Financial Empowerment Specialist - Economic Empowerment Program

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW
Founded in 1980, Urban Resource Institute (URI) is the nation’s largest provider of domestic violence shelter and support services and a leading provider of housing and services for families experiencing homelessness. Across 24 shelters in New York City, URI provides safe housing for nearly 4,000 individuals and their pets every night and serves more than 40,000 people annually. URI’s work is grounded in survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive care. In addition to emergency and transitional housing, URI delivers a robust continuum of Justice Initiatives—including economic empowerment, legal education and advocacy, prevention and youth programming, and abusive partner intervention—designed to break cycles of violence, instability, and poverty. URI also develops permanent affordable and supportive housing, advancing long-term pathways to safety, healing, and stability for families and communities.

POSITION OVERVIEW
The Financial Empowerment Specialist of the Economic Empowerment Program (EEP) will serve as the member of the team for the Urban Resource Institute’s (URI) economic justice work. EEP is situated in the Justice Initiatives department, which are a collection of programmatic services that empower individuals, families, and communities, particularly communities of color and other disenfranchised populations, on addressing barriers to safety and promoting resiliency.
The Financial Empowerment Specialist will participate as a member of a team of educational, employment-readiness and job placement specialists to deliver its Economic Empowerment Program’s financial education curriculum and to support participants in obtaining financial safety and stability. The Economic Empowerment team utilizes a trauma-informed and strengths-based lens to provide both individual and group support to participants while also identifying and building relationships with appropriate community partners.

Salary: $58,000 - $60,000

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Assist in the development and implementation of strengths-based financial safety assessments and service plans with individual participants based on their interests, skills
and goals to support them in developing a pathway to financial security
• Plan and facilitate trauma-informed trainings on financial abuse including topics such as financial safety, budgeting, credit, and debt workshops.
• Provides individual supportive trauma-informed financial coaching related to budgeting and saving skills, credit score improvement, resolving issues with credit and debt, and more.
• Work with participants to create financial safety plans when needed.
• Meet with participants on a regular basis and provide follow up support throughout their
time in the program.
• Collaborate with Career Specialists to plan training and programming.
• Participate actively in case conferences with team members, as needed, to further individual’s progress toward employment goals.
• Provide internal and external referrals as needed.
• Participate in regularly scheduled staff meetings and training seminars conducted to enhance and develop one’s skills.
• Support participants in ensuring they receive public benefits, as needed.
• Enter progress notes on a timely basis and assist with data for Program reports.
• Attend coalitions, taskforces, working groups and committees focused on relevant economic justice and employment –related issues as directed.
• Manage an Economic Empowerment internship initiative.
• Oversee internship placements and review, track, and process participant timesheets to ensure accurate and timely compensation.
• Cultivate and maintain strong, collaborative partnerships with internal teams and external organizations to expand internship placement and retention opportunities.
• Coordinate with partners to address barriers, ensure clear communication, and provide ongoing support to participant interns and employment supervisors to strengthen
successful placement and retention outcomes.
• Provide information, support, resources, and submit applications for crime victim compensation.
• Meet weekly with Director for supervision and perform other duties assigned by the Director to support the department and organization needs.

SPECIFICATIONS FOR EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS/LICENSES
• Bachelor’s degree in Counseling, Psychology, Social Work or a related human services field.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
• 1-2 years’ experience working with survivors of domestic violence in an economic empowerment or financial coaching capacity.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) required.
• Knowledge and understanding of the intersection of domestic violence and economic abuse.
• Have str