The Greater Washington Urban League (GWUL) is looking for a passionate and skilled Financial Coach to join the Career MAP team. The Career MAP program is designed to assist approximately 300 families who experienced homelessness and recently exited a rapid rehousing program. Career MAP provides critical services in career advancement, financial empowerment, family support, and housing stabilization. The Financial Coach will provide personalized financial coaching and education for up to 300 low- to no-income families. This role focuses on empowering clients to improve their relationship with money and build long-term financial wellness and stability by offering tailored advice, support, and strategies in areas such as budgeting, savings, credit repair, and debt management.
The Career MAP program is administered through GWUL's Center for Financial Inclusion (CFI). The CFI takes a therapeutic approach to financial wellness and provides services to assist people with addressing the root causes of financial decision making which are often caused by financial trauma and daily stress. Through the work of the CFI, community members learn to manage financial stress, triggers, and anxiety so they can ultimately build and pass along generational wealth.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Provide individualized financial coaching to program participants, helping them assess their current financial situation and develop actionable improvement plans.
Develops, in collaboration with Career MAP program participants, an individualized financial plan outlining long and short-term financial objectives and steps to achieve specified financial goals.
Guide clients through the process of setting financial goals, creating spending plans, managing debt, and building savings, while helping them track their progress.
Conduct financial education workshops covering topics such as credit building, budgeting, savings strategies, and long-term financial planning.
Support clients in repairing and building their credit, providing strategies and resources to improve their credit scores.
Support clients with using the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's Career Ladder Identifier and Financial Forecaster (CLIFF) Tool for financial planning.
Assist clients with identifying and accessing resources such as public benefits, financial aid, tax preparation services, and affordable banking options.
Act as a mentor and motivator, encouraging clients to take control of their financial future and build healthy financial habits.
Collaborate with Career MAP team members to integrate financial coaching with other services such as career development and workforce readiness.
Stay informed about the latest best practices in financial empowerment and coaching to continuously improve the effectiveness of the coaching program.
Provide detailed documentation of all financial coaching and education interactions with Career MAP program participants in the required systems such as Quickbase and Apricot.
Track client outcomes and progress over time, ensuring goals are met and adjustments are made as necessary.
Develop partnerships with local financial institutions, community organizations, and other relevant stakeholders to broaden the scope of financial support for clients.
Must be able to personally identify with the lived experiences of our primary constituents and clients.
Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, psychology, social work, or a related field.
A minimum of 3 years of experience in financial coaching, counseling, or a related role focusing on low-income populations.
Strong knowledge of financial psychology, financial literacy principles, credit building, debt management, and financial empowerment strategies.
Certification in financial social work, financial therapy, financial coaching, or credit counseling (such as AFC®, FFC®, CFP, or similar) is highly preferred.
Working knowledge of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's Career Ladder Identifier and Financial Forecaster (CLIFF) Tool is highly preferred
Excellent interpersonal and coaching skills, with the ability to connect with and motivate clients from diverse backgrounds.
Experience working with low- to no-income individuals, understanding the specific challenges they face in achieving financial wellness and stability.
Ability to facilitate financial education workshops and lead group and individual coaching sessions.
Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and other relevant software.
Superior organizational skills with the ability to multitask and manage time efficiently.
Strong attention to detail, particularly in scheduling, document preparation, and financial planning.
Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S.
Must successfully complete a criminal background investigation
Strong verbal and written communication skills; leadership and team-building skills are a must.
Must be detail-oriented and possess organization and critical thinking skills
Working Conditions
The employee will be working in a normal office setting to include a possible hybrid schedule.
Physical Requirements
While performing the duties of this job, the employee will frequently sit, stand, walk, and reach. May need to lift files or packages periodically.
Other Duties
This job description is intended to describe the general nature and work performed by employees but is not a complete list of activities, duties, or responsibilities required of personnel. Furthermore, other duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or be assigned at the discretion of the employer.