Resource Coordinator
Overview of On The Rise, Inc.
On The Rise, Inc. (OTR) is a dynamic Cambridge, MA-based non-profit founded in 1995 that serves women, trans, and non-binary people currently/formerly experiencing homelessness throughout the region. Our Safe Haven day program provides a space where participants can meet some of their tangible needs, such as taking a shower, receiving their mail, or doing laundry, as well as meet one-on-one with advocates to work on longer-term goals. The Keep The Keys program supports our participants as they transition into stable housing and the opportunities and challenges that presents. Our innovative approach supports our participants’ initiative and core strengths to help them find safety and discover new possibilities. OTR is committed to social justice, dismantling oppression, and striving to be an anti-racist organization.
At On The Rise, the core of our work is building authentic, long-term relationships with program participants. Through these relationships we foster the trust and belonging that is foundational to people’s feelings of agency, empowerment, and safety in community. Program participants display enormous strength and ingenuity in coping with challenges such as homelessness, domestic violence, mental illness, the after-effects of childhood abuse, involvement in the legal system, systemic oppression, and intergenerational trauma. We work to meet people where they are and follow their self-determined visions of success as they navigate structural barriers and challenges. We strive to create a low-threshold environment where people can bring their whole selves, while also holding each individual accountable to the community.
Hours, Activities, and Responsibilities
The Resource Coordinator’s primary responsibility is to ensure the timely, dignified, and effective provision of direct assistance resources to program participants. This includes coordination of over $100,000 worth of purchased and donated goods annually, including food, clothing, hygiene products, and other basic needs. Acting as a hub of knowledge and connections to community resources, the Resource Coordinator ensures that program goods critical to carrying out our mission are available and ready to be distributed.
OTR’s normal business hours are 8:00am–4:00pm on weekdays. The Resource Coordinator’s typical weekly schedule will be Monday 10:00-6:00, Tuesday-Friday 8:00-4:00. There will be some schedule flexibility required to supervise regular onsite volunteer activities, including hosting volunteer hours up to one Saturday a month and occasional Wednesday or Thursday afternoons. Typical weekly schedule would be adjusted to accommodate.
The role includes routine tasks such as inventorying supplies, scheduling and receiving lunch donations, communicating with in-kind donors, and managing volunteers. However, each day in the Safe Haven looks different and the Resource Coordinator may find themselves working directly with program participants on a special request, coordinating with a restaurant to donate extra food, or planning a community event.
The core work of OTR’s programs is relationship building and this extends to support roles like the Resource Coordinator. Creating opportunities for authentic, mutual, boundaried relationships is a key responsibility of the role. Effectively meeting the tangible needs of our participants builds a strong foundation for relationships that lead to long-term, broad-based support.
The Resource Coordinator is a member of the four person Operations Team that provides overall organizational support and reports to the Director of Finance and Operations, with a dotted line to the Program Management Team.
Duties include:
- Coordinate the procurement, storage, and distribution of all in-kind donations
- Maintain inventory and collaborate with Program Managers, Advocacy Team, and Program Participants to identify seasonal needs and maintain ongoing purchase requests
- Collaborate with the Development and Communications team to procure donations from community members
- Cultivate and manage relationships with external agencies who also provide donated clothing and hygiene products
- Reply to inquiries, schedule, receive, and organize donations of in-kind goods
- Maintain inventory and consistent internal communications around current stock and needs for tangible goods.
- Inventory support for Moving Home Drives (managed by the Keep The Keys Program Manager) for participants who receive housing
- Oversee the recruitment and stewardship of food programs
- Manage Safe Haven food purchase orders, inventory, communication, and reporting
- Manage Lunch program
- Manage the calendar of community member meal donors (Meal Train) to ensure lunch donations are occurring and maintain regular communication including lunch requests, thank you notes, and feedback to lunch donors
- Initiate new partnerships with local restaurants and organizations to procure donated food and meals
- Supervise onsite volunteers
- Coordinate, support, train and supervise volunteers; includes regular engagement with ongoing weekly volunteers (Monday afternoons) and occasional weekend and additional weekday afternoon support (up to 1 Saturday and 1 Wednesday or Thursday per month) for groups
- Plan and coordinate volunteer activities for individuals and groups. Collaborate with Program Managers and Development to identify tasks as needed.
