Family Support Associate

About Room to Grow

Room to Grow is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the vision that one day all parents will have the resources they need to unlock their families’ potential and become champions for babies and their community. Its mission is to offer structured parent support, material goods, and community connections to support parents as they activate their natural strengths and expand their knowledge, so children thrive from the start. Room to Grow was founded in New York in 1998 and expanded to Boston in 2005, currently partnering with over 1,500 families with an annual budget of $8.5M and a team of 50+ passionate and dedicated staff members. 

Room to Grow uses a two-generation, preventative, and strengths-based approach to engage families. Through its unique program, parents and caregivers partner with program staff to develop strategies to support their child's development, select the material items that their child needs, and connect with community resources that can expand their support network. Room to Grow program staff work alongside parents and caregivers as they build upon their existing skill sets and parenting styles and promote the well-being of their children and family. 

As an entrepreneurial and growth-oriented organization, Room to Grow is in an exciting period of development as it continues to expand its reach and impact in Boston, New York and Chicago. 

Position Summary

The 2nd Hour Family Support Associate position at Room to Grow helps guide families through the second hour of their two-hour visit at our Family Center. The “second hour” is intended to help families select material goods from the baby boutique that are age and developmentally appropriate for their child. Families select from a variety of baby items including clothing, toys, books, blankets, etc. to take home after their visit. The 2nd Hour Family Support Associate also works alongside other teams such as Inventory Operations to manage the Baby Boutique (where all of the baby items are housed). This position reports to the Coordinator, 2nd Hour Family Support. The ideal candidate for this role is resourceful, energetic, organized, and comfortable interacting with children and adults and must be highly professional and passionate about Room to Grow’s mission. This is an in-person full-time position based in Boston and requires fluency in Spanish and English.

Position Responsibilities

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Prepare “bundles” for Room to Grow families as is relevant for their in-person or virtual visits
  • Select baby & toddler items that are developmentally appropriate for that family’s visit based on Room to Grow’s visit-specific distribution guides for bundles, as well as documented family preferences in Salesforce records
  • Pack items thoughtfully to ensure that the items are well-organized and secure either for families to bring home from the Family Center, or for shipment.
    
  • Communicate with 1st Hour practitioners related to bundle status and logistics
  • Update documentation related to bundles
• Help guide parents in the Baby Boutique to ensure they can find what they are looking for
  • Guide parents in their selection of books, toys, clothing, equipment that are best suited for their child while enthusiastically supporting parents’ choices and decision making
  • Answer parents’ questions as they go through the boutique while noticing and affirming parents’ demonstrated knowledge and strengths
• Stage and maintain a well-organized and well-cared for Baby Boutique that communicates warmth, dignity, and comfort  
  • Maintain constant communications with Site Operations team members to ensure the inventory needs of our families are met in our Family Centers
  • Restock inventory, including ordering from the main site/warehouse as needed
  • Organize inventory daily and maintain organization of the overstock/volunteer space and site readiness
  • Assemble baby items for shipment after families engage in a virtual visit
  • Maintain a safe environment for children that is conducive to brief parent-child interactions such as exploring new books and introducing toys
• Collaborate closely with Room to Grow clinicians to ensure coordinated support of families 
• Ensure data completion forms are updated and uploaded to Salesforce for every family visit
• Additional responsibilities and projects may include: 
  • Participate in volunteer sessions and build relationships with volunteers to encourage further engagement with Room to Grow
  • Make suggestions for regional community engagement activities and play an active role in planning and implementing such activities 
  • Support central Family Support in answering and directing incoming phone calls 
  • Support regional  projects, including special events, and social media collaborations

Qualifications and Experience

• A passion for the mission, vision, and core values of Room to Grow
• Energetic and hospitable with strong customer service skills 
• Organized with high attention to detail 
• Strong communication skills and comfortable with external engagement
• High level of professionalism, integrity, accountability, and judgment
• Highly resourceful, adaptable/agile, and ability to multitask 
• Must be a team player and also be able to work individually and take initiative
• Interested in exploring child development topics and engaging with baby items
• Adept at using technology and documenting information in an electronic system 
• Experience working directly with young children and families strongly preferred 
• Able to lift 40 pounds
  
• Required: Fluency in Spanish and English
• This role is primarily in-person in Boston, MA 

