Student Support Specialist

BASIC NEEDS STUDENT SUPPORT SPECIALIST TRUMAN COLLEGE

Truman College is seeking a Basic Needs Student Support Specialist to join our team. The Basic Needs Student Support Specialist
is responsible for connecting students to basic needs programming,community partners, and government agencies for basic needsresources. Key responsibilities include meeting with students to identify their needs and provide information on available resources and referrals for additional support services; assisting them withenrolling in public benefits programs; and coordinating thepresence of basic needs community partners on campus.

The Basic Needs Student Support Specialist also oversees the operations of the campus' Healthy Food Market and other programmingthat connects students with food resources, such as grocery giftcards or on-campus free meals. Performs related duties as required.

NOTE:

Position is expected to occasionally work outside ofnormally scheduled hours to accommodate GCFD food deliveries.

• Maintains relationships with community partners and hostsresource fairs, benefits enrollment events, informational tablingprograms, and other opportunities to connect students with community resources in collaboration with the Wellness Center.
• Meets with students experiencing basic needs insecurity to identify their specific needs including food, housing, and accessto general medical and health care and provides them with information to available resources and referrals to community and government organizations.
• Maintains data and provides reports on number of studentsrequesting information, meeting with staff, and receiving services through the basic needs support initiative.
• Identifies trends and best practices in providing services to students with basic needs and adapting campus services to meetthose needs.

• Oversees the day-to-day operations of the Healthy Food Marketto include implementing work procedures; coordinating food distribution events with Facilities; and data collection and reporting.
• Works alongside staff on food delivery days, assisting and overseeing staff loading and transporting food deliveries to pantrysite with the use of dollies, and organizing, shelving, andinventorying packaged and refrigerated food items.
• Maintains working relationships with campus administration,Facilities staff, and the Greater Chicago Food Depository (GCFD);coordinates the scheduling of days per week/month for Healthy Food Market to operate; and ensures compliance with all food safety requirements.
• Works with the Dean’s office and GCFD to place monthly food orders and with Facilities Department to schedule the delivery,unloading, and transporting of food orders to food pantryarea.
• Provides information on the operations and services of the Healthy Food Market.
• Implements plans to publicize the Healthy Food Market to encourage student participation.
• Implements and monitors procedures for the registration of individuals receiving food pantry services and the maintenance ofrecords as required by the GCFD.
• Supervises staff including work study students, pantry workers,and volunteers; provides orientation and training to all food market workers.
• Ensures adherence to cleaning and storage protocols for the Healthy Food Market operations and to food safety protocols.

The physical demands are representative of those that must be metby an employee to successfully perform the essential functions ofthe job. The job requires lifting, bending, carrying, unloading,and moving of food items. Must be able to lift and carry up to 30lbs. in the performance of duties.

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Social Work or a related field required
• Two years of work experience in social services or basic needs support or program development
• Experience providing basic needs programming or facilitatingaccess to services as a caseworker in a social work, healthcare, orhuman services setting highly desirable
• Must obtain a Food Services Sanitation Manager Certificate froman approved training program within 60 days of hire
• Knowledge of community…