Senior Center Assistant

JOB INFORMATION The Frederick County Division of Aging and Independence has been providing services and programs to older adults and their families for over 40 years. Our mission is to enrich the lives of older adults through community connections to services, programs and resources, with a goal of ensuring that Frederick County residents are empowered, engaged and equipped to live their best life. The Division seeks creative, energetic, compassionate and visionary candidates to join our diverse team of professionals who care about the well-being of Frederick County seniors. Join our team to help further our mission and make a difference in the lives of Frederick County’s fastest growing population. Non-exempt; full-time; 40 hours per week; varied Monday - Friday work schedule during the hours of 7:00 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. to meet the needs of department and program needs, including occasional weekends; full-benefits This technical and administrative position will assist Senior Center Supervisors with the planning, development, and implementation of comprehensive programming to include activities, programs, and socialization opportunities for persons attending Frederick County's Senior Centers. The position will also provide nutrition services support to the congregate and home delivered meals programs. Supervision is received from the Director, Home and Community Connections. The position may be assigned to a specific senior center or assigned to provide coverage as needed at multiple locations, including the Virtual Senior Center. Frederick County Government values the principles of diversity and inclusion, and strives to ensure equal opportunities for its workforce, applicants and community members. If you are a person who wants to make a difference, give back to your community, and be a voice for change, apply to Frederick County Government today. TOTAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE: Frederick County offers an extensive compensation package to reflect how highly we value our employees. The following is what you can expect in your first year as a full-time benefited Frederick County Government employee. 11 days of Vacation leave with increase after 2 years of employment 15 days of Sick leave with unlimited annual carryover 11 paid scheduled holidays, plus 2 additional floating holidays Day 1 coverage of comprehensive Medical Insurance Plan options to include generous County HSA contribution (if enrolled in the high-deductible plan). This is part of a full range of benefits including Dental, Vision, and Flexible Spending 100% County paid 2x annual salary Group Term Life Insurance and AD&D benefit Work/Life balance programs include: Employee Assistance Program and Employee Wellness Program Generous Tuition Reimbursement Program County and Employee funded Defined Benefit Pension Plan Vesting after 5 years of service Additional service credit for eligible previous public service, military service, etc. Other employee paid benefits such as Deferred Compensation Plan, Legal Resources, Supplemental Life Insurance, Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital Indemnity Insurance, etc, For more information, visit our benefits page on the Frederick County Government job opportunities webpage. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND JOB RESPONSIBILITIES Ensure efficient day-to-day operation of a senior center Assist Senior Center Supervisors with planning, promoting, and implementing in-person and virtual programs, activities, and special events for older adults Launch, coordinate and manage the iPad Loan program to expand accessibility and outreach to mitigate social isolation Work independently at virtual and/or satellite locations as needed, assuming leadership roles and responsibilities Provide support, safety and security of building and participants, take appropriate action as necessary Ensure that facilities are organized, properly set-up, and prepared for daily scheduled activities; ensure all equipment is safe Respond to customer inquiries and concerns promptly and appropriately Ensure that participants conform to established standards of conduct for activities and facilities Assist with inputting client data, units of service and other information into an electronic database to assure accurate reporting for county, state and federal reports Assist with senior center quality assurance efforts via follow-up calls and surveys to participants Provide general information and assist senior center participants with registration, orientation, and successful participation in activities Serve as a division ambassador, promoting division-wide services and programs to Frederick County constituents Receive, document, and deposit money collected from programs, meals, and transportation according to cash handling policies and procedures Assist with day-to-day operations of the congregate and home delivered meal programs, as needed Drive County vehicle to transport clients from different centers, various day trips and for meal delivery In the absence of the Senior Center Supervisor, assume the duties of that role Perform other duties as required To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Any single position may not be assigned all duties listed above, nor do the examples cover all duties that may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS The qualifications/requirements, knowledge/skills/abilities and physical requirements or working conditions described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. High school graduation or the equivalency Minimum 1 year work experience in a human services program Minimum 1 year customer service work experience Possession of a valid automobile license Basic skills in MS Office Suite Current CPR/AED and First Aid certifications or the ability to become so certified within 30 days of hire NOTE: Additional education may substitute for the work experience requirement. KNOWLEDGE / SKILLS / ABILITIES: Ability to maintain County Authorized Driver privileges Knowledge of health and sanitation guidelines relevant to food service Knowledge of facility safety/maintenance, and risk management practices Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from participants, customers, and the public Ability to set-up, use and breakdown audiovisual equipment Ability to set-up and/or breakdown furniture and equipment for classes, presentations, and special events Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with persons who are older and/or disabled, as well as co-workers, volunteers, and instructors, community groups, and the general public Strong and effective written and spoken (English) communication skills, including public speaking, and ability to compile and prepare