Director of Client Engagement

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Echo is searching for a volunteer Director of Client Engagement who will manage the Family Counselors (Lead Counselors, Counselor Co-Chairs), Counselor Administration, and Data Entry teams who are responsible for helping ECHO accomplish its mission of providing assistance to individuals and families in need within the Burke/Springfield community. These volunteers engage with potential clients to determine eligibility and need, and then work with clients to assure that they are receiving the needed assistance. The Director of Client Engagement oversees a process that begins with determining the individual’s eligibility for ECHO support, the type(s) of support needed, and a pathway to self-sufficiency (if practical) or until the client moves from the ECHO support area. The Director of Client Engagement also oversees engagement programs for school supplies, childhood enrichment, and holiday food and toys.

In managing the functions for efficiently and effectively engaging clients to help meet their needs, the Director of Client Engagement, has the following responsibilities:

Ensure that potential clients are screened to determine eligibility for ECHO support.
When an individual is accepted as an ECHO client,

• Ensure that an initial meeting with a counselor is scheduled as soon as practical to assess the individual’s situation and develop a support plan that includes the nature and amount of the support ECHO can provide and schedule follow-on appointments as needed to provide that support. For assistance needs that fall outside the capacity or capability of ECHO, the support plan will include coordination with sources of support such as Fairfax County Coordinated Services Planning, and/or other Community Based Organizations.

Ensure accurate, efficient recording of each client-counselor engagement/meeting.

• Direct and manage the Counselor ADMIN volunteers to support Counselors in efficiently and accurately maintaining all data associated with the client’s ECHO support plan.
• Coordinate with ECHO IT team to ensure the efficiency of Counselor processes/procedures for determining client eligibility and need.

Train counselors and assistant counselors.

Ensure Counselors and Assistant Counselors are up-to-date on ECHO policies and procedures to include those for efficient financial management.

Manage the ECHO Holiday (Thanksgiving, Christmas) and School Backpack programs to ensure provision of holiday food and school supplies is efficient and equitable.

Coordinate with the Director, Volunteer Programs, to ensure counselor staffing needs are met efficiently and in a timely manner.

Coordinate with the ECHO Donation Director to ensure sufficient stocks of in-kind donations (food, clothing, housewares) are available to meet client needs/demand.

Coordinate with the Planning/Development Director to help identify trends in client support and new requirements for meeting ECHO’s mission to help neighbors in need.

Assist in prioritizing available resources (donations, volunteer time) to assist clients.

Ensure that assistance is provided to clients in accordance with ECHO Mission, Vision and Values statements.

The Director, Client Engagement, should have at least five years’ experience in assisting those in need, preferably as a Counselor, Case Worker or comparable role; strong leadership and management skills; and an appreciation of the dynamics, capabilities and limitations of an all-volunteer organization.

About Us:

ECHO was formed on May 22, 1968, when representatives from nine Springfield churches met to discuss and identify ways in which the churches of Springfield could meet social needs in the community on an ecumenical basis. This group, which was the outgrowth of an idea developed in the Springfield Ministerial Association, was subsequently identified as ECHO, an acronym for Ecumenical Community Helping Others.

The nine charter member congregations were: Grace Presbyterian, Kirkwood Presbyterian, Prince of Peace Lutheran, St. Bernadette’s Catholic, St. Christopher’s Episcopal, St. John’s Methodist, St. Mark’s Lutheran, Springfield United Methodist, and Westwood Baptist. In the intervening years ECHO grew and in 2010 represented and was supported by 27 congregations in the Springfield and Burke areas. In 2007, ECHO completed an expansion of its warehouse facility that doubled the size of the building. This expansion allowed for client interviews to be done in an environment that provides more privacy and dignity to the clients as well as for more storage of donations and improved work flow for processing donations.

In addition to the financial support received from each of the member congregations, a substantial amount of our operating funds is contributed by individuals and organizations in the community who are aware of ECHO’s activities. With the continued growth of our activities and financial requirements, we are thankful that we live in a community where so many are concerned with the needs of others.