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Early Childhood Blind and Low Vision Specialist

Leave a commenton Early Childhood Blind and Low Vision Specialist

POSITION:                  Early Childhood Blind and Low Vision Specialist

STATUS:                      Part or Full-time Exempt

REPORTS TO:           Program Director, Little Learners Program

APPLICATION DEADLINE: specific date- TBD

JOB PURPOSE:

LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, headquartered in downtown San Francisco, is looking for full and part-time Early Childhood Blind and Low Vision Specialists to staff a new department within our organization in in selected counties throughout   the bay area and northern California.

The Early Childhood Blind and Low Vision Specialist reports to the LightHouse Little Learners Program Director.

Diversity and Inclusion: LightHouse intentionally and actively works to minimize barriers to employment faced by many marginalized groups. As a result, we welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and abilities, including but not limited to applicants who possess various disabilities, racial and ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientation, gender identities, and ages.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education or equivalent:

  • Minimum B.A. or B.S. degree
  • Strongly Preferred: Masters/Credential in Visual Impairments or Orientation and Mobility or Early Childhood/Special Education, or Physical or Occupational Therapy or Social Work

Desired Qualifications:

  • Professional preparation in the following:
    • Education of young children who are blind or have low vision
    • Orientation and Mobility
    • Infant or Early Childhood Development
    • Physical or Occupational Therapy
    • Social Work
  • Professional preparation in the philosophy of Infant and Family Mental Health
  • Bilingual fluency; Spanish preferred
  • Public speaking skills
  • Infant Massage Training or Certification

Experience (Preferred):

  • Minimum three years’ experience working with infants and preschoolers who are blind or have low vision, or whose developmental delays include blindness or low vision; or who are deafblind
  • Minimum three years’ experience providing home visits to families
  • Work in multi-cultural teaching circumstances
  • Trained in Lilli Nielsen philosophy of Active Learning

Required Skills:

  • Strong written and spoken communication skills
  • Knowledge of the many strategies, techniques and communities used to support blind children, teens, and adults for success throughout life.
  • Effective interpersonal and communication skills with children and adults
  • Joyful, playful, positive working style with children
  • Strong organization and prioritization/time management skills to meet deadlines and monthly submission of billing
  • Takes initiative and can work independently under pressure
  • Creative problem solver
  • Flexible schedule and demeanor: able to accommodate widely varied and unpredictable home circumstances with children, family members and pets present
  • Positive attitude, professional manner, and strong work ethic
  • Ability to interact and network with professionals and to deal tactfully with a variety of individuals and organizations
  • Ability to relate to and show compassion toward concerned client families and family members
  • Must be sensitive to clients’ cultural and socioeconomic circumstances

Other:

  • Ability to use alternative modes of transportation regularly
  • Comfort with navigating in familiar and new communities
  • Willingness to be fingerprinted and complete a background check, including Livescan
  • Willingness to complete a TB test
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities and demands
  • Willingness to use personal phone for work-related communications (will be reimbursed). The Specialist’s phone number will be shielded from callers through the LightHouse system.

TECHNOLOGY SKILLS:

  • Knowledge of basic computer and technology skills with the following preferred experience with Calendaring, Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, Outlook, as well as other Software Applications, such as Salesforce, ADP, Zoom tele-conference; and including facility with encrypted data communication systems

Transportation:

  • The ability to travel to various locations throughout the SF bay area and Northern and Central California is essential to the duties of this position
  • Strong organization and prioritization/time management skills that ensure timely completion of weekly tasks and long-term projects
  • Valid California Driver’s License or valid California REAL ID

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: (will differ in periods of remote learning):

  • Commitment to following COVID-19 protocols, including use of required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), social distancing and hand-washing techniques, during in-person services.
  • Able to lift boxes and materials up to 30 pounds

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Early Childhood Blind and Low Vision Specialist in this role will provide services in the following areas:

Family Services:

