Afghan Community Liaison

IRC Background: The mission of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control of their future. Founded in 1933, the IRC has a presence in over 40 countries and 27 offices in the United States; the IRC leads the way from harm to home. IRC opened an office in Seattle in 1976 and provides a continuum of services including intensive case management, employment and economic empowerment services, immigration assistance, health and wellness programming, and education support to refugee and immigrant families in Washington State. IRC Washington is committed to providing trauma-informed, equitable, and accessible services and maintaining and evolving a diverse, inclusive, and supportive workplace.

Job Overview:

The Afghan Community Liaison will directly support programs that increase Afghan clients’ access to equitable and culturally appropriate health care services. At the IRC Spokane, we recognize that clients are the experts on their own lives, experiences, and beliefs. The Health and Wellness team uses client expertise to guide, encourage, and empower clients as they interact with various health systems.

The Afghan Community Liaison will work to raise awareness about known areas of vulnerability in the Afghan community; primarily, exposure to lead. They will assist in implementing programming around this issue. And they will engage with the community creatively and collaboratively to solve other identified health issues. They will help conduct research on areas of need, develop and deliver educational materials about health topics, and assist clients in creating personalized Service Access Plans.

Major Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary community focal point for the Afghan Cookware Exchange program.
• Conduct research on areas of need and develop and deliver educational materials on identified topics.
• Partner with other Health & Wellness staff to conduct intakes and assessments with clients.
• Become familiar with health care systems and service providers serving the immigrant and refugee community in Spokane for the purpose of assisting clients in navigating these systems.
• Meet with clients to conduct “Service Access Mapping.”
• Assist in outreach and educational efforts including attending off site events such as clinics, community outreach events, and educational workshops (some evenings and weekends may be required).
• Perform other related tasks as assigned.

Qualifications, Skills, & Competencies:

• Prior experience and/or interest in education, social work, advocacy, community based social action, or health care.
• Strong commitment to health care equity and an awareness of racial, cultural, and socio-economic factors affecting the disparity of health outcomes for the Afghan community in Spokane.
• Ability to communicate effectively and work independently and as a team member in a fast-paced, multi-cultural environment.
• Flexible and reliable, strong interpersonal skills, and outstanding attention to detail.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook) and web-based applications (databases, Box).
• Fluency in Dari (and Pashto preferred) both written and spoken is required.
• Ability to communicate effectively in English required.

Posted pay ranges apply to US-based candidates. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirements.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity: IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Professional Standards: The IRC and IRC staff must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Global Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti-Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

US Benefits: We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days (depending on role and tenure), medical insurance starting at $145 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus a 3-7% base IRC contribution (3 year vesting), disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.