Care Navigator, PAWS Program

Shanti Project (Shanti) is an innovative nonprofit organization that builds human connections to reduce isolation, enhance health and well-being, and improve quality of life for local community members. Through comprehensive, continuum-of-care programs, including in-home and onsite care navigation, emotional and practical support, and services to preserve the human-animal bond, Shanti strives to enhance the lives of those living with terminal, life-threatening, or disabling illnesses or conditions. Founded in 1974, this year marks Shanti’s milestone 50th Anniversary of supporting our community in San Francisco.

POSITION SUMMARY: The PAWS Care Navigator supports low-income seniors and people with disabling illnesses and their beloved pets. This person directly helps clients by coordinating supportive pet care services (dog-walking, pet food, veterinary care, etc) and by providing active listening. The Care Navigator will also collaborate closely with veterinary offices to help clients navigate systems of care. PAWS uses a trauma- informed care lens and a strengths-based, harm reduction approach. This position is primarily office-based, with some work in the field.

PRIMARY DUTIES:

• Build and cultivate supportive relationships with clients and their pets
• Coordinate client services such as arranging veterinary visits, emergency pet foster care, pet food and supplies, and vet transports
• Prioritize among a high volume of client communication to address time-sensitive needs and ongoing needs
• Perform client intakes to confirm client eligibility and orient clients how to access PAWS services
• Offer ongoing emotional and practical support to clients including telephone calls, emails, texts, and in person visits
• Assess clients for human support needs and provide referrals to internal and external community resources
• Participate in the volunteer-client matching process (e.g. for dog walker)
• Maintain case notes and other documentation using a Salesforce database
• Participate actively in individual supervision, team meetings, and other collaborative work
• Ensure effective communication with the team using in-person, phone, Zoom, Teams, and other methods
• Demonstrate a commitment to racial equity, inclusion, and social justice, including an awareness of how bias and structural oppression impact the communities we serve, and be committed to understanding how one's own identities can impact relationships

SECONDARY DUTIES:

• Provide coverage for PAWS services such as Ask the Vet consults, the Pet Food Bank, and other services
• Maintain a basic understanding of Pet Food Bank processes including product inventory, volunteer roles, food distribution, and on-site Saturday flow
• Build and maintain working relationships across Shanti programs, including collaborating on mutual client cases
• Maintain supportive relationships with volunteers, staff, donors and other people in the PAWS community
• Provide coverage for PAWS services such as Ask the Vet consults, the Pet Food Bank, and other services
• Participate in program and agency events such as quarterly volunteer appreciation events, PAWS stocking delivery and an annual fundraiser event
• Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATION/REQUIREMENTS:

These are the ideal skills we are seeking in a Care Navigator. We seek candidates who have as many of the following skills as possible. We encourage you to apply even if you do not meet them all.

• Preferably 1-2 years of providing direct service to people in need.
• Ease in talking with clients, using active listening skills and open-minded warmth
• Detail-oriented, with excellent communication (written and verbal),organizational, and interpersonal skills; proficient with technology such as Excel and/or Salesforce
• Experience working in a direct animal care setting (animal shelter, veterinary office)and/or working with people living with life-threatening illness or other type of daily challenges
• Strong problem-solving skills and/or assessment experience (suicidality, self-neglect/abuse, animal crises), using creativity and excellent judgment
• Ability to establish and maintain effective non-judgmental working relationships with a variety of individuals and groups. Experience with and/or commitment to anti-racism in the workplace
• A solid self-care regimen to support the emotional weight of serving clients in direct service and a basic understanding of pet care needs and dog/cat body language. Bilingual Spanish/English is beneficial, but not required.
• Must be vaccinated for COVID-19 or willing to test weekly

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: 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. The Care Navigator is regularly required to sit, stand, and walk. PAWS staff are regularly pushing, pulling, or lifting objects (such as pet food) weighing up to 30 pounds. PAWS staff must be comfortable being in the presence of domesticated animals such as cats and dogs. This role involves using public transportation, transporting pet supplies and animals, and visiting clients in their homes.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY: Shanti is an equal opportunity employer that supports and lives diversity in our staffing and values. Shanti complies with applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We actively encourage and seek qualified candidates from people of all backgrounds. We also will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.