- Manage and enhance volunteer database (Volunteer Local) and maintain communications with interested volunteers
- Administrative tasks in partnership with Operations Coordinator
- Answer phones and facilitate participant requests
- Facilitate data entry of in-kind goods and services
- Event planning support for program events and activities (managed by the Safe Haven and Keep The Keys Program Managers)
Who we are looking for:
The ideal candidate will be prepared and eager to engage with a variety of people, including program participants, donors, vendors, and other community members. They will have excellent project management and customer service skills and be able to balance multiple tasks at once. They should be willing to pitch in where needed and see areas and processes for improvement. The position requires both desk time at a computer and significant time standing. Frequent climbing of stairs and carrying up to 25 pounds is required. A valid driver’s license is required.
The following qualities are essential for a strong Resource Coordinator.
Mission and Values:
- Commits to OTR’s mission and values of relationships, self-determination, wellbeing, safety in community, inclusion and diversity, and anti-racism and anti-oppression.
- Dedication to OTR’s tenets of harm reduction, trauma inclusion, relational-cultural theory, strength-based de-centered practice, a wellbeing approach, and anti-oppression frameworks.
- Personal experience of trans and/or non-binary gender identities or experience working with and being in relationship with trans and/or non-binary individuals.
- Participates in employer-sponsored activities acknowledging, confronting, and dismantling racism and other issues of oppression and examining the impact of racism on themselves, on OTR, and in the community at large.
Teamwork and Collaboration:
- Works effectively and collaboratively within the Operations team to provide comprehensive support to the organization.
- Balances self-directed work and initiative with open communication and transparency between team members.
- Actively supports, challenges, and communicates with teammates and receives support and challenge with openness, curiosity, and humor.
Relationships and Boundaries:
- Builds authentic relationships with program participants, fellow staff members, and outside collaborators.
- Maintains appropriate boundaries by continuously examining the motivations and impacts of decisions.
Initiative and Agency:
- Exercises independent judgment and creativity in problem solving.
- Like all OTR employees, exhibits the flexibility required in a small organization, openness to change, and seeks out resources for personal and professional growth.
Skills and Expertise:
- 1-3 years of prior work experience in administrative roles in the human services, community outreach, volunteer coordination, or related fields is a plus.
- Experience working with homeless or low income populations preferred. History of homelessness or other significant life challenges may also qualify as prior experience.
- Demonstrated strong organizational skills; experience prioritizing projects and working on several projects simultaneously with interruptions. Efficient and accurate in completing tasks as required, attending to detail, and able to anticipate and meet deadlines while working under pressure of multiple and changing priorities.
- Tech savviness, especially with Google Workspace, a quick learner, and an ability to effectively train others in new technologies.
- Bilingual in Spanish or Haitian Creole preferred and prioritized
Hiring Process, Salary, and Benefits:
- To apply: Submit a cover letter and resume to hiring@ontherise.org. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.
- Salary Range: $50,000-$55,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications. This is a full-time, salaried non-exempt position.
- Starting Bonus: $1,500 starting bonus, less applicable taxes and withholdings. Half to be paid after 30 days of start date and half to be paid after 60 days of start date.
- Additional annual compensation of up to $1,500 for language proficiency in our target populations: Spanish, Haitian Creole.
- Hiring Timeline: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. It is On The Rise’s hope that the hired candidate begins work by mid December 2024/early January 2025.
- Generous benefits package including:
- On The Rise covers 75% of employee premiums for Health and Dental Insurance. There is no waiting period to enroll in health or dental insurance.
- OTR will contribute up to 5% of your salary to a 403(b) Retirement Savings Plan
- Annual Paid Time Off includes 15 vacation days, 12 sick days, 12 paid holidays, and 2 personal days. Vacation days increase to 20 days annually after completing your fourth year.
- Continuing Education Benefit: OTR pays for 3 full work days and reimburses up to $600 per year for employees who have been employed for more than one year who wish to continue their education or take a course that is somewhat, but not directly related to work and/ or is not covered by training budget.
- 100% employer paid short-/long-term disability plans, life insurance, and paid family and medical leave benefits
- Regular licensed clinical supervision provided onsite
On The Rise recognizes the importance and benefits of diversity in the workplace and the community. We are an AA/EOE, and we strongly encourage people who are bilingual/bicultural, people of color, people with disabilities, members of LGBQ/T communities, trans, and non-binary people to apply.
OTR is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, contact hiring@ontherise.org.
