Virtual Family Support Specialist

Hand to Hold is a national non-profit organization providing personalized support before, during and after a NICU stay to help ensure all NICU families thrive.    

As a 2022 Best Place for Working Parents® business, our dynamic, growing organization seeks a Virtual Family Support Specialist to join our team to support NICU families virtually in either one-on-one or in group settings, all with a goal to reduce the negative impact of a NICU stay and ensure the best outcome for the entire family.  

Here at Hand to Hold, you’re not just another employee, you’re an essential part of a driven, vision-inspired and mission-led team. 

If you are a great communicator, self motivated, a self-described people person, want to do work with meaning and purpose and like to move quickly – we want you to apply for this position!

Reporting to the Program Manager under the general direction of the Program Director, the Virtual Family Support Specialist must demonstrate an empathetic personality combined with a dynamic professional attitude to convey Hand to Hold’s mission and values. This position provides peer psycho-social support and education for NICU families.  The role requires leaning on one’s own personal experience and specific peer support training. Training to become a certified Mental Health Peer Specialist and with others on the Hand to Hold programs team will be offered to prepare for this peer support role. 

A high degree of competence or expertise in using technology is necessary as communication with families is performed virtually through various platforms.  This is a multi-faceted role that requires a person who is energetic, proactive and motivated, produces consistently high quality work, turns tasks around quickly and communicates effectively. This position plays a role in a variety of Hand to Hold programs in order to extend services to the maximum number of NICU families possible.

Personal experience with Hand to Hold’s mission, and being bilingual in English and Spanish, are required.  

Essential Functions:

Virtual Support Group Facilitation in English and Spanish

Facilitate virtual support groups using Hand to Hold’s custom support group curriculum through Zoom or other similar platforms.
Plan and prepare for each virtual support group.
Provide support and encouragement to families during groups.
Track and report program data within program timelines to collect demographic information, and measure impact, satisfaction and overall effectiveness of the groups.

Peer Mentor Program Coordination in Spanish

Perform peer mentor recruitment, training and deployment in Spanish. 
Screen and train peer mentor volunteers to guarantee background standards are met to ensure they are qualified to provide specific services for appropriate placement. 
Coordinate matching process, monitor and mediate matches, and provide mentee and mentor support as appropriate. 
Maintain participant and database information including contact and demographic data, background checks, confidentiality agreements and training updates.
Track and report program data within program timelines to collect demographic information, and measure impact, satisfaction and overall effectiveness of the  program.

Facebook Group Moderation in Spanish

Moderate Hand to Hold’s Facebook Latino private group and grow its presence.
Provide support and encouragement to Spanish-speaking NICU families subscribed to the Facebook Latino group. 
Research relevant content to post and engage Spanish-speaking NICU families.
Take direction from, or collaborate with, the marketing team to post current information, and have seamless, unified branding across the organization’s communication and social channels.

App Moderation in English and Spanish

Provide support and encouragement to families during their NICU journey through Hand to Hold’s Mobile App.
Moderate specific discussion threads designed with the emotional, physical and social needs of the entire NICU family and/or engage in one-on-one chats with participants.
Take direction from, or collaborate with, the marketing team to have seamless, unified branding across the organization’s communication and social channels.

General

Communicate with families during regular business hours, as well as evenings or weekend hours, depending on the work schedule set.
Contribute to Hand to Hold’s educational content, training, manuals, curricula, and other writing projects as needed.
Participate, facilitate and/or assist at Hand to Hold events.
Submit weekly and monthly reports – timesheets, expense reports – in a timely fashion.
Perform other duties as may be assigned by the Program Manager and/or Program Director. 

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional work experience.
Personal experience with a child or loved one in the NICU.  
Bilingual in English and Spanish.
Certification in peer support or willingness to complete certification within the first 90 days.
Awareness of mental health challenges NICU parents face and willingness to complete appropriate training in this area, as well as ongoing education on racial and ethnic disparities, trauma informed care and other relevant instruction, both online and in person.
Ability to provide culturally competent support and education in English and Spanish.
Work or internship experience working with children and families, including those with disabilities, in health care, early childhood intervention, or maternal health care programs. 
Ability to work both independently and on teams. 
Ability to think proactively, address problems creatively, and take initiative appropriately. 
Ability to maintain confidentiality and professionalism as an ambassador for the organization.
Demonstrated excellence in organizational, written, and verbal communication skills.
Willingness to learn and abide by best practices in peer support. 
Willingness to learn and apply best practices in health literacy and medical education.