Core Competencies

Mission and Culture Alignment - Allows a candidate to thrive at Room to Grow and to be highly motivated by the organization’s work and mission. A successful candidate:

• Embodies RtG core values, including integrity, respect, growth, collaboration, community and inclusion
• Articulates an authentic passion for and unwavering belief in RtG’s mission, demonstrating a commitment to and literacy around the issues of equity that undergird the work 
• Navigates ambiguity and pivots with ease; presents as collaborative and flexible with a strong service mentality and ability to navigate a local/national structure
• Models transparency and encourages open dialogue and inclusivity
• Demonstrates a growth mindset; approaches work with a learning orientation, continuously seeking to improve his or her own work and the work of the organization
• Possesses a deep appreciation for diversity, equity and inclusion and seeks to bring people together along lines of difference; is able to model this value in Room to Grow’s internal work by treating our diverse population of families with sensitivity, respect, compassion, and dignity, as well as demonstrating this value with an external presence

Community Building - Enables a candidate to build strong rapport with a broad range of stakeholders, particularly family participants and community partners. A successful candidate:

• Nurtures and maintains existing relationships with Room to Grow’s community partners
• Is well-versed in the work of Room to Grow and motivated to advocate for RtG as we grow and expand, on and off-site

• Thinks proactively about ways in which RtG can engage with the community and reach more potential program participants 
• Practices cultural sensitivity in all interactions with Room to Grow community members to help foster a safe and inclusive environment

Relationship Building - Enables a candidate to build deep relationships with a broad range of stakeholders, including Room to Grow community members. A successful candidate: 

• Is well-versed in the work of Room to Grow and motivated to advocate for RtG as we grow and expand, on and off-site
• Is a skilled communicator who can deliver reliable and relevant information to stakeholders with diverse backgrounds 
• Understands and appreciates the importance and complexity of relationships and builds rapport with a wide range of people 

• Possesses strong customer service skills and the ability to anticipate and respond to questions or needs in a timely and courteous way

Resourcefulness - Enables a candidate to respond to difficult and complex situations quickly, responsibly, and respectfully with all constituents involved. A successful candidate:

• Embodies professionalism, comfortably and respectfully communicating and resolving minor issues with team members, program participants, and external stakeholders alike
• Reacts calmly and swiftly to unexpected challenges, adapting to unforeseen circumstances and quickly resolving issues
• Possesses strong time management skills and the ability to prioritize tasks and re-prioritize as necessary when unexpected situations arise

• Takes initiative by asking for further guidance or clarification as needed in order to execute work effectively. Can work independently, or with a team; is not dependant on any one individual, including those in a leadership position

Operational Focus - Enables a candidate to efficiently and effectively fulfill their responsibilities while maintaining Room to Grow’s high level of professionalism and integrity to the program. A successful candidate:

• Approaches work with a high degree of detail orientation and accuracy, ensuring that all deadlines are met and that the smallest task is not forgotten

• Maintains organization skills necessary to support all stakeholders and to implement operational processes 

• Possesses customer service skills, the ability to anticipate organizational or stakeholder needs and respond to them in a timely and courteous way

Compensation and Benefits

Room to Grow offers a collaborative work environment, competitive compensation, and a comprehensive benefits package including:

• 8+ weeks of paid time off per year
• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance, Health FSA, Dependent Care FSA
• 403(b) retirement savings with matching program
• Quarterly wellness reimbursement up to $150 per quarter
• So much more 

Salary and benefits will be competitive for our field and commensurate with experience. Room to Grow is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds.

Reasonable Accommodations

We are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. We encourage you to share any required accommodations with elise.spector@roomtogrow.org, who will treat your requests as confidentially as possible.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We view differences between individuals (e.g., race, gender, age, cultural heritage, physical ability, education, beliefs, and lifestyle) as an asset. We celebrate what makes us unique and strive to create an inclusive environment for all. We are focused on fostering a culture of empowerment in an effort to better understand and serve the multifaceted cultures and identities of all of those within the Room to Grow community. At Room to Grow, our DEI efforts focus on uplifting the experiences and perspectives of underrepresented groups and doing the work that draws out the best in all of us.

To Apply

Submit your application via Room to Grow’s career portal.