  • Provide parent/caregiver education and family-centered coaching services in the context of the natural environment of the home and community for families of young children (birth to three years of age) who are blind or have low vision; have neurological visual impairment; whose developmental delays include blindness or low vision; or who are deafblind
  • Provide information and resources to families related to their child’s blindness or low vision, and how these disabilities impact early development
  • Conduct parent interviews and administer developmental and functional vision assessments appropriate for this population of children and their families
  • Encourage parent/caregiver and child interactions and the child’s overall growth and development through adapted play and routines-based activities in the home, or by remote learning or a hybrid of in-person and remote learning
  • Support the relationship and bond between the parent/caregiver and child utilizing the philosophy of infant and family mental health
  • Coach families in child-advocacy skills in medical, educational, and social settings
  • Have a working knowledge of specialized toys and materials and assistive technology for young children who are blind or have low vision, or neurological visual impairment, or whose developmental delays are combined with blindness or deaf blindness

Community Collaboration and Outreach: 

  • Consult and build professional working relationships with community representatives as a full participant on the child and family’s Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) team
  • Partner with the child’s site-based early intervention program to adapt materials, approaches and the environment for a child who is blind or has low vision
  • Prepare for, accompany, and debrief with families on important medical visits
  • Provide information, resources, and referrals to families for relevant community services and assistance
  • Provide workshops and trainings on early childhood blindness and low vision for families and professionals
  • Help plan and coordinate individual or group family education and parent-to-parent-support opportunities and events
  • At the direction of their supervisor, attend and participate in programs of national, state, and local groups of parents of blind children

Case Management:

  • Maintain and organize secure and safe client case files in multiple formats, as needed, including contracts, Purchases of Service, Facesheets, Family Surveys and research forms, for a service population in the range of 20-30 clients per FTE
  • Prepare and submit family reports to contracting agencies according to established timelines
  • Maintain consistent, accurate service notes
  • Maintain accurate client billing records in electronic format and submit service hours for billing by established deadlines
  • Comply with HIPAA requirements related to confidentiality of documents and communications

 

  • Ability to purchase, track and maintain toys and materials in an organized and safe condition
  • Maintain and submit accurate expense reports in accordance with Lighthouse employee handbook and policies.

 

Organizational Support:

  • Establish and maintain a safe and secure home office environment to effectively perform duties required of the Early Childhood Blindness and Low Vision Specialist
  • Provide families with required agency, state, and federal electronic forms, and maintain in case electronic file
  • Assist with confidential data gathering and information-sharing per state and federal requirements; in collaboration with LightHouse’s internal departments such as Program, IT, Development, Finance and Communications
  • Participate in monthly All-Staff and LightHouse Little Learners Program Staff Meetings (regional, and/or full program)
  • Complete annual Performance Review requirements

WORKING CONDITIONS:

  • Typical work hours: 9 AM-5PM, 5 days per week per FTE
  • Willingness to work *outside* of normal working hours when appointments or Lighthouse programs require it.
  • Works in a well-lighted, ventilated home or headquarters office area
  • With the approval of their supervisor, attends and participates in professional development opportunities related to job responsibilities
  • Work at events held in indoor and outdoor environments including occasional overnight stays at Enchanted Hills Camp in Napa
  • With the approval of their supervisor, attends and participates in professional development opportunities related to job responsibilities
  • Attends all LightHouse all-staff events and, with the permission of their supervisor, optional LightHouse blindness learning events
  • Willingness to be fingerprinted and complete a background check, including a Livescan and TB Test

LightHouse is an equal opportunity employer.  The Lighthouse’s Equal Opportunity statement can be found here: https://lighthouse-sf.org/about/careers/

Compensation:  Depending on Experience; “industry competitive”

HOW TO APPLY:

Please include a cover letter and résumé as Word attachments (no PDFs please), to hr@lighthouse-sf.org, including the job title in the subject line. We will not consider videos or hyperlinks to online profiles. Due to time constraints, we will only respond to complete submissions in which there is serious interest, thanks for your understanding.

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Employer Relations Specialist

POSITION:       Employer Relations Specialist

REPORTS TO:   Director, Employment Services

The LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, headquartered in downtown San Francisco, is looking for a full-time Employer Relations Specialist to fill a valued role in our growing organization.

