Are you ready to make a difference in your community? Do YOU want to work on a team that is committed to empowering individuals? At Helen Keller Services, our employees work in an environment that is more than just a workplace, it’s a community.
Since 1967, Helen Keller National Center (HKNC) has been committed to improving the lives of individuals who are DeafBlind or have a combined hearing and vision loss. HKNC is dedicated to working with each person to achieve their desired goals towards independence, employment, and quality of life, based on their talents, preferences and aspirations.
We currently have an exciting career opportunity available to join the HKNC team as a full-time SSP/CoNavigator Coordinator. The SSP/Conavigator Coordinator is responsible for the development and implementation of a Support Service Provider (SSP) Program for all consumers and employees who are DeafBlind attending or working at Helen Keller National Center (HKNC). This role incorporates the CoNavigator model to establish HKNC as a training ground to empower our consumers to advocate, communicate, and be self-sustainable. This position leads communication access initiatives, focusing on ASL, Haptics, and Protactile Language, and participates in experiential research to support DeafBlind individuals.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
Program Coordination & Service Delivery
- Coordinate and schedule SSPs, CoNavigators, and unpaid volunteers, thoughtfully matching them with DeafBlind consumers and HKNC staff based on communication skills and personal preferences.
- Provide group or individual instruction to consumers on effective collaboration with SSPs and CoNavigators, fostering self-sustainability and independence.
- Promote operational compliance by ensuring consumers, staff, SSPs, CoNavigators, and Unpaid volunteers adhere to established program policies and procedures.
- Accommodate consumer needs by providing evening and weekend training or coordination support as required.
Communication Access & Training
- Coordinate communication accessibility training to elevate the agency's use of direct ASL, Haptics, and Protactile Language for comprehensive environmental and visual access.
- Partner with Information, Research, and Professional Development (IRPD) to develop curriculum and facilitate specialized training workshops for SSPs, CoNavigators, and unpaid volunteers.
- Provide direct instruction in Haptics, Protactile, and/or Tactile American Sign Language to DeafBlind participants.
Recruitment & Community Partnerships
- Execute targeted recruitment strategies to source potential SSPs and volunteers from diverse community channels, including colleges, universities, interpreting programs, and church groups.
- Foster community partnerships in collaboration with Regional Representatives to expand recruitment pipelines and develop external training opportunities for professionals.
- Collaborate with the leadership team to build public awareness regarding HKNC programs, actively promoting DeafBlind culture and inclusion
Program Strategy, Quality Assurance & Administration
- Document and implement applied strategies for adapting the SSP/CoNavigator model to serve DeafBlind individuals with additional complex disabilities, ensuring equitable service delivery.
- Maintain service quality by providing operational guidance and support to SSPs and volunteers, offering feedback when appropriate. .
- Administer program logistics, including processing invoices, evaluating consumer satisfaction, and resolving program barriers in partnership with applicable agency teams.
- Maintain comprehensive programmatic records, tracking service assignment utilization and providing necessary documentation for program budgeting/performance reporting.
- Participate in grant writing and other strategic initiatives to secure future funding, support grant reporting, and promote program expansion locally and statewide.
Responsible for other duties as may be assigned or requested by his/her immediate supervisor and/or the Director of the Department.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
Direct Reports include Per Diem SSPs
REQUIRED EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
- A Bachelor’s degree, preferably in the areas of Counseling, Education, Human Services, Sign Language Interpreting, Special Education, or a closely related field and 5 years of experience working with DeafBlind individuals or associate’s degree with 8 years of administrative experience and 5 years of including experience working with DeafBlind individuals.
- A minimum of five years of direct, professional experience working with the DeafBlind community is required.
- Direct knowledge and applied experience with Support Service Provider (SSP) services, program coordination, and CoNavigator frameworks is highly preferred.
- Fluency in American Sign Language (ASL) is required.
- Advanced proficiency and functional knowledge of Tactile American Sign Language (TASL), Haptics, and Protactile Language is preferred .
- Computer proficiency using current versions of the Microsoft Office Suite is required; functional knowledge of Braille is preferred.
At HKS we strive to provide a healthy work-life balance for our employees. we offer generous paid time off and comprehensive benefit package including:
- Medical Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- 4 weeks' Paid vacation annually
- Paid Personal Days
- Paid sick time
- 11 Paid Holidays Off Annually
- Life Insurance
- Short/Long Term Disability
- 403b Program w/Employer Match
- Flexible Spending/ Healthcare Savings Accounts
- Voluntary Ancillary Plans
- Employee Assistance Program
HKS is committed to providing reasonable workplace accommodations to individuals with illness, injury, or disability to complete the essential functions of their job.