Position Summary:

The Outreach Specialist plays a critical role in driving engagement for participants referred to Fedcap’s Washington, DC Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Workforce Development program. Serving as the first line of contact for TANF recipients referred by the District of Columbia’s Department of Human Services (DHS), the Outreach Specialist is responsible for initiating, maintaining, and restoring contact with customers who have not yet engaged or who have disengaged from required services.

What You'll Do 

Engagement & Outreach

• Serve as the primary point of contact for a caseload of approximately 30-100 unengaged or disengaged TANF recipients; initiate daily outreach efforts within 24 hours of missed appointments using a combination of phone, email, letters, and home visits.
• Conduct re-engagement efforts for customers who have disengaged from Fedcap or external provider services, documenting all activity in the Fedcap Cares system with 100% accuracy and timeliness.
• Support Case Managers by coordinating outreach on their caseloads during peak times or absences, and provide real-time updates on customer status, barriers, or engagement progress.
• Facilitate ongoing communication with customers to promote the value of work and participation in assigned activities, while emphasizing personal accountability, ownership, and urgency.

Barrier Resolution & Participant Support

• Identify barriers that impede participation (e.g., transportation, housing instability, mental health, childcare, or scheduling conflicts); escalate to Case Managers and internal supports as needed.
• Build trusted relationships with assigned customers, using motivational interviewing and trauma-informed practices to foster re-engagement.
• Track participant progress throughout initial program engagement and into the first year of employment, providing follow-up support and encouragement to drive sustained success.

Orientation & Group Facilitation

• Lead at least two group program orientations weekly and conduct one-on-one orientations as needed to accommodate customer schedules.
• Facilitate or co-lead monthly peer group sessions, trainings, or enrichment activities, such as Nurturing Parent, Parent Café, or workforce readiness discussions.
• Provide instruction and coaching to customers on required participation hours, timesheet documentation, and activity compliance to support achievement of the 80% Work Participation Rate (WPR).

Data & Performance Management

• Consistently meet or exceed performance goals, including outreach contact rates, re-engagement success, attendance at orientations, and compliance support milestones.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation of all outreach, attendance, and milestones in Fedcap Cares and related tracking systems.
• Contribute to data collection and reporting on outreach activity, customer engagement trends, and outcome achievement; support monthly and quarterly performance reviews as needed.

Professional Development & Collaboration

• Participate in regular team meetings, peer learning sessions, and professional development trainings.
• Collaborate with Case Managers, Supervisors, and other program staff to ensure coordinated and consistent service delivery across all touchpoints.
• Adhere to all program policies, procedures, and performance standards.

You're a great fit for this role if you have: 

• A minimum of two (2) years of post-secondary education at an accredited college or university 
• Two (2) years of experience undertaking outreach activities;
• Valid driver's license, valid insurance and reliable transportation required. And/or work experience determined to be acceptable to the agency.

Compensation

• $21.64 per hour/$45k annually

Equal Opportunity Employer