Role Overview: This role is devoted to substantially increase the hiring of LightHouse’s blind and visually impaired jobseekers. This person will augment the historic rate of hiring by systematic relationship-building and employer outreach. The position’s success will be measured by the number and quality of employment outcomes obtained through vigorous outreach to key decision-makers in the California Competitive job market.

Qualifications:

  • A passion to represent the blind and visually impaired community in a positive and competent manner
  • A minimum of 5 years of experience in business development or social services
  • Strong knowledge of Human Resources and Recruitment processes
  • High customer service and relationship orientation and strong interpersonal and communication skills
  • Proven ability to build lasting relationships with candidates and hiring managers
  • Energetic, self-motivated, self-starter
  • Experience working independently or with a team
  • Have exceptional planning and organization skills, ability to manage multiple assignments simultaneously
  • Ability to manage confidential information per LightHouse policies
  • Intermediate computer software skills
  • Bachelor’s degree preferred
  • Experience working in the disabled community a plus

Job Responsibilities:

Employer Relations:

Introduce LightHouse Employment Services Program to corporations by systematically contacting Human Resources departments, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion staff, Executive level and hiring managers and educate them on the benefit of hiring, promoting and retaining blind and visually impaired individuals.

  • Create a comprehensive list and pipeline of targeted employer key hiring contacts based on future job market hiring trends and job market influencers
  • Set up a contact management system to ensure that such key influencers are regularly touched in person, electronically and by LightHouse communications
  • Identify and regularly meet with high-level hiring managers and C-suite executives with the power to make agreements and form relationships
  • Liaise with Human Resource professionals to expand their awareness and knowledge of the blind and visually impaired community and track subsequent hires
  • Promote LightHouse Services as expert Consulting resource, emphasizing the development of Job Retention Plans for employers.
  • Present to high-level corporate Diversity and Inclusion trainings and guide discussions to practical increases in hiring of blind job candidates in numbers
  • Promote LightHouse consulting services to support the formation of in-house training and programs to increase corporate awareness and knowledge of how blind people can perform diverse jobs
  • Introduce LightHouse Job Retention services to employers to support the retention of existing employees experiencing performance issues due to changing vision
  • At the direction of supervisor, attend selected corporate or community service provider conferences representing LightHouse Employment Programs
  • Other duties relevant to department goals as assigned

Recruitment/Student Placement:

Substantially increase the number of LightHouse job seeker placements in the competitive job market.

  • Collaborate with Employment Specialist to identify selected students to market to targeted employers
  • Develop a database of key decision makers in targeted employers Human Resource staff and meet with them, developing a direct conduit for candidate referral/consideration
  • Identify existing and new job opportunities within targeted companies compatible with student job seekers goals to augment Employment Specialists’ efforts
  • Work with employers to source a broad range of job opportunities including full, part time and contract positions, internships and apprenticeships
  • Promote “job carving” and “on the Job Training” opportunities with Human Resources staff and Hiring Managers
  • Collaborate with Youth Employment Services department to identify short term work experience opportunities
  • Participate in occasional Virtual Training Program presentations at the direction of supervisor while not interfering with the principal employer-facing nature of this position
  • Implement new LightHouse Open House Job Fairs
  • Support employer-facing campaigns by collaborating with Communications Department
  • Identify key decision-makers in targeted employers Human Resource staff to serve as direct conduit for candidate referral/consideration
  • Other duties relevant to department goals as assigned

Who We Are:

LightHouse has an audacious mission – to transform the lives of the 40,000 blind people in the greater Bay Area and beyond. We do this through tech design, disability advocacy, consultation, classes and community formation in San Francisco, our four satellite offices and Enchanted Hills Camp in Napa. We are a fun, fascinating, widely diverse, warm and friendly community. We work in downtown San Francisco in a 40,000 square foot state-of-the-art workspace renowned for its universal design, steps from Civic Center BART. LightHouse is working for nothing less than to change the future for blind people and the wider community.

Within a five-minute walk are the world headquarters for Twitter, Uber, Dolby, Zendesk and many other tech giants. Within three blocks are all of the principal building for Northern California’s federal, state and local government. Also in our neighborhood are many theaters, San Francisco Symphony and Opera, the Asian Art Museum and dozens of other key cultural anchors of the entire Bay Area.

