Financial Coach/Career Specialist

Boston Public Health Commission - Boston, MA

Full-time

Boston, MA

Administration of Human Resource Programs

About the position

The Financial Coach/Career Specialist position is a vital role within the Center for Working Families (CWF) under the Office of Workforce Development. This position is designed to assist clients in developing actionable plans to achieve their financial and employment goals, ultimately leading to economic stability. The specialist will engage in one-on-one financial coaching, fostering long-term relationships with clients to help them navigate and resolve existing financial challenges while promoting proactive financial management strategies for the future. In this role, the specialist will work closely with clients to create personalized budgets, improve their financial literacy, and enhance their credit scores. This includes pulling credit reports, documenting balance sheets, and developing comprehensive plans of action that provide clients with the necessary tools and resources to meet their financial objectives. The specialist will also be responsible for understanding and connecting clients to income support services, ensuring they have access to the resources they need. The position requires the use of Salesforce and other software to accurately document client outcomes and maintain up-to-date records. The specialist will collaborate with the CWF team to ensure that any changes in a client's financial situation are properly recorded. Additionally, the role involves outreach and education through workshops on various financial topics, monitoring client retention, and providing ongoing support to working clients. The Financial Coach/Career Specialist will also play a key role in marketing CWF services to employers, maintaining relationships to facilitate job placements, and connecting clients with diverse employment opportunities across various sectors. This includes working with community-based recruitment sources and training programs to enhance employment opportunities for residents in the Boston area. The specialist will conduct job readiness training, assess client skills, and ensure that clients meet their activity goals while maintaining accurate records of their progress.

Responsibilities

• Articulate the mission, objectives, and programs of the CWF, the Office of Workforce Development, and the Worker Empowerment Cabinet.
• Conduct one-on-one financial coaching and engage clients in a long-term relationship.
• Assist clients in resolving existing problematic financial situations while emphasizing proactive financial management.
• Work with individual clients to develop a budget and provide strategies for budget improvements.
• Pull client's credit report/score and provide strategies for credit building.
• Document the client's balance sheet and provide planning for increasing net worth.
• Develop plans of action and provide tools, resources, and accountability to help clients meet goals.
• Understand income support services and connect clients to these services as needed.
• Use Salesforce and other software to document and reflect outcomes of clients accurately and in a timely manner.
• Complete the Combined Financial Assessment (CFA) for financial coaching clients.
• Work with the entire CWF team to ensure that any changes to the client's CFA are properly documented.
• Assist in creating recruitment, outreach, and retention strategies for participants to stay in the coaching program for 18-24 months.
• Provide coaching to participants in the Bridge Program.
• Conduct workshops on budgeting, saving, banking products, credit building, identity theft, and more.
• Monitor client retention and provide services to working clients.
• Conduct general benefits screening for income supports and assist clients through the application process as needed.
• Maintain contact with clients and document outcomes in Salesforce.
• Market CWF services to employers and maintain relationships to obtain job vacancy information.
• Work closely with culturally and ethnically diverse populations to connect them with employment opportunities.
• Assist in the design and implementation of outreach programs aimed at potential employers.
• Develop and maintain recruitment and placement programs with employers in the local area.
• Establish and maintain close working relationships with community-based recruitment sources and employment programs.
• Refer customers to training programs and classes, and/or employment opportunities.
• Monitor a job opening referral network and provide feedback on the appropriateness of referrals.
• Collaborate with employers to connect residents to career opportunities.
• Identify placement opportunities through contact with public agencies and private organizations.
• Interview and screen job seekers/clients and conduct job readiness training workshops.
• Assess customer skills and perform job matching to appropriate employment opportunities.
• Meet client activity goals on a monthly, quarterly, or as needed basis.
• Create and maintain manual and electronic data and files, ensuring accuracy and completeness of records.
• Support CWF tax site with credit building and coaching services as needed.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent and three plus (3+) years work experience preferred.
• Experience working with the public and more than one (1) year in financial and/or employment coaching, training, or a related field.
• Knowledge of credit, debt, and money management; savings and non-predatory financial products and services necessary.
• Ability to work with culturally and ethnically diverse populations, including individuals in prison re-entry programs.
• Knowledge of and familiarity with local employer needs and challenges is required.
• Ability and willingness to work as part of a small team across all program components.
• Proficiency with MS Office and Google Suite; familiarity with Salesforce is highly desirable.
• Strong interviewing, presentation, and interpersonal skills are required.
• Proficient in English and Spanish is strongly preferred.
• Availability to work some evenings and occasional weekends to accommodate client and program needs.