Benefits Outreach Specialist (Remote Position)
Benefits Data Trust (BDT) is seeking Benefits Outreach Specialists to provide public benefits education and application assistance to low-income individuals.
BDT is a remote-first organization. Employees may work remotely or from BDT’s Philadelphia office. BDT has also adopted a mandatory vaccination and testing policy to safeguard the health of our employees from the hazard of COVID-19. Employees may request an exemption from the policy by providing documentation for medical or religious reasons if needed.
The primary barriers to participation in public assistance programs include (1) lack of knowledge around public benefits, (2) fear of stigma, (3) a complex application process, and (4) communication challenges with local offices. How do we help people overcome these barriers? That’s where the Benefits Outreach Specialist (BOS) role comes in. BOS candidates should expect their day-to-day to be a combination of inbound calls, outbound calls, and paperwork processing.
If you have a commitment to serve others and love to solve problems, you’re already off to a great start for our BOS position, but that’s not all you’ll need. You’ll also need supreme customer service skills, outstanding time management, the ability to multi-task and practice empathy consistently. Due to the remote aspect of this position, proficient computer skills are required. You should be comfortable navigating technology and able to focus on a computer screen for long periods of time.
Training:
You don’t need to know everything about public benefits to apply. We’ll take care of that in our comprehensive virtual training. But you will need to be able to effectively translate complex information to our clients, so we would like you to be able to communicate effectively and be comfortable as a part of a team that can assist you in this area.
We’d also prefer for you to have previous non-profit, social service, and/or call center experience and a bachelor’s degree. If you don’t have a degree that’s not a problem; High School graduates and those with previous work experience in other fields are equally considered. Oh, and if you speak more than one language (Spanish, Russian, Cantonese, Mandarin, etc.), that is a plus!
Remote Working:
From Monday to Friday your day will begin at 8:45 a.m. in your own home and end at 5 p.m. (unless you get a call that takes you past 5 p.m; but don’t worry, we’ll pay you for time assisting our clients after 5 p.m.). During the day you will have 45 minutes for lunch and an additional 30 minutes of break time.
Please also be aware this is a full-time role and you will need to let the BDT HR team know if you need a reasonable accommodation to perform this job.
We know that not everyone will be technologically equipped for remote work. We will supply computer set up and a bi-weekly internet stipend of $25 will be awarded towards internet access to all our Specialists! You are required to have internet access connected prior to your first day.
Last, but certainly not least, we offer a starting salary of $19/hr, a comprehensive health benefits package including medical, vision, and dental coverage, and a 401K with a 4% employer match. We offer 20 paid time off (PTO) days per year, which is prorated to your start date, in addition to 10 company-paid holidays.
Please include a Resume and Cover Letter in application
About BDT:
Benefits Data Trust (BDT) improves health and financial security by harnessing the power of data, technology, and policy to provide dignified and equitable access to assistance. Together with a national network of government agencies and partners, we efficiently connect people today to programs that pay for food, healthcare, and more while helping to modernize benefits access for tomorrow. A nonprofit since 2005, BDT has secured more than $9 billion in benefits for households across the country, helping to reduce hunger and poverty and build pathways to economic mobility. Learn more about BDT – a proud recipient of Top Workplaces USA Awards in 2021 & 2022 - at bdtrust.org.