Staffing

Economic Resource Navigator Scope of Work

Below is language you can use or adapt to hire new staff or assign new scope to existing staff to cover Economic Resource Navigation responsibilities. Providers may staff this function as a dedicated Economic Resource Navigator (ERN) role or distribute responsibilities across roles; however, the functions below must be covered.

Key Activities

Economic Resource Navigators primarily focus on screening families for public benefits, completing enrollments, conducting advocacy, and connecting families to other concrete resources. This scope of responsibilities is designed to flexibly complement different organizational structures, expertise, and ways of operating. Specific tasks may differ between providers, reflecting community-based organizations' ability to determine what work is necessary to meet client needs.

Key Responsibilities

Key responsibilities could include and are not limited to:

Intake, Application, and Full-Cycle Support

  • Respond to the economic priority areas of families and young people referred from case planners. 

  • Conduct comprehensive benefits assessments across the full list of ECRS needs: food, clothing, public benefits (SNAP, Medicaid, SSI/SSD, etc.), housing, utilities, transportation, documents (birth certificate, social security card, etc.), health insurance, understanding taxes, education, employment, finances, other life needs, legal support. The ECRS Needs Screening Checklist offers more detail on what to focus on within each category. Assessments should be conducted at a pace set by the family or young person’s comfort and willingness. They should probe into the degree and recurrence of need, what the young person or family has already tried or applied for, and obstacles they encountered.

  • Provide support across the entire application cycle: eligibility assessment, pre-application, application, application submission, application troubleshooting, application maintenance/recertification, and post-application support.

  • Support timely processing of applications and payments.

  • Manage documentation wrangling, including getting IDs, uploading documents, and providing translation support for clients.

Expertise and Advocacy

  • Develop expertise and assist families with available programs to support the full list of ECRS needs, with particular knowledge and ability to navigate public benefits including SNAP, cash assistance, HEAP, housing assistance, health insurance, WIC, social security benefits, unemployment, IDNYC, and Fair Fares.

  • Provide advocacy and follow-up assistance.

  • Accompany families to benefits offices as needed to provide advocacy.

  • Advocate for clients in administrative hearings.

Collaboration, Documentation, and Outreach

  • Coordinate services and warm hand-off with social service, housing, employment, medical, and educational providers.

  • Maintain accurate documentation of client interactions and progress toward resource goals.

  • Track family outcomes and application processes.

  • Provide biweekly updates by phone and/or email to referring ACS case planners for the duration of the ACS case.

  • Collaborate with case planners to support family needs, as needed.

  • Prepare monthly program reports and statistics.

Required Qualifications & Skills

Qualifications

  • At least one year of relevant experience in a social service environment is preferred

  • Enrollment in a social work or human services program desired

  • Knowledge of public assistance programs and familiarity with enrollment processes required

Skills

  • Language fluency for common populations served by the organization required/strongly preferred

  • Strong communication and organizational skills

  • Strong writing skills

  • Ability to work independently, manage time, and achieve strong results while handling multiple priorities

  • Ability to build and maintain collaborative, daily interactions with co-workers, supervisors, and school staff

  • Effective communication with external organizations

  • Ability to handle the emotional labor that is a big part of the work

  • Strong sensitivity to cultural humility among staff and clients

  • Strong belief in people's ability to grow and change

  • Ability to support individuals in meeting their own goals rather than intervening or correcting their behaviors