The successful candidate will join a unique organization in which blind and sighted professionals work together at every level. Our governing Board of Directors, management and staff are all composed of roughly equal numbers of blind and sighted people, a parity unprecedented in our field.

Founded in 1902, LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired provides skills, resources and community for the advancement of all individuals who are blind or have low vision. Our innovative programs have been featured in 60 Minutes, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal and beyond. The blind community comes to LightHouse to learn how to travel independently with a white cane, to rejoin the workforce, use accessible technology, and meet a community of mentors and peers. From unique tactile maps, to an unparalleled camp for blind campers, to a world prize for blind ambition, LightHouse offers programs unavailable elsewhere

Learn About Us:

LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired
1155 Market Street, 10th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94103
www.lighthouse-sf.org

Employee Benefits:

The LightHouse offers a rich package of benefits, including medical, vision and dental insurance. Employees are eligible for an employer-matched 401(k) plan and subsidized health club membership, among many other perks.

Compensation:

Depending On Experience; industry competitive.

How to Apply:

Please submit a cover letter and résumé in word processing document attachments (no PDFs please) and employment application (downloads in a Word document) to hr@lighthouse-sf.org, including the job title in the subject line. including the job title in the subject line. To fill out the application, please enable editing in the document.

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Director of Access Technologies

POSITION:                Director of Access Technologies

REPORTS TO:         Senior Director, Programs

STATUS:                   Exempt

JOB PURPOSE:

The LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired is seeking an experienced and self-motivated individual to oversee our newly formed access technology department. The AT director will manage all LightHouse programs and initiatives whose chief focus is access technology. The ideal candidate will also be the face and voice of LightHouse as we work with tech-focused companies, designers, government agencies and community partners to ensure accessibility and inclusive design are priorities for all. The LightHouse is positioning itself to be a prominent player at the intersection of blindness, big tech, and human-centered design.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education or equivalent:  B.A. degree in Computer Science, Rehabilitation Engineering or a related field preferred, or work experience in accessibility, access technology, or related fields may be substituted.

Experience: A minimum of five years in access technology, accessibility, or a related field is strongly preferred. The model candidate will have deep, firsthand knowledge of current trends in access technology and accessibility. This position will be well served by someone with exceptional people skills, a strong writing background, and an affinity for working with a large team. Supervisory experience desired.

Other:

  • Working knowledge of WCAG 2.0 desired.
  • Familiarity with 508 compliance standards preferred.
  • Knowledge of UEB Braille code a plus.
  • Understanding of Supervisory and team management methodology and methods of implementation preferred.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Able to carry or transport 20 lbs; sit at a desk and perform computer-intensive work for long periods of time; operate standard office equipment; travel independently.

JOB ACCOUNTABILITIES:

  • Develop and implement teaching program curricula for various individual and small-group AT classes.
    • Craft AT assessment instruments to determine the needs of all students, including blind and visually impaired participants with secondary/tertiary disabilities.
    • In collaboration with the Employment Immersion Department, customize tech assessments to meet the needs of students on a vocational track with state rehabilitation agencies.
    • Supervise and collaborate with tech specialist team to create and implement structured curricula.
    • Initiate new programming and novel projects based upon the changing needs of the blind and visually impaired community.
    • Guide team to develop future blind tech distance education models.
    • Supervise a team of Access Technology Specialists and others, to deliver the best and most appropriate tech training.
  • Liaise with all LightHouse departments to ensure students are receiving complete access technology support across all LightHouse programs.
  • Identify and procure access technology hardware, software and apps to ensure an effective and complete environment for assessment and training for LightHouse students.
  • Foster warm, professional, and productive relationships with tech vendors, community partners, and big-tech companies to position LightHouse as a leader on all matters related to access technology and accessibility for the blind and visually impaired.
  • Manage all user experience testing and user research projects. Guide companies to include the LightHouse in design and pre-design efforts in addition to end user testing.
  • Develop protocols, procedures and outreach to promote the LightHouse as the leading blindness-focused agency for user experience and accessibility testing.
  • Develop internal practices to ensure all LightHouse electronic and hardcopy collateral, content, and channels are accessible.
  • Cultivate and raise the influence of LightHouse Labs for all stakeholders.
    • Solicit, identify and vet prospective presenters for monthly Lighthouse Labs meetings.
    • Establish a web presence for LightHouse Labs, with special emphasis on a searchable database of all Labs presenters and their associated projects.
  • Collaborate with LightHouse staff, key individuals, and other blindness-oriented agencies to build an online, multimedia knowledge exchange portal.
  • In collaboration with the Development Department, research and recommend external funding and grant opportunities.
  • Maintain current, relevant knowledge regarding disability access as applied up to the latest court decisions impacting public information, technology and physical/facilities/web design regulations.
  • Possess and maintain familiarity with assistive technology federal expectations and parameters of installment, use and maintenance.
  • Manage financial resources, including creation and maintenance of a departmental budget.
  • Other Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:

