OBJECTIVES: Reporting to the Director of Programs, the Staff, Programs position will serve as an Intake Officer and play a key role in connecting families with counseling services offered through Northside. This position focuses on outreach and engagement by actively promoting the program to parents and families who would benefit most. The individual will develop relationships within the community by building networks and coalitions across the neighborhoods we serve. This role will also manage intake documentation, deliver presentations to school, mental health providers, and human services organizations. Additionally, this individual will attend conferences to articulate and promote program services to potential clients and families. By increasing awareness and accessibility to our services, this role directly supports Northside’s mission and the overall success of the community programs.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Lead the recruitment efforts and process referrals from community organizations and ACS for counseling and crisis intervention services, ensuring timely and accurate intake.
2. Conduct interviews to assess clients’ eligibility for services.
3. Complete intake forms and enter data into Northside’s record-keeping systems.
4. Conduct in-person community outreach 2–3 times per week in Harlem, Washington Heights, and Inwood, engaging with schools, daycare centers, hospitals, community boards, and mental health clinics to connect families with program services.
5. Build and maintain relationships with community-based organizations to strengthen partnerships, promote program offerings, and identify opportunities within the community to provide support to clients.
6. Establish and maintain strong networks and coalitions across diverse audiences and populations to expand program visibility and impact.
7. Maintain a portfolio of qualified clients to ensure timely service delivery.
8. Collaborate with the Program Director of Family Connections on recruitment and marketing strategies to keep program slots near full capacity.

SPECIFIC SKILLS:

• Ability to engage and recruit clients through community outreach and referral management.
• Strong interpersonal skills to develop partnerships with community organizations and stakeholders.
• Skilled in creating and maintaining professional networks across diverse populations.
• Confident, friendly, collaborative, and the ability to work with a diversity of people and engage people at all levels.
• Proficiency in conducting interviews, assessing eligibility, and attention to details for entering and maintaining client information.
• Strong time management and ability to handle multiple outreach and intake tasks efficiently.
• Critical thinker, analytical, creative, strategic, and detail-and results oriented.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

• Excellent work ethic
• Commitment to working in a mission-driven organization.
• Demonstrated personal ethics and values.
• Cross-team collaboration and cooperation
• Team player who works well with a diverse group of people

QUALIFICATIONS:

• High School Diploma required: associate or bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 1–2 years of experience in social services, communications, marketing, or sales.
• Comfortable presenting and promoting programs to clients, families, and stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
• Ability to travel frequently within Harlem, Washington Heights, and Inwood using public transportation.
• Strong commitment to confidentiality and adherence to ethical service delivery.
• Familiarity with social services, preventive services, and child welfare is a plus.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS: Salary commensurate with experience. Northside offers a competitive salary and benefits package.

ABOUT NORTHSIDE

Northside Center for Child Development serves more than 5,500 children and families across New York City each year through high-quality, outcome-driven behavioral health, early childhood education, and enrichment services. With over $34 million in annual funding, Northside provides the comprehensive support children and families need to overcome adversity, build resilience, and pursue their dreams.

Founded in 1946 in Harlem, Northside has been a cornerstone of the community for eight decades, leading the way in integrating education and mental health to support children’s development. Several of Northside’s innovative programs were the first of their kind in Harlem, setting standards of care that continue to influence social service agencies throughout the United States today.

Northside’s founders, Drs. Kenneth B. and Mamie Phipps Clark, were renowned, pioneering psychologists whose groundbreaking research was instrumental in the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education landmark Supreme Court decision that declared school segregation unconstitutional. Their belief in the worth, dignity, and potential of every child continues to guide Northside’s mission and inspire its work today. Northside is driven by its vision and principle, “Each Child…First Chance.”

For more information on Northside Center for Child Development, please visit www.northsidecenter.org.

COMPENSATION: $42,000 - $50,000