General Statement of Duties

The Basic Needs Specialist is a full-time position focused on addressing the diverse, nonacademic needs of students on campus. Leveraging both institutional and community resources the Basic Needs Specialist will support students through triaging problems and connecting students to the appropriate services on campus or in the community. Additionally, the Basic Needs Specialist will be the primary staff responsible for managing the Food for Thought Pantry at the Gardner and Leominster campuses, including creating reports on usage, overseeing student workers and volunteers, and assisting students with completing intake forms and collecting food packages. The Basic Needs Specialist will also coordinate the Students Serving Our Students (SOS) Program, with support from the Brewer Center.

Responsibilities

• Serve as single point-of-contact for students seeking to address basic needs including food insecurity, housing, etc.
• Establish local and regional collaborative relationships and partnerships with business entities, community organizations, and local educational agencies pertaining to student basic needs; partner with food bank affiliates and other non-profit entities to support students to secure resources.
• Implement a comprehensive program that assists students in addressing basic needs, including but not limited to food insecurity, homelessness, and other areas affecting academic progress.
• Manage the Food for Thought Pantry at the Gardner and Leominster Campuses, including the pick-up, stocking, and distribution of donations.
• Drive a college-provide vehicle pulling a trailer for food pick-up and delivery to campuses.
• Coordinate training for students stocking and students accessing new refrigerated lockers including working with facilities, IT and other campus stakeholders.
• Conduct individual triage/case management; meet with individual students experiencing a wide range of basic needs security and access issues; implements policies and procedures in collaboration with various departments to best meet the basic needs of individual students and the broader student population
• Serve as campus leader for implementing wrap around services for students, including but not limited to connecting eligible low-income students to SNAP, WIC, and other safety net programs through a coalition of community-based organizations, government agencies, foundations and non-profit organizations.
• Work with other divisions and departments to promote access to the food pantry, including faculty and staff from all student-facing areas.
• Plan, implement, evaluate, and market trainings, programs, and informational sessions in collaboration with campus and external community partners.
• Implement the student peer-leader Students Serving Our Students program in collaboration with the Brewer Center.
• Coordinate college-wide food pantry efforts, including providing work direction to student workers, coordinating staffing; ordering, receiving, and stocking food items; and maintaining food quality controls.
• Work with the grant office and the College Advancement to identify opportunities for grants; provide assistance as needed in the management of awarded grants.
• Communicate the objectives, progress, and outcomes of the program initiatives to faculty, staff, students, administrators, community and business representatives, vendors, and/or the public. Coordinate the collection and analysis of data; participate in the preparation and submission of fiscal reports, program plans, progress reports, and other narrative and statistical reports as required and in accordance with grantor and external agency requirements.
• Attend training/professional development opportunities related to responsibilities.
• Applies the MWCC equity agenda with a racial equity lens to all duties and responsibilities.

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Minimum Qualificaations

• Master's degree in Counseling, Education, Rehabilitation, Vocational Assessment, or closely related field;
• Two (2) years experience and/or training that includes career counseling, academic advising, project administration, or grant coordination; or
• An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Valid Drivers license required

Equivalency Statement
Applicants who do not meet the qualifications as stated above are encouraged to put in writing precisely how their background and experience have prepared them with the equivalent combination of education, training and experience required for the responsibilities of this position.

In-house Title: Basic Needs Specialist
Salary: $52,754.00-$89,919.00**

****Actual Salary determined by education, experience and any applicable grant limitations per the collective bargaining agreement.

Grade: 4
Employee Status: Ful Time Grant Funded - Grant Ends 6/30/2024
Benefits: Yes
Hours per Week: 37.5
Number of Weeks: 52

Mount Wachusett Community College is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, religion, age, veteran status, genetic information, gender identity or sexual orientation in its programs and activities as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other applicable statutes and college policies. The College prohibits sexual harassment, including sexual violence. Inquiries or complaints concerning discrimination, harassment, retaliation or sexual violence shall be referred to the College's Affirmative Action and/or Title IX Coordinator, the Massachusetts Commission against Discrimination, the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission or the United States Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights.