Title: 2-1-1 Community Resource Specialist (Part-Time)
Reports To: 2-1-1 Team Leader
Summary of Position
HandsOn River Region operates 2-1-1 for Montgomery and 13 surrounding counties, connecting people with health, human service, and community resources for everyday needs and during disasters. The 2-1-1 Community Resource Specialist provides person-centered community navigation by identifying and prioritizing needs, exploring relevant preferences and access barriers, connecting people with appropriate resources, and helping them make informed choices and realistic next steps. When additional support is appropriate, the Specialist may provide advocacy, warm handoffs, follow-up, barrier-solving, and coordination with partner agencies within the approved scope of 2-1-1. The role is non-clinical and does not provide therapy or legal advice.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Provide professional, compassionate, person-centered community navigation and information/referral services through the call system and other approved contact methods, including brief assessment and prioritization of caller needs.
- Research and match community resources based on location, eligibility, accessibility, timing, and caller choice; explain service details and limitations and help callers develop realistic next steps.
- Provide appropriate advocacy and enhanced navigation support, including warm handoffs, electronic referrals, follow-up, barrier-solving, and coordination with partner agencies when needed and within program scope.
- Use active listening, empathy, clear communication, respectful redirection, professional boundaries, and effective conversation management when assisting callers with multiple, complex, or challenging needs.
- Collect and verify required caller information and complete applicable screenings, consent steps, forms, referrals, routing entries, and other program workflows accurately; document contacts promptly and objectively in the resource database.
- Protect caller confidentiality, privacy, and data security; obtain appropriate consent before sharing identifying information and follow HandsOn River Region policies and applicable legal requirements, including HIPAA when applicable.
- Maintain proficiency with the resource database, call system, and other approved technology; meet established service and documentation standards; and participate in quality review, coaching, training, and competency development.
- Maintain current knowledge of community resources and program requirements; report resource changes, access barriers, unmet needs, or service gaps; and participate in outreach, cross-training, community education, partner collaboration, and other related duties as assigned.
Qualifications
- Experience in customer service, call/contact center operations, community service, human services, resource navigation, or another public-facing service role is preferred.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to build rapport, ask purposeful questions, explain information clearly, and communicate effectively with people who have varied needs and backgrounds.
- Ability to remain calm, compassionate, patient, nonjudgmental, and professional when assisting people under stress or managing multiple, complex, or challenging needs.
- Demonstrated problem-solving, advocacy, and resource-navigation skills, including the ability to research options, apply eligibility and access requirements, identify barriers, and maintain appropriate professional boundaries.
- Strong data-entry, documentation, organization, and attention-to-detail skills, with the ability to learn and use the organization's resource database, call system, web-based tools, electronic referral systems, and multiple applications during a contact.
- Ability to follow detailed procedures; maintain privacy, confidentiality, and data security; work independently and within a small team; manage priorities and deadlines; and receive and apply coaching and quality feedback.
Other Position-Related Information
Work Schedule and Status
Classification and Pay: Non-exempt, part-time; up to $15.00 per hour, based on qualifications and experience.
Hours: Up to 25 hours per week. The primary scheduling window is 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with individual schedules established based on 2-1-1 coverage and organizational needs. The schedule may be well-suited to someone seeking consistent part-time afternoon work. Limited evening, weekend, adjusted, or disaster-response hours may occasionally be necessary.
Attendance: Dependable and punctual attendance at scheduled shifts is an essential operational expectation because this position supports live 2-1-1 coverage, follow-up responsibilities, and continuity of service.
Disaster Response: 2-1-1 staff may be called upon to provide disaster-related community navigation and information/referral support before, during, and after local or statewide disasters. Duties and schedules may be temporarily adjusted during an activation.
Work Location
This position is primarily on-site at the HandsOn River Region office unless a different arrangement is specifically authorized by the Executive Director or designee.
Any temporary or exceptional remote work must meet HandsOn River Region confidentiality, privacy, technology, and data-security requirements and must occur in an appropriate private work environment.
Physical Demands and Work Environment
The position is primarily sedentary and requires extended use of a computer, keyboard, call system/headset, resource database, and electronic communications, along with frequent talking, listening, typing, writing, and reading.
Occasional outreach, training, partner, or community-event duties may require movement and interaction with the public. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position, in accordance with applicable law.
Compliance and Employment Practices
Employees are expected to comply with the HandsOn River Region Personnel Policies and Employee Handbook; current 2-1-1 policies, procedures, training, and quality standards; privacy and data-security requirements; and applicable grant, partner, or program requirements.
HandsOn River Region is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with applicable federal, state, and local employment laws. This job description outlines general responsibilities and may be revised as organizational, program, funding, technology, professional standards, or community needs change.
Pay: $14.00 - $15.50 per hour
Benefits:
Ability to Commute:
- Montgomery, AL 36107 (Preferred)
Work Location: In person
