Work & Family Life Specialist - Patuxent River, United States - Commander, Navy Installations

Description

Summary

Duties

Incumbent serves as a non-clinical consultant on a wide variety of work and family life issues and concerns. He/she interviews and assesses clients' needs and concerns as they relate to areas such as relocation, deployment, career resource development, and personal financial issues. Evaluates and interprets data received from interviews. Identifies and clarifies issues/concerns and determines appropriate referrals either within FFSC and/or the civilian/military communities. Assists clients in prioritizing issues and developing plans and goals that are tailored to specific needs and concerns. Provides advice, guidance and additional referral options to clients.

Establishes, develops, implements, monitors and coordinates work and family life services and activities, to include information and referral (I&R) services. Establishes objectives, procedures and plans that meet both long- and short-range goals. Using interview data and changing demographics, conducts needs assessments to address programmatic changes. Identifies and analyzes local and national trends and issues, and ensures local services are adjusted to accommodate trends/issues identified. Creates and implements procedures to monitor, track, and document service effectiveness and success. Works with first line supervisor to develop referral policies and procedures between the FFSC, the base, military and civilian agencies, and prepares memoranda of understanding to formalize agreements and roles. Maintains close liaison with on and off base agencies, establishments, organization, advisory councils, and special emphasis groups. Gathers data, compiles statistics, and reports information to the Supervisor for use at installation, regional and DoD levels.

Incumbent will be required to serve in one or more of the following specialty areas: (may include but is not limited to):

Career Resource Development: Assist clients with career, occupational, volunteer and educational issues by delivering services, individually and in groups, to equip clients with career/job search skills. Uses appropriate career inventories and aptitude tests to help clients identify goals. Develops a plan that recognizes the individual's personal and vocational needs and assists the client in outlining milestones to achieve those goals.

Relocation Services: Assists clients, individually and in group, with relocation issues including the new area's cost of living, schools, housing, childcare, sponsorship, exceptional family members, and personal problems such as relocation stress, cultural adaptation, and disruption of social and family ties. Identifies and addresses the individual adjustment needs providing counseling referrals when appropriate. Develops newcomer orientation providing extensive information on installations and civilian community resources and services.

Deployment Support: Offers individual and group sessions as needed.

Personal Financial Management: Assists clients with personal financial readiness, money management, debt liquidation, and consumer affairs through a range of services to include workshops. Refers as necessary to Legal, Navy-Marine Corp Relief Society and other helping agencies. Coordinates the Command Financial Specialist (CFS) program and serves as consultant to CFSs. Develops or participates in developing course curricula, prepares accompanying resource materials and provides training on a variety of financial topics such as the military pay system; financial resources; banking and credit; budget development; financial record keeping; financial responsibilities of the total military family; credit; debt liquidation; consumer rights and obligations under Federal and State consumer protection laws; local consumer information; car buying; insurance; savings and investments, etc. Conducts training that addresses financial planning for family separation, short notice deployments, permanent change of station, and transition from the military.

Command Representative and Marketing: Completes required cross-training and meets criteria to be knowledgeable about all FFSC programs. Conducts unit needs assessments, compiles and analyzes data, provides feedback to chain of command, and coordinates services based on needs. Consults with and/or briefs leadership to keep them informed of trends and issues.

Develops, coordinates, conducts and evaluates workshops and seminars for clients within specific areas of responsibility ., Career Development, Deployment, Personal Financial Management, Relocation, etc. Develops local networks with military and community agencies to enhance program delivery. Works independently or with other FFSC staff to develop course curricula and prepare accompanying resource materials. Organizes and implements initiatives such as job fairs and executive career study groups that invite prospective employers to the installation.