Resident Assistant, Marillac

This part-time position will be working a set schedule of 24 hours, weekends included: 4pm - 12am.

About Our Organization:

St. Catherine’s Center for Children is a leading non-profit organization in New York’s Greater Capital District. Our comprehensive range of human services reach more than 1,000 children, 600 families, and hundreds of adults across Upstate New York each year. Our multi-faceted programs are designed to offer hope, foster growth, and improve the lives of the children, families, and adults we serve. We offer residential and therapeutic foster care programs for children and youth, Kinship support, homeless and community-based services for adults and families, a special education elementary school for ages 5-13, and so much more.

St. Catherine’s employs more than 300 full and part-time staff. Our spectrum of services for children, families and individuals suffering from the lasting effects of abuse and neglect, family instability, mental illness, homelessness and other ongoing traumas, continues to grow. We are committed to cultivating a culture where all employees can bring their authentic and best selves to the workplace. Our DEI-B initiatives are designed to support and build a more equitable, inclusive and diversified workplace, one which exemplifies true respect and dignity.

Our Mission:

St. Catherine's Center for Children provides a comprehensive range of human services designed to offer hope, foster growth, and improve the lives of the children, families and adults we serve.

Position Overview:

The Resident Assistant serves to ensure a safe, secure, healthy, clean, and positive environment for families as they make their transition from homelessness through after care. This position assists families in service plan implementation by obtaining and providing feedback regarding their progress toward service plan goals. Maintains respect, support, care, and a family atmosphere for residents of the facility and fellow staff members.

Duties & Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Establish and maintain professional working relationships with residents, keeping appropriate personal boundaries; establish and maintain professional working relationships with staff members, in accordance with all agency procedures, policies, and practices.
• Meet with families on a daily basis to assist them with service plan goals and offer education and instruction regarding daily living skills; act responsibly in providing information and empower residents to identify choices in their daily lives.
• Ensure a safe, secure, healthy, and clean environment by making rounds of the property, both interior and exterior, and reporting situations which need attention, and providing follow up as needed.
• Document interactions with families, using critical incident reports, intake information forms, progress note section of case files, log, etc.
• Assist with orderly transition of families from intake through discharge.
• Respect the rights of others and protect all confidential information.
• Intervene in crisis situations and assist with conflict resolution as needed by providing mediation and facilitating communication.
• Participate in professional development programming on a regular basis at request of supervisor.
• Drive clients in agency vehicles to various destinations throughout the Capital Region based on families’ needs.
• Clearly communicate concerns and suggestions to supervisor.
• Maintain CPR/First Aid Certification.
• Actively contribute to the maintenance of a “client supportive” and respectful community.
• Manage telephone and reception desk.
• Additional position-related duties and responsibilities as assigned by the supervisor/ director.

Organizational Relationships:

• Work under the direct supervision of the Residential Assistant Supervisor.
• Collaborate closely with Case Managers.
• Maintain a team oriented, collaborative approach with other RAs and other shelter staff.

Essential Functions:

• Must possess excellent communication skills.
• Must be able to respond effectively and therapeutically in crisis situations.
• Ability to drive, in order to transport clients to appointments as needed.
• Ability to function well in a high-paced and at times, stressful environment.
• Excellent organization, planning and time management skills.
• Self-motivated and engaged, with a strong attention to detail; Excellent writing aptitude.
• Demonstrated patience, flexibility and adaptability.
• Ability to exercise ethical, independent judgment and discretion.
• Ability to handle sensitive data with strict confidentiality.
• Ability to carry out written documentation as required by St. Catherine’s policies and procedures and as required by regulating agencies.
• Ability to work collaboratively and in a family-focused approach with families, welcoming them as part of the Homeless Services Community.
• Value a nurturing family as the ideal environment for a person; and have confidence in the principle that people have the capacity to grow and change at their own pace and motivation.
• Ability to communicate with a wide range of people, including those who are culturally and socio-economically diverse, as well as people with various developmental and functional levels.
• Ability to understand, communicate, represent and carry out the mission, values, philosophy and policies of St. Catherine’s Center for Children.
• Capable of conducting oneself in a manner that is becoming of an employee of St. Catherine’s Center for Children.
• Ability to organize and effectively manage, in a timely fashion, the varied tasks of the position.
• Ability and conceptualizations necessary to embrace and work effectively within a therapeutic-based program.
• The ability to establish a respectful relationship with persons served to help them gain skills and confidence, empowering them to solve their own problems.
• Ability to work effectively in a shared decision-making model as a team member, and work collaboratively with other personnel and service providers or professionals.
• The capacity to maintain a helping role and to intervene appropriately to assist in meeting service goals, while setting appropriate limits.
• This position may have full and complete access to client Protected Health Information (PHI) in order to carry out the duties and responsibilities for this position. Therefore, the ability to meet HIPAA requirements and maintain strict client confidentiality is essential.

Position Specifications:

• High School diploma (or) GED/ TASC Equivalent, required; College degree preferred.
• This position requires working evenings, weekends and holidays if needed.
• Proficiency in various computer applications: Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google Business Workspace Suite (Gmail, Google Docs, Meet, Sheets, etc.); and secure Internet practices.
• Must have a Clean and Valid New York State Driver’s License; be actively licensed for at least one year, and have reliable transportation.
• Previous experience working in a human services agency is a plus
• Formal Crisis Intervention Training (TCI) experience.
• CPR/First Aid Certification, a plus.
• Comfortable working with and relating to culturally diverse and economically disadvantaged populations.
• Ability to function well in a high-paced and at times, stressful environment.
• Must be willing and able to work in close proximity with the clients we serve.
• Ability to pass required pre-employment background checks, to include fingerprinting.

What We Offer*:

• Competitive Pay with an Excellent Benefits Package
• Health Insurance options*: Medical, Dental and Vision
• $600 Well-being Reimbursement Benefit*
• Generous Combined Leave Time and loads of PAID Holidays* (10 Paid Holidays)
• $500 Employee Referral Bonus*
• We are a 501(c) (3) agency, which is a qualifying employer for eligible staff under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program*
• Pension Plan with Aggressive Agency contribution*
• Life Insurance – Automatic Benefit at no cost to employee
• Paid Training including TCI and CPR/AED/First Aid Certification & Update courses, if role appropriate
• Tuition Reimbursement*
• Travel/ Mileage Reimbursement*
• Professional Development & Career Growth Opportunities
• Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging
• The Comfort of a Business Casual Environment.

*To qualify, certain conditions may apply

Background Checks: We run a thorough and complete pre-employment background check on all candidates being considered for a position, this includes fingerprinting. All candidates must successfully clear the pre-employment background check process, which follows NYS/DOJ requirements. We pay for all pre-employment background checks

EEO Statement: St. Catherine’s Center for Children is committed to creating a diverse environment and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, reproductive health and pregnancy, family history and genetics, disability, age, military status, veteran status, politics, or other beliefs, and any other characteristics protected by law.