Program Associate
Boston | Full-time
About Compass
Compass is an innovative, mission-driven organization that supports families with low incomes to save for their future and access greater economic opportunity. We believe in our clients and in their ability to achieve their goals and dreams. We operate high-quality financial coaching and savings programs and pursue opportunities to shape the national approach to poverty through practice and policy change. Compass is also an emerging leader in a national effort to leverage housing assistance as a platform for economic mobility. We are looking for people who want to be part of taking our programs and our impact to the next level.
Our mission is to partner with families with low incomes to build assets as a pathway out of poverty. We focus on reaching families led by Black and/or Latinx women.
To achieve our mission, we operate client-centered savings and financial coaching programs, deliver training and technical assistance to other practitioners, and shape policy solutions that dismantle barriers to asset building.
For more information, please visit our website, www.compassworkingcapital.org, or click here to learn more about our strategic plan.
About The Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program
Congress created the FSS program in 1990 as an employment and savings program for families in federally subsidized housing. The program combines a powerful savings incentive with service delivery to support residents in reaching their goals. It is the nation’s largest asset-building program for families with low incomes.
Since 2010, Compass has partnered with public housing agencies and other affordable housing providers to operate an asset-building model for the FSS program — the first nonprofit organization in the country to do so.
About the Job
We are looking for mission-driven, results-oriented, and collaborative individuals to support the growth of our programs. Program Associates provide administrative and operational support to our Programs department. The Program Associate will play a key role in ensuring smooth and efficient operations within the organization and will support the delivery of high-quality services to Compass clients. This role reports to a Program Manager.
All Compass staff embody the following core competencies:
Ownership: Steps up and follows through to consistently deliver high-quality work.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Champions the value of diversity and the creation of inclusive spaces.
Growth Mindset: Embraces challenges and setbacks as the fuel for learning and development.
Teamwork: Contributes actively and collaboratively with colleagues to achieve shared goals.
Primary Responsibilities
- Support the Program Manager with a variety of administrative tasks, including client communication, data entry, monitoring of program compliance specifically for our partnerships with Boston Housing Authority (BHA) and Cambridge Housing Authority (CHA).
- Support the implementation of efficient processes and procedures to maintain strong program operations and ensure compliance.
- Maintain basic knowledge about the elements of the organization’s core Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) and financial coaching programs.
- Record client information and progress data precisely, accurately, and on time, with a rigorous dedication to confidentiality and data security protocols.
- Assist Program Managers and Programs department with special projects, as needed, and lead the completion of key administrative tasks across programs.
Qualifications and Skills
Required
- Commitment to Compass’ mission and passion for working with families with low incomes.
- Cultural humility: openness to and respect for others’ cultures, identities, and lived experiences
- Highly organized, precise, attentive to detail, and reliable.
- Comfort working with high-volume programs and sets of data.
- Ability to navigate and trouble-shoot unexpected changes.
- A willingness to pitch in on any and all tasks required to support effective program operations.
- Professionalism in the workplace, particularly around client confidentiality.
- The ability to learn quickly and adapt in a fast-paced environment and prioritize and manage multiple tasks.
- At least 1 year of professional office experience.
Preferred
- Previous experience as a client in a Compass program.
- Technical proficiency in Gmail, Microsoft Office, Zoom, and/or Salesforce.
- Fluency in Spanish is a plus.
This job description is not intended to provide a comprehensive listing of all duties or responsibilities. Job duties and responsibilities may change at any time based on the needs of the organization.
Benefits
The salary range for this role is $47,170-$56,445, commensurate with experience. We’ll promote your professional growth and development by providing access to a competitive salary and benefits package and additional employee benefits that include but are not limited to:
Healthcare: medical, dental, vision: Compass covers up to 80% of employee premiums and 80% for dependents. There is no waiting period to enroll in health insurance.
Retirement plan 401(k) & 3% match
Parental Leave: Employees who have been employed for at least three (3) months are eligible to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave. *Employee must be with the organization for six (6) months to receive up to six (6) weeks of full pay from the organization.
Life insurance & disability Insurance
Paid time off: Employees receive up to 21 vacation days, 10 sick days, 3 personal days, and 8 holidays per calendar year, plus the final week of the calendar year off as an organizational wide holiday. All employees enjoy a two-hour early closure starting the Friday after Memorial Day through the week of Labor Day.
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
Professional development & certification
Pre-tax commuter benefits
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Office closed the final week of calendar year
Equipment: $200 one-time stipend for work from home expenses
Internet Reimbursement: Up to $40 per month for personal internet expenses.
Additional Information
This is a primarily remote position based in Boston with some travel to mandatory in-person meetings, staff gatherings and as needed to fulfill job responsibilities.
Equal Opportunity Statement
Compass Working Capital is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider applications for all positions, without regard to age, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
Compass Working Capital is committed to ensuring individuals with disabilities receive the accommodations required for them to interview for a position on our team. Should you require accommodations, please contact hr@compassworkingcapital.org.
As a contractor of Boston Housing Authority, Compass also provides hiring preference to Section 3 residents. Section 3 Residency is defined as being an authorized resident of Boston Housing Authority or a “low-income resident” of the Boston Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Suffolk, Norfolk, Middlesex, Essex, Plymouth, Strafford (NH), and Rockingham (NH) Counties.
As a contractor of Philadelphia Housing Authority, Compass also provides hiring preference to Section 3 residents. Section 3 Residency is defined as being an authorized resident of Philadelphia Housing Authority or a “low-income resident” of the area where the HUD-assisted project is located.
For the purposes of Section 3, "low-income" is defined as 80% of the Area Median Income. To learn more information about Section 3 income eligibility, please refer to the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Website.
