Program Assistant, Refugee Resettlement

Position Title:  Program Assistant

Organization: Jewish Family Service of San Diego

Department: Refugee Resettlement

Position Type: Full-Time (37.5+ hours/week), Non-Exempt

Work Setting: Hybrid with 1 day remote

Reports To: Employment Program Manager

Pay Rate: $23/hour

Total Compensation: 

In addition to standard pay, compensation for this position includes:

• Comprehensive, low-cost healthcare coverage for employees


• Generous employer 401(k) contributions


• Employer-covered life insurance

Time Away from Work:

Being able to take time away from work is critical in bringing your best self to work. Time off benefits for this position include:

• Paid vacation time and sick leave


• 15 paid holidays, including Federal and Jewish holidays (as long as the holiday lands on a normal scheduled work day), and floating holidays


• 2 Wellness Days to be taken any time during the year to support employees’ mental wellness

Position Overview: 

JFS is looking for a compassionate, mission-driven individual to join the Refugee Resettlement team as the Program Assistant. In this role, you can use your customer service and administrative skills experience to make a meaningful difference in your community and help change lives across San Diego.

The Program Assistant is responsible for providing program support through administrative tasks, workshop implementation and technical assistance to refugee clients in the areas of educational acquisition and social adjustment. Manages participant progress towards achieving goals by following program guidelines and providing individualized service. This position reports directly to the Employment Program Manager and works closely with the rest of the Refugee Resettlement Department.

Responsibilities:

• Supports employment program implementation by following program guidelines and ensuring compliance of service throughout program activities

• Provides culturally competent case management support to ensure highest level of culturally appropriate service to diverse client population


• Harnesses strong data management skills to complete daily data entry, client services case notes and email follow ups

• Creates and presents workshops on various topics including digital literacy, educational resource navigation, ESL acquisition, career mapping and career/job readiness topics


• Provides support for program activities ranging from: client intakes, interests and career assessments, client file set up and ongoing maintenance, database input, and follow-up calls


• Participates in ongoing program trainings and meetings with partner organizations Develops and assists in maintaining employer, educational and community partnerships, acting as a representative of JFSSD while in the community


• Conducts home visits to deliver relevant client documents, check on family status


• Acts as a collaborative team player with a can-do attitude, flexibility in a busy office environment, and possess quick critical thinking ability to identify creative solutions to complex challenges


• Utilizes second language skills of Spanish or Haitian-Creole to deliver culturally competent and trauma informed case management support


• Basic accounting tasks and processing program transactions


• Prepare documents using Word, Excel, and PowerPoint


• Submit invoices and reimbursement requests


• General filing and office work


• Other duties as assigned

Skills/Abilities That are a Must-Have:

• Second language fluency in Spanish or Haitian-Creole required


• One to two years’ experience providing group instruction or facilitation


• Skilled with administrative tasks such as database management, virtual course enrollment and instruction


• Excellent written and oral communication skills including the ability to diversify approach when working with diverse communities


• Previous experience communicating with individuals who have limited English proficiency; Able to work with and relate to participants and be culturally sensitive


• Strong organizational skills with the ability to juggle multiple tasks, set priorities, effectively manage time, and meet deadlines; strong attention to detail


• Familiarity with refugees, asylees, immigrants, young adults, and low-income populations is a plus


• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with clients, customers, community service providers and businesses


• Proven customer service skills and ability to provide conflict resolution


• Ability to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment and to excel in highly visible, public settings


• Proficient in Microsoft Suite applications and ability to navigate other databases

Skills/Abilities We’d like you to Have:

• Some college, bachelor’s degree desirable

Important Notice:

Incomplete submissions will not be considered. Please, no phone calls. Please, principals only. Please, local candidates only (relocation is not provided).

About Jewish Family Service of San Diego
Jewish Family Service of San Diego is a client-centered, impact-driven organization working to build a stronger, more resilient community.  For over 100 years, Jewish Family Service has been a trusted resource for the entire community, offering an array of services that are always life-changing, and often life-saving.  At Jewish Family Service, we believe our employees are the backbone of our Agency.  We strive to ensure that each employee is treated with dignity and respect.  Our goal is your success.  Come work at JFS and be our partner in Moving Forward Together.  To learn more about JFS, please visit jfssd.org. 

*Jewish Family Service is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.