About Our Job
The Denver Public Library (DPL) is a growing urban library system that serves the residents of the City & County of Denver. DPL sees more than 4 million visitors every year across its 27 locations, serves Denver’s most vulnerable communities through outreach and mobile services, hosts thousands of programs a year and manages a collection of more than 1.4 million physical and digital materials. We believe a strong library is vital for a strong community. DPL is committed to serving the evolving needs of Denverites through inspired programming, diverse collections, culturally-representative spaces, and equitable policies & procedures.
For more information, go to denverlibrary.org. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.
As a Community Resource Supervisor (Community Service Supervisor), your job will be to supervise six Peer Resource Navigators directly and guide them through skill development, problem-solving, and resilience-building. This role will collaborate with community organizations or city agencies to address the systemic issues and needs of at-risk library customers who spend time in the Denver Public Libraries. Collaborations will include developing community partnerships and scheduling service providers at the Central Library. This role is a mix of administrative program duties, supporting/guiding/directing/overseeing staff, direct service with customers, program planning, and collaboration with supervisors and front-line employees across the library system. You will serve as a resource for library staff and a model of working effectively with customers, including de-escalating incidents with empathy and calling for emergency services when necessary. This position is for in-person work primarily at the Central Library, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 am- 5 pm, and may include branch visits.
About Our Department
The Community Resource team at Denver Public Library is a non-clinical, externally facing program that supports customers experiencing homelessness, mental health or substance misuse challenges, and individuals seeking resources. Our staff members are considered the intermediate resource; their main goal is to assist customers and connect them to community-based or city-based resources. Customers work with us voluntarily; there are no requirements to be able to work with our team, and our services are confidential.
About You
Our ideal candidate:
Proven ability to remain calm while de-escalating a variety of situations.
Ability to exercise reasonable and professional judgment.
Strong ability to de-escalate incidents, quickly problem-solve emergency situations and call for emergency services when necessary.
Ability to creatively solve problems, negotiate, and handle stressful situations in a positive manner.
Passion for supporting Peer Navigators, and learning about Peer work! This includes going through a Peer Support Specialist Training to ensure you understand all aspects of this work.
High level of organizational skills and ability to autonomously determine necessary tasks and complete work.
Skill in setting boundaries with your time and desire to work 40 hours a week.
A proven ability to fully engage in work while you are here and disconnect when you are off.
You are able to turn your work phone off when not working and coach your team members through clear expectations to do the same.
Experience working in a shelter environment or other high-impact employment.
Ability to thrive in a working environment with constant public contact with people from all backgrounds and age groups.
Skill in addressing the needs of people experiencing homelessness and other vulnerable populations.
Knowledge of systemic oppression.
A strong emphasis on equity and inclusion, with professional experience working with people from diverse backgrounds, including communities of color and under-resourced communities.
Experience and understanding of working with a diverse urban population.
Knowledge of resources and social services available in the Denver area.
Skill in providing strong, dedicated, and compassionate service.
Experience in directly supervising multiple employees including writing schedules, setting clear expectations, overseeing work, creating goals, writing performance reviews, approving time cards, and staff development.
Ability to take initiative and work independently.
Ability to communicate effectively with a wide variety of audiences, both verbally and in writing.
Ability to work well with a team and prioritize team-building activities and relationships.
A sincere desire to improve our community, be part of the library team, and collaborate directly with other supervisors and frontline employees.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in social work, human services, or related field
- Experience in crisis intervention and de-escalation
- Two years of supervisory experience
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Education Requirement: Graduation from high school or possession of a GED, HiSET or TASC Certificate.
Experience Requirement: Two (2) years of experience working as a Peer Support Specialists, Peer Support supervision preferred.
Education and Experience Equivalency: A combination of appropriate education and experience may be substituted for the minimum education and experience requirements.