Family Advocate

JOB SUMMARY: The Family Advocate serves as a frontline, relationship\-driven role within the Family Resource Center, leading resource navigation and direct family support. This role is responsible for building strong, trusting relationships with families and supporting them in identifying goals, accessing resources, and navigating complex systems.

The Family Advocate partners with families to co\-create and implement individualized Family Development Plans that center family voice, strengths, and long\-term stability. In addition to long\-term goal setting, Family Advocates provide immediate, short\-term support through the distribution of tangible resources such as food, diapers, hygiene products, and other essential needs. These supports are used intentionally to stabilize families, build trust, and create pathways toward deeper engagement.

Through consistent engagement, advocacy, and follow\-through, the Family Advocate ensures families are not just connected to services, but supported in meaningful and sustained ways.

This role also contributes to the overall success of the Family Resource Center by supporting workshops, community events, and day\-to\-day operations in collaboration with the Program Manager and Assistant Program Manager.

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIP

Reports To: Program Manager, Asst. Program Manager

Supported By: Director, PM, APM

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead resource navigation for assigned families — connecting them to housing support, employment, food access, healthcare, mental health services, and educational services — while assessing immediate needs and providing timely, stabilizing supports that remove barriers to engagement.
• Develop and maintain individualized Family Development Plans in partnership with families, including goal setting, action steps, and ongoing progress monitoring
• Conduct regular check\-ins with families through in\-person meetings, phone calls, and virtual communication to ensure consistent support and follow\-up
• Provide direct distribution of tangibleresources including food, diapers, hygiene kits, and other essential items, ensuring equitable and culturally responsive access
• Advocate on behalf of families within schools, agencies, and community systems to reduce barriers and increase access to services
• Build and maintain strong relationships with community partners and service providers to ensure effective and culturally responsive referrals
• Track and document all family interactions, services, resources distributed, and outcomes in alignment with organizational and funder requirements
• Support inventory tracking and coordination of basic needs resources in collaboration with program staff
• Support the planning and facilitation of workshops, family engagement events, and community\-based programming
• Support coordination between Family Resource Centers and school sites to identify families, understand emerging needs, and ensure families are connected to the appropriate supports and resources
• Assist with outreach and engagement strategies to connect new families to the Family Resource Center
• Collaborate with internal teams across programs to ensure coordinated and holistic support for families
• Participate in team meetings, case conferencing, and ongoing professional development
• Support families in accessing clinical services through partnership with 3rd Street Youth Clinic, including facilitating referrals, conducting warm handoffs, and ensuring ongoing connection to care
• Contribute to creating a welcoming, culturally responsive, and community\-centered environment within the Family Resource Center
• Provide additional support across Family Resource Center operations, family engagement, and service delivery as needed, in alignment with program priorities and under the guidance of the Program Manager

QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

PREFERRED EDUCATION \& EXPERIENCE:

• Experience in family support, case management, resource navigation, and/or community\-based work
• Strong organizational skills with a demonstrated ability to track, prioritize, and follow through on multiple family cases simultaneously without tasks or families falling through the cracks
• Deep understanding of and connection to the communities we serve, particularly Black and Brown, low\-income, and historically underserved communities
• Lived experience navigating systems such as housing, public benefits, education, or workforce development, or strong professional experience supporting individuals and families through these systems
• Demonstrated ability to build trust and authentic relationships with families through culturally responsive, respectful, and community\-centered approaches
• Ability to engage families with empathy while also supporting accountability toward their goals
• Comfort working in fast\-paced, community\-based environments with evolving needs

Education: Must meet SFUSD Instructional Aide Requirements:

• An AA degree or higher or
• Official transcripts reflecting 48 college units and a high school diploma/equivalent or
• Completion of CBEST and a high school diploma/equivalent or
• Successful completion of the Instructional Aide exam (can take this in tandem with hiring process)

Requirements for All Staff:

• We will help you meet this requirement if it is a barrier to employment. Must meet An Associate’s degree or higher OR Official transcripts reflecting 48 college units and a high school diploma/equivalent OR Completion of CBEST and a high school diploma/equivalent.
• ​Able to weave equity and cultural relevance into all aspects of planned activities. Able to plan and facilitate programming intentionally. Understanding of marginalized communities. Strong advocate for youth voice and leadership.
• All employees who have contact with youth under the age of 18 must be fingerprinted under procedures established by the DOJ. We cannot employ any individual who has been convicted of a serious or violent felony, as defined by the California Penal Code. The organization also receives updated information from the DOJ during employment. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records on a case by case basis.
• Every employee who has regular contact with youth is required to have a current tuberculin skin test or an X\-ray examination of the lungs (with a negative result) prior to reporting for duty.
• Employees must be able to prove that they are authorized to work in the United States using any of the documentation allowed according to current I\-9 processes.

PHYSICAL JOB DESCRIPTION

Typical Working Conditions: Community Center Environment

Equipment Used: Computer, telephone, printer

Essential Physical Tasks: This job requires:

• Ability to stand, walk, and be on your feet for extended periods during workshops, events, and community programming
• Ability to reach, lift and carry up to 25 lbs when distributing tangible resources ie; food, diapers, hygiene kits, and other resources.
• Ability to set up and break down tables, chairs, and materials for events and programming
• Ability to travel regularly between FRC locations, school sites, and community partner locations
• Ability to sit for extended periods when completing documentation, case notes, and data entry
• Ability to perform frequent typing and repetitive hand and wrist motions for extended periods in support of documentation, data entry, case noting, and email communication
• Ability to operate standard office equipment including computers, phones, and printers
• Ability to work in varied indoor and outdoor environments, including exposure to fluctuating temperatures, uneven terrain, direct sunlight, and high\-stimulation settings during community events, resource distributions, and programming
• Ability to communicate clearly and professionally in verbal and written form

Pay: $29\.31 \- $30\.78 per hour

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Mileage reimbursement
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Application Question(s):

• How many years do you have working with families in a professional setting?
• Do you have any family members in any of our programs or working for our organization currently?

Ability to Commute:

• San Francisco, CA 94121 (Required)

Work Location: In person