communicate with clients so that clients understand their role in their own success.
 Conduct initial needs assessment and refer clients to other service providers and resources as needed.
 Build and maintain relationships with clients by demonstrating empathy, providing exceptional service and actionable information appropriate to situation. Deliver core elements of a financial plan to families in a way that is professional, culturally proficient, non-judgmental, relevant, and valuable.
 Follow up with clients to evaluate effectiveness of action plans, documenting both client success and challenges encountered during action plan implementation.
 Support clients in understanding and utilizing their FSS escrow savings toward their goals. including post-secondary education, small business development, homeownership, and credit building.

General FSS Program Engagement
 Program outreach. In collaboration with the Program Director, coordinate FSS outreach and recruitment activities. This includes providing FSS orientations and informational sessions on-site at PHA and other community organizations. Outreach materials tap into and build upon families’ deeply held aspirations for themselves and for their children. The program will partner and co-brand with PHA to frame FSS as an opportunity for clients to pursue goals and dreams, such as owning a home, obtaining a college degree, starting a business, saving for children’s education, or becoming debt-free.
 Program enrollment. Oversee Financial Counselor support for executing FSS Contract of Participation (COP) and Individual Training and Services Plan (ITSP) and ensuring that clients stay on track toward program graduation.
 Workshop coordination. In collaboration with the Program Director, coordinate the delivery of high quality, culturally proficient financial education workshops, which are a core component of the program model. Financial education workshops focus on the following topics: (1) goal setting and budgeting; (2) credit building and debt management; and (3) savings and asset building. Workshops help build the financial skills, confidence, and practices that are predictive of future financial well-being. Lead the delivery of workshops, including assigning team member responsibilities for communicating with prospective and current clients, coordinating materials and presenters, assisting and/or teaching in workshops, and coordinating the administrative components of running the workshops.
 Resource development and community partnerships. In collaboration with the Program Director, lead the team in the identification and vetting of other resources and services participants need to achieve their goals (e.g. social services, legal assistance, job training, homeownership counseling, small business development training, post-secondary education, etc.). Assess the quality of referrals and continuously improve referral network, including ensuring positive client experiences.
 General program support, development, and review. Participate, as needed, in overall program development activities, including but not limited to strategy sessions with Clarifi, Compass, and PHA staff and partners to drive and improve overall program performance.

Data Quality
 Manage confidential client information with a rigorous dedication to organizational security protocols around every aspect of client data. Activities associated with the management of client data include the creation and maintenance of client files, electronic data entry activities, direct communication with clients, and management of survey data.
 Maintain accurate client information in client management systems and document management tools, internal and external to the agency.
 Perform program related data entry with minimal errors.
 Identify and implement process changes to streamline data management efforts.
 Share client and program information with community partners through appropriate mechanisms to advance client service and program evaluation.
 Conduct quality management tasks in client and funder management databases.
 Generate reports, narratives and other documentation to show progress of clients as requested by specific projects.

General Administration
 Maintain regular and predictable attendance with flexible work schedule (including evening and weekend) hours and branch locations responsive to client, team, and partner needs.
 Perform special projects and/or assignments as directed by management.

Travel:
Position is based in Philadelphia. Travel will be required throughout Philadelphia by automobile to various program sites, partner meetings, workshops, events, and conferences related to FSS. Candidate must be a licensed driver with full time access to reliable, properly registered, and insured car and be able and willing to travel to locations within organization’s service area. Initial training may be conducted in Boston and may require multiple weeknight stays over approximately 3-4 weeks and travel by air or train. Thereafter, occasional travel by air or train and overnight stays may be required to represent organization at meetings or conference outside of Philadelphia area.

Physical Demands:
There are no special physical demands required by this position. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of position.

Work Environment:
The environment for this position is standard office environment. In addition to the office responsibilities, there are off-site workshops, presentations, and community outreach events. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

FLSA Status: Exempt
Date Prepared: March 30, 2018
Prepared By: Markita Morris-Louis, SVP and General Counsel

Clarifi is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating and maintaining a diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.

Applicants can apply at http://www.clarifi.org.