Health Federation of Philadelphia
Community Assessment and Engagement Specialist (Personal Services)
The mission of the Health Federation of Philadelphia is to improve access to and quality of health and human services for underserved and vulnerable populations. Health equity is at the heart of all our work. We believe in and are firmly committed to equal employment opportunity for employees and applicants. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, religion, disability, sex or gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, military or veteran status. This commitment applies to all aspects of the Health Federation of Philadelphia's employment practices, including recruiting, hiring, training, and promotion.
Equal Opportunity Employer
JOB SUMMARY
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health's Division of Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction (SUPHR) is working with community-based organizations (CBOs) to reduce the rate of unintentional overdose among Black and Latinx populations in Philadelphia. The person filling this position will analyze data collected by the CBOs as well as complement their work with further data collection in the field. The Community Assessment and Engagement Specialist will interact directly with individuals still actively using substances, those early in their recovery, people experiencing homelessness, and those participating in informal economies, as well as community members and business owners in order to better inform SUPHR's overdose prevention and response activities, and to determine the feasibility of establishing neighborhood-specific harm reduction centers and other appropriate services.
JOB SPECIFICATIONS
Responsibilities/Duties
Under the supervision of the Community Engagement Coordinator, the Community Assessment and Engagement Specialist will perform the following essential job functions:
• Design survey protocols including developing questionnaires and establishing recruitment methods.
• Obtain and manage Institutional Review Board (IRB) approvals when required.
• Engage in outreach efforts to contact and recruit people who use drugs and community members into projects, particularly in Black and Latinx neighborhoods.
• Coordinate with appropriate partners to allocate space for projects.
• Conduct in depth screenings and both structured and unstructured interviews.
• Analyze findings from surveys and present findings to internal and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate and lead regular focus groups, key informant interviews, and street intercept surveys with people who use drugs and community members.
• Conduct literature reviews and analysis of harm reduction interventions in other jurisdictions
Education
1a. Completion of a master's degree in public health, public administration, social work, or sociology in a program at an accredited college or university that includes a minimum of two graduate level courses in advanced research methodology
OR
2a. Completion of a Master's Degree program at an accredited college or university; AND
2b. Two (2) years of qualitative research work experience performing study design, evaluation, or analysis.
OR
Any combination of education and relevant experience
Skills/Experience
• Knowledge of substance use highly preferred.
• Knowledge of the War on Drugs and its effects on communities of color in Philadelphia.
• Sensitivity to and experience working with ethnically, culturally, socioeconomically, and sexually diverse individuals, communities, agencies, and organizations.
• Experience considering the impacts of the work on multiple communities, including communities of color, in technical analysis.
• Knowledge of the philosophy and practice of harm reduction.
• Ability to analyze data, write project proposals, and technical reports.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to analyze and think critically to apply reasonable judgment and problem-solving skills.
• Experience working with health and prevention service agencies.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to work as part of a team, to prioritize and handle multiple tasks, and to work independently in a high-pressure environment.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with persons contacted in the course of work.
• Knowledge of neighborhoods in Southwest, West, or North Philadelphia or adjacent neighborhoods.
Work Environment: Standard office setting with extended periods at workstation and periodic use of office equipment. This position also requires extensive time in the field interacting with and linking clients to care.
Position Type and Work Schedule: Full time position, typical hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. Due to the nature of this work, many days will be spent in the field. Office location is the Philadelphia Department of Health Division of Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction at 1101 123 S. Broad St., 11th Floor in Philadelphia.
Travel: Local travel to multiple sites several times per week, as needed.
Physical Demands: Ability to transport materials on occasion; walking to meetings in nearby offices.
COVID-19 Requirements: Proof of vaccination upon hire.
Salary and Benefits: Salary is commensurate with experience. Health Federation offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package, which can include:
• Medical with vision benefits
• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending accounts
• Life, AD&D and long-term care insurance
• Short- and long-term disability insurance
• 403(b) Retirement Plan, with a company contribution
• Paid time off including vacation, sick, personal and holiday
• Employee Assistance Program
Eligibility and participation is handled consistent with the plan documents and HFP policy.
Application: If interested, please send a resume/CV and a cover letter to annie.brogan@phila.gov
DISCLAIMER
The Health Federation reserves the right to modify, interpret, or apply this job description in any way the Company desires. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by an employee assigned to this position. This job description in no way implies that these are the only duties, including essential duties, responsibilities and/or skills to be performed by the employee occupying this position. This job description is not an employment contract, implied, or otherwise. The employment relationship remains “at will.” The aforementioned job requirements are subject to change to reasonably accommodate qualified disabled individuals.