Community Navigator Role

Start Date: March 17, 2025 | End Date: September 13, 2025
County: Sagadahoc County
Job Type: Other
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Community Navigator

Department: Emergency Management Agency

Salary Range:  Starting $60,000 - $68,000 (commensurate with experience). This position is funded through Opioid Settlement Funds through FY2030. Sagadahoc County will annually review the position based on funding availability, program impacts, community needs, and together with guidance from the Board of Health, determine funding for the position going forward.

Job Relationship: Works with Board of Health, reports to EMA Director

Employee Type/Expected Work Hours: This is a full-time position, FSLA Exempt, 40- plus hours per week, office hours Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m.– 4:30 p.m.

Job Summary: This position connects residents in Sagadahoc County with existing resources in times of need. Vulnerable, or at-risk residents can access the Community Navigator for many reasons including addressing the following: addiction/recovery, crisis management, poverty mitigation, mental health support, health care access, home improvement assistance, risk of or actual homelessness, needs specific to elderly residents and more.

Community Navigator serves as:

• A caseworker for people in need by helping clients connect with appropriate resources and follow-up as needed to achieve the intended outcome when possible.
• An expert on resources available in the region and beyond, including funds available through general town assistance, church outreach budgets, MidCoast/Maine Health and affiliates, addiction programs, domestic abuse programs, mental health services, home repair programs through Rebuilding Together and Habitat for Humanity, and other service providers.
• Collaborator with General Assistance Administrators, clergy and church representatives, social workers, law enforcement, and school counselors in the county in order to proactively respond to the needs of community members.
• Organizer of outreach events including home energy improvement workshops, budgeting skills classes, smoking cessation programs, job search education, and elder abuse prevention training. These programs may utilize local volunteers and professionals with appropriate skill sets and knowledge.

Essential Duties:

• Refer clients to healthcare, mental health, and addiction services to address substance use disorders, depression, anxiety, and negative coping behaviors, which individuals often face in adverse life situations.
• Carefully collect data regarding clients and services to be used for the purpose of ongoing needs assessment and for agency grant writing.
• Maintain detailed records with receipts and provide monthly reports to the Finance Department.
• Assist in navigating the resource network to obtain funding for things like security deposits, first month’s rent, rental subsidy, and utility payments for housing.
• Refer and connect the person/family with appropriate additional community services to ensure short-term and long-term success.
• Develop a sustainability plan addressing the needs of County residents.

Other Duties:

This description is not an exhaustive list of duties and responsibilities associated with this position. While this is intended to reflect the current position, management reserves the right to revise these responsibilities or require other or different tasks to be performed or removed when circumstances change (i.e., emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, rush jobs, technological development, work performance, etc.).

Competencies:

1. Proficient verbal and written communication.
2. Excellent engagement record, community relationship building, teamwork, and networking skills. 
3. Adherence to strict confidentiality guidelines.
4. Ability to remain organized, prioritize tasks, multi-task, and meet strict deadlines.

Work Environment:

This is primarily a professional office environment.  This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.  The position is based on a 40-hour work week.  However, availability may be required at any time for emergencies.  Availability is also required for evening meetings and mandatory training sessions.  Work involves some time spent in the field attending various meetings, training courses, and in developing and participating in training exercises.  Fieldwork in emergency situations may be hazardous.  Field work may expose employees to a variety of hazards from floods to hazardous materials and chemicals.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the job, the employee is: Frequently required to sit, talk and hear. Occasionally required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle or operate objects, controls, reach with hands and arms. Occasionally lift and/or move 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision and ability to focus. Noise level is usually moderate.

Education and Experience/Qualifications:

1. A college degree, Maine social work license (either LSW or LCSW), or equivalent work experience, and proven history serving the public is required.
2. A Valid Maine Driver’s License.
3. Computer skills: Knowledge and experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, Zoom etc.) required.
4. Ability to pass an in-depth criminal background investigation.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by an employee occupying this position. This job description does NOT constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the organizational needs and requirements of the job change.

Sagadahoc County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We proudly provide a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. Hiring decisions are based on job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, sexual orientation, gender, family, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, or any other status protected by US law or the State of Maine. Fostering diversity and inclusion in our workforce is critical as a provider of essential services, and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.