This position oversees all other positions within the Access Technology Department.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired is an equal opportunity employer to all.  We strive to maintain a scent-free environment and a drug-free workplace. We also operate under a mutual “employment at will” policy.

TO APPLY:

Please submit a cover letter and résumé as Word attachments (no PDFs please), to hr@lighthouse-sf.org, including the job title in the subject line. We will not consider videos or hyperlinks to online profiles. Due to time constraints, we will only respond to complete submissions in which there is serious interest. Thanks for your understanding.

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General Ledger Accountant

1 Commenton General Ledger Accountant

    

JOB DESCRIPTION

POSITION:                 General Ledger Accountant

REPORTS TO:     Controller

STATUS:             Non-exempt

 

JOB PURPOSE:

The LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired is looking for a service-oriented General Ledger Accountant to join the LightHouse team, in the heart of downtown San Francisco. With more than 100 employees and an annual budget of $13.5 M, the LightHouse has the resources and imagination to help change the lives of the blind and low-vision population of the greater bay area and beyond.  One of San Francisco’s oldest and best-known philanthropies, we’ve recently begun operations in our brand-new, state-of-the-art headquarters on Market Street. Here we coordinate students, volunteers, teachers, families, tech and a caring staff, to design and build new ways in which to help people with visual impairments.

The General Ledger Accountant will work in this San Francisco office as part of a four-person Finance Department, responsible for all aspects of accounting and financial reporting for the entire organization, including additional satellite offices in northern California.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education or equivalent: BS degree in Accounting preferred, although relevant work experience may also be considered.  A strong, working knowledge of GAAP accounting principles and practices is essential.

Experience: A minimum of three years’ experience working in an accounting department.  High-level MS Excel skills are mandatory.  A professional background including the use of Financial Edge software is highly preferred. A demonstrated history of working well with a variety of individuals while providing excellent customer service, both to internal and external customers. Proficiency with the balance of MS Office Suite, particularly Outlook and Word, are also important.

Other: Superior communication. Defined organizational skills, and the capacity to prioritize and meet multiple deadlines with minimal direction. Work experience within a nonprofit environment is helpful.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Must be able to: Carry or transport 20lbs, sit at a desk and perform computer-intensive work for long periods of time, operate standard office equipment and travel independently.

JOB ACCOUNTABILITIES:

  • Semi-monthly payroll processing support
  • Accounts Receivable (AR), Accounts Payable (AP) and Cash Receipts accounting and reporting.
  • Monthly review and recording of donation activity into the General Ledger, including unrestricted and restricted revenue reporting.
  • Monthly accounting for fixed assets.
  • Petty cash account management.
  • Various statutory governmental filings.
  • Various schedules supporting Agency’s annual audit.
  • Bank account reconciliations, and various other Balance Sheet account reconciliations.
  • Retail store and LightHouse Industries inventory / COGS accounting and reporting.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired is an equal opportunity employer to all.  We strive to maintain a scent-free environment and a drug-free workplace. We also operate under a mutual “employment at will” policy.

TO APPLY:

Please submit a cover letter and résumé as Word attachments (no .PDFs please), to hr@lighthouse-sf.org, including the job title in the subject line. We will not consider videos or hyperlinks to online profiles. Due to time constraints we will only respond to complete submissions in which there is serious interest; thanks for your understanding.