Program Specialist-Vulnerable Population (Term-Limited Employment)

Salary range is $25/hour to $69.23/hour with a midpoint of $47.12/hour. New hires typically receive between minimum and midpoint, however, we may go slightly higher based on experience, internal equity and market.

Sound Transit also offers a competitive benefits package with a wide range of offerings, including:

• Health Benefits: We offer two choices of medical plans, a dental plan, and a vision plan all at no cost for employee coverage; comprehensive benefits for employees and eligible dependents, including a spouse or domestic partner.
• Long-Term Disability and Life Insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Retirement Plans: 401a - 10% of employee contribution with a 12% match by Sound Transit; 457b - up to IRS maximum (employee only contribution).
• Paid Time Off: Employees accrue 25 days of paid time off annually with increases at four, eight and twelve years of service. Employees at the director level and up accrue additional days. We also observe 12 paid holidays and provide up to 2 paid floating holidays and up to 2 paid volunteer days per year.
• Parental Leave: 12 weeks of parental leave for new parents.
• Pet Insurance.
• ORCA Card: All full-time employees will receive an ORCA card at no cost.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Sound Transit will pay up to $5,000 annually for approved tuition expenses.
• Inclusive Reproductive Health Support Services.
• Compensation Practices: We offer competitive salaries based on market rates and internal equity. In addition to compensation and benefits, you'll find that we provide work-life balance, opportunities for professional development and recognition from your colleagues.

This is a Term-Limited position with an anticipated duration of 60 months.

GENERAL PURPOSE:

The purpose of Sound Transit's Security & Fare Engagement Division is to provide a welcoming, safe, and clean experience for Sound Transit passengers. This includes ensuring that field personnel engage all riders with professionalism, compassion, and support; ensuring timely and effective response to issues impacting the passenger experience; and connecting vulnerable or marginalized passengers to services.

The Programs Specialist will identify and support engagement with local service providers who are well-positioned to improve Sound Transit's response and support of vulnerable populations. This may include partnerships that (non-exhaustive):

• Equip agency personnel to provide compassionate and informed basic care to vulnerable passengers (e.g., those experiencing homelessness and/or seeking shelter on transit vehicles or stations) and to tap local options for responding to passengers experiencing behavioral and/or mental health crises on transit.
• Expand Sound Transit's capability to connect vulnerable passengers with local and regional community support services, including through homelessness outreach and crisis response functions.

The Programs Specialist will report to the Program Manager-Passenger Success and is expected to be prepared to support social issues including homelessness, financial inequity, behavioral and mental health, drug use, encampments, and more. While expertise or experience on each topic is not necessarily expected, adaptability and creativity are. In collaboration with the Program Manager-Passenger Success, the Partnerships Specialist is expected to be able to navigate complex social services issues and environments and develop informed recommendations for Sound Transit to implement.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

The following duties are a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

• Identify key informational, educational, operational, and procedural opportunities for Security & Fare Engagement personnel (frontline and dispatch) to improve their ability to provide compassionate and informed basic care and referrals to vulnerable passengers.
• Conduct regular assessments of the social services sector (public and private) in Sound Transit's three-county service area, identify and prioritize potential partners in collaboration with the Program Manager-Passenger Success, create engagement plans, support engagement and partnership/program development, and support management of ongoing partner relationships and contracts. Indicative partnership types may include:
  
  
  
  • Educational documentation of homelessness outreach
  • Crisis response
  • Severe weather response
  • Encampment resolutions
  • Drug treatment and response
  • General social service referrals
  
  
  
  
• Collaborate with staff across Sound Transit teams in the planning and implementation of partnerships.
• Create and manage informational resources for field personnel (e.g., area-specific social services).
• Research best practices on social-service related topics including homelessness, drug use, behavioral and mental health, crises intervention, financial disparities, disability accessibility, and racial injustice.
• Champions and models Sound Transit's core values and demonstrates values-based behaviors in everyday interactions across the agency.
• Contributes to a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion in alignment with Sound Transit's Equity & Inclusion Policy.
• It is the responsibility of all employees to follow the Agency safety rules, regulations, and procedures pertaining to their assigned duties and responsibilities, which could include systems, operations, and/or other employees.
• It is the responsibility of all employees to integrate sustainability into everyday business practices.
• Other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and Experience: Bachelors degree in Humanities, Sociology or related field. Three years of experience in a non-profit, public sector, or research environment, social services, community engagement, and/or government affairs; Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Required Knowledge and Skills:

• Local and national issues and trends related to homelessness, mental health crisis response programs, substance use disorder treatment, and supportive housing services.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with other agency staff, management, vendors, outside agencies, community groups, and the general public.
• Public speaking and in developing and delivering presentations and presenting ideas and concepts orally and in writing.
• Techniques to work effectively under pressure, meet deadlines, and adjust to changing priorities.
• Modern office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and statistical databases.

Preferred Knowledge and Skills:

• Experience or knowledge of the public and private social services sector (stakeholders, trends, and issues) in the Central Puget Sound region.

Physical Demands / Work Environment:

• Work is performed in a hybrid field, transit and office environment.
• This position is responsible for transitioning materials, carrying boxes; may be subject to bending, eye/hand coordination, and carrying up to 50 pounds.
• The Agency promotes a safe and healthy work environment and provides appropriate safety and equipment training for all personnel as required.

Sound Transit is an equal employment opportunity employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from employment action based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status or other protected class.