written reports Ability to work independently and/or with minimal supervision at various locations and times Ability to effectively access and use computerized systems and equipment including Power Point, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, WebEx and other platforms as needed Ability to creatively problem solve and assist consumers with a variety of concerns, needs, and abilities on a daily basis Ability to work with sensitive, personal information and maintain confidentiality PREFERENCE MAY BE GIVEN FOR: A degree concentration in Human Services or related field Experience as an activity assistant in an adult setting, or recreation assistant in an adult program Additional years of work experience in a human services program Cash handling work experience Experience referencing health and sanitation guidelines relevant to food service Secondary language skills in Spanish PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS / WORKING CONDITIONS: While working in this position, the employee is required to constantly sit, walk, and stoop; frequently lift up to 20 pounds; and occasionally perform repetitive motions and drive. While working in this position, the employee is required to constantly work indoors and frequently work outdoors ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / EXAMINATION PROCESS Ability to provide own transportation to meetings, presentations, trainings and other commitments Available to work varied days and/or hours including evenings and weekends EXAMINATION PROCESS MAY INCLUDE: An evaluation of training and experience One or more interviews Retirement Plan: A defined benefit retirement plan is provided for all regular County employees. Employees are automatically enrolled in either the Uniformed Plan (5 year vesting) or the Non-Uniformed Plan (5 year vesting, effective 07/01/2024) depending upon position classification. The majority of support for the plan is provided by the County; however, employees are required to make a mandatory pre-tax contribution towards their benefit. Retirement benefits are payable at normal, early or delayed retirement. Retirement benefits are also payable upon termination and in the event of death or disability. Health Insurance: County employees have a choice of two medical insurance plans, an In-Network (HMO) Plan or a High Deductible medical plan with a Health Care Savings Account, to provide coverage for medical and surgical expenses, hospital and emergency care expenses, mental health expenses and prescription drugs. The County and participants share in the cost of the health insurance with the employee having the benefit of pre tax contribution deductions. Medical insurance goes into effect on the first day of active employment. Dental Insurance: Employees may select coverage from one of three dental plan options, ranging from a PPO plan to a dental HMO plan. Coverage includes preventive care, fillings, crowns, bridges and dentures, and the cost of dental insurance is shared by both the County and the employee. Dental insurance goes into effect on the first day of the month that follows the eligible employee's completion of 30 days of active employment NOTE: Employees working 75% or greater of a 35 or 40 hour position are eligible for health & dental insurance. Flexible Spending Accounts: The Flex Spending plan allows employees to pay health and day care expenses with pre-tax dollars. Employees may set aside part of their salary in a special account that can be used throughout the year to reimburse themselves for out-of-pocket medical expenses. The maximum contribution is $2,700 per year for Health Care Spending and $5,000 for Dependent Care Spending (work-related day care expenses). Examples of expenses that can be reimbursed for Health Care Spending include, but are not limited to: deductibles, co-payments, dental fees, chiropractors' services, and eyeglasses / contact lenses. Life Insurance: Employees are insured for 2 times their annual salary in case of death plus 2 times their annual salary for accidental death. Employees do not contribute to the premiums for this coverage. A Voluntary Life Insurance Program is offered to regular County employees. The plan allows employees to purchase individually owned term life insurance for themselves, spouses and dependents. Savings Plan - Deferred Compensation: The County offers a Section 457 Plan. Deferred compensation plans allow participants to save for retirement in either a pre tax or post tax (Roth) investment account. Contributions are invested at the employee's direction into one or more of the variety of investment options offered by the plan. Changes may be made to the contribution levels, investment options, etc. at any time. Educational Reimbursement Program: County employees who have successfully passed their probationary period may take up to two job-related courses per semester at any accredited educational institution. The benefit also covers the costs of job-related non-credit courses. If the employee receives a grade of at least a C, or successfully passes a non-credit course, the County reimburses the employee 75% of the costs of tuition, fees and books. If an employee doesn't remain employed with Frederick County Government for two years after a class is taken, the benefit needs to be reimbursed to FCG. Employee Assistance Program: This confidential assessment, referral and counseling service is available at no cost to all employees who may need help with a personal or job-related problem. Leave Annual Leave – Employees are eligible to use Annual Leave after their 6 month probationary period. Annual Leave accrues as follows: Years of service days per year 0 – 2 years 11 days 2 – 10 years 17 days 10 + years 24 days Sick Leave - Employees will earn sick leave at a rate of 15 days per calendar year. Sick Leave may also be used for illness of an employee's child, dependent, spouse, parent or parent-in-law. There is no limit on the amount of sick leave accumulated. Unused Sick Leave may be used for additional credit in the pension plan at the time of retirement. NOTE: Regular benefited part-time employees earn annual and sick leave on a pro-rated basis based on their actual number of hours worked biweekly up to their assigned number of regularly scheduled work hours. Other available types of leave include, but are not limited to, Family Medical Leave, Bereavement, Jury, Military. Holidays: The County observes 10 holidays every year and 11 are observed on years of General Elections. For additional information on Frederick County Governments benefit package, please visit the Division of Human Resources website at www.FrederickCountyMD.gov. All hires before January 1, 2012, will follow the all benefit and leave rules as described in the Personnel Rules amended October 3, 2013.