Job Description

Position Title: Family Case Manager

Employment Status: .5-1 FTE (20-40 hours/week) non-exempt, benefited, occasional evenings and weekends

Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision coverage, EAP, 401k, 13 paid holidays, paid vacation, paid sick leave, professional development opportunities, flexible schedule with opportunity for occasional remote work.

Reports to: Mediation Program Manager

Starting Wage Range: $21 - $22 per hour

To apply: Email cover letter, resume or experience summary, and 3 references to Jaina Gemin, Search Coordinator at jaina@whatcomdrc.org, with the subject header “FCM Application - Applicant Name”. Open until filled, with applications reviewed on a rolling basis.

Who we are: The WDRC is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit, operating in the ancestral lands of the Coast Salish Peoples. With a vision for Whatcom County to be a community in which people approach conflict in creative and healthy ways, and a mission of providing and promoting constructive and collaborative approaches to conflict, we integrate the values of kindness, impartiality, empowerment, collaboration, communication, equity, diversity, sustainability, and integrity across our organization.

Working Conditions: The WDRC continually strives to provide a supportive, healthy, and productive work environment. Every staff member plays an active role in contributing positively to our organizational culture. Staff serve the public through a variety of programming in public and private spaces. Given the nature of the WDRC’s mission and services, the possibility of exposure to escalated emotion and offensive language from the public exists. The WDRC expects staff to respond to these instances with diplomacy, tact, and compassion.

Position Description: The Family Case Manager is a crucial role responsible for guiding families through the mediation process, acting as the primary point of contact from initial intake through case closure. Key responsibilities include managing client intake calls, scheduling and preparing for mediation sessions (both in-person and online), and providing administrative and emotional support to both clients and mediators. The Family Case Manager serves as an ambassador of the WDRC’s values and interacts regularly with clients, mediators, and fellow staff. This position requires a unique blend of empathy, emotional intelligence, and strong organizational skills. An ideal candidate will be an experienced mediator, highly skilled in listening deeply and compassionately, be highly proficient in multitasking; and will share a strong belief in the mission of the WDRC.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Case Management Duties

• Conduct client intake process, screening for service eligibility, readiness, and risk management
• Schedule, confirm, remind, and reschedule mediations, managing both mediator and client needs
• Anticipate needs and prepare volunteers, conciliators, mediators and clients for success.
• Provide coaching services, phone conciliation services and, where agreed upon by both parties, convene mediation sessions to assist clients in reaching resolution
• In coordination with the Program Manager and Program Coordinator, ensure alignment with mediation-related details of court orders and safety-planning.
• Provide telephonic and in-person support to clients, spontaneous and by appointment
• Provide support to clients in distress, assisting them to manage heightened emotion while maintaining professional boundaries.
• Connect families with external resources as needed
• Prepare onsite or virtual mediation rooms and ensure all pre/post mediation paperwork is completed
• Provide support to mediators before, during, and after sessions
• Ensure fees for services are collected
• Open and close mediation cases, recording and filing all data and paperwork according to procedures.
• Mediate Family cases as needed
• Assist mediation team with intake and case management for other case types as needed

Other responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Foster positive working relationships with mediators and practicum students
• Actively participate in collaborative program development needs, from admin to outreach.
• Participate actively in staff and team meetings and work collaboratively with other staff to advance WDRC mission
• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, including with people experiencing heightened emotions and/or mental health challenges
• High level of professionalism, warmth, and compassion when connecting with people in distress
• Ability to communicate in a trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, and non-judgmental way
• Strong listening skills and ability to process and synthesize large amounts of information often from emotionally escalated people
• Ability to hold professional boundaries and objectivity while remaining empathetic to clients' needs
• Capacity to healthily navigate & process emotionally-charged conversations & topics (e.g domestic abuse)
• Flexible and patient mindset and adaptability to frequently changing priorities
• Ability to work in a collaborative environment and also successfully work independently
• Strong organizational and time management skills and ability to adhere to deadlines
• High proficiency with various software and platforms, including Google Workspace, DocuSign, Zoom, and ability to quickly learn new software or systems
• Experience and/or education in a related field

Preferred Experience and/or Training

• Previous case management experience
• Familiarity with and belief in mediation and alternative dispute resolution
• Familiarity and/or experience with local Family court system, rules, and statutes
• Experience working with families in conflict
• Basic Mediation Training (40hr) and Family Mediation Training (24hr) course completion
• Advanced training in Family Mediation and/or Parent-teen Mediation
• BA, or combination of AA and professional experience, or Paralegal degree/certification
• Multilingual or multicultural

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