Community Navigator (San Jose)
About Us
We live by the saying “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”, andour mission is to empower healthy and thriving communities. Ounce is a first-of-its-kind community-based service model. Enabled by technology, we provide services to residents of affordable housing properties, improving engagement and outcomes at scale.
We are looking for creative and kind teammates to join us in this journey.
About the Role
Ounce Community Navigators are critical members of the team, serving as the face of Ounce within the community. You will be working directly with residents, our housing & community partners, and our broader team to deliver better care & services within affordable housing.
This is a community-based, resident-facing role that requires consistency, follow-through, and reliability. Our residents and partners depend on us showing up as promised, and clear commitment to scheduled hours is essential to success in this role.
In this role you will be a:
- Outreach & Engagement Specialist: You will proactively engage residents within affordable housing communities, building trust in Ounce's mission. You will find creative ways to engage residents, including door-to-door flyering, hosting community events, tabling, and phone-based outreach. This work requires being physically present on-site during scheduled hours and prepared to engage residents consistently.
- Benefits Specialist & Service Coordinator: You will help residents by scheduling doctor’s appointments, helping them apply for benefits they may be eligible for (e.g., SNAP, TANF, LIHEAP), and acting as their health & wellness advocate. You can balance multiple responsibilities & tasks at once, make and track referrals within our technology platform, and follow through with residents promptly.
- Relationship Builder: As the face of Ounce within the community, you’ll build trust & respect with residents, convene & listen to residents, and identify their needs proactively. You’ll also work closely with community partners across the Chesapeake area, ensuring our residents have access to high quality services and are treated with respect and empathy.
Who we’re looking for:
- You have experience navigating government benefits (e.g., SNAP, TANF, LIHEAP, Medicaid) and coordinating care to local organizations
- You are excited by “boots on the ground” opportunities, including community organizing, and enjoy customer-service roles, as you will be embedded within affordable housing communities in the Chesapeake suburbs and must embody a “residents come first” mentality
- You understand the unique opportunities and challenges affordable housing residents face; ideally, you have lived in the area and/or worked in a community-based role
- You are dependable, organized, and able to commit to a set schedule, understanding that residents and partners rely on your presence
Other information:
- Schedule: This role is structured as a four-day per week schedule, with weekday hours determined in partnership with your manager and according to property needs. Once scheduled, we expect that you maintain your committed days to the property consistently. We find that this makes a big difference in building trust with our residents and overall community.
- Ability to commute: Within San Jose, 4 days/week
- Hourly Rate: $26–$32 per hour
- Benefits: This role is benefits eligible, including access to Ounce health, dental, and vision plans, in accordance with company policy.
Ounce Expectations:
At Ounce, we care deeply about our community — both the residents we serve and the team members doing the work. We aim to structure this role in a way that can fit sustainably into your life, and we value open communication when challenges arise. At the same time, consistency and reliability are essential to this work. Our residents and partners rely on us to show up when we say we will, and we strongly value clear, proactive communication and dependable follow-through. This role is best suited for someone who can commit to a set schedule, communicate early and honestly, and take ownership of their presence and responsibilities on-site.
In addition, Community Navigators are expected to:
- Actively provide services to residents related to health, benefits, and financial needs, including follow-up and ongoing support as needed
- Accurately document all outreach, services provided, referrals, and resident interactions in the Ounce platform in a timely manner
- Build and maintain local partnerships that align with resident needs and support community programming
- Plan, coordinate, and host ongoing on-site programming and events, ensuring each property has consistent monthly engagement opportunities for residents
- Attend required team meetings, trainings, and check-ins, and participate fully as a member of the Ounce community team
Ounce is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law.