Join Our Team

Department: Compass Interpreters

Job Summary: Provides professional interpretation services for community service providers, limited English proficient individuals, and The Center staff from the source language to the target language as requested.

Accountabilities: All interpreters report to the Manager of Compass Interpreters. Compass Interpreters, a division of The Center, is a multilingual interpretation, translation and cultural outreach organization. The department provides educational and professional services to foster cultural understanding and appreciation, promote multicultural diversity, and empower communities to embrace new populations. Compass Interpreters provides professional linguistic services to clients in languages that are relevant to refugees and immigrants who are living in our community

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides services in a variety of settings to include employment, education, governmental agencies, home visits, medical, legal, social service, and other settings as requested
• Provides appropriate documentation and reports for services, including confirmation forms, mileage or other paperwork as requested 
• Represents and promotes Compass Interpreters in the community 
• Follows the interpreter code of ethics

Additional Employment Expectations

• Hired as an employee of The Center
• If applying as an “untrained” bilingual speaker, attendance and completion of Bridging the Gap training will be required to accept medical appointments
• Attend department information meetings as requested
• Participate in continuing education opportunities as available

Department: TONE — translation of nearly everything

Job Summary: Tune in, turn it up, join us! Provides professional translation services from requested source text to target text in accordance with Project Manager requests, client specifications, and deadlines. We hire translators on a continuing basis. All positions are as freelance translators. No full-time positions are available.

Accountabilities: All translators report to the translation Manager and work closely with the Translation Coordinator. Translators are hired as independent contractors and can work anywhere around the world. All communication is done electronically and all translations are electronic documents. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Translate or review requested text accurately and completely, conveying the meaning of the source target into the target text
• Ability to translate 250 words p. hour, 2,000 words p. day, 10,000 words p. week.
• Complete accepted jobs in accordance with project specifications and within deadline
• Format all individual document requests in accordance with the original
  
  

Additional Employment Expectations:

• Translation Memory software – such as Wordfast, MemoQ, SDL Trados, XTM, Across, Xbench, Déjà Vu – is an advantage
• All applicants are subject to an interview process. Applicants may be asked to complete sample translation or deliver a small sample without payment unless proof of language proficiency, language testing, or a nationally/internationally recognized certificate is provided.

Title: Immigrant Community Navigator

Department: Office for New Americans 

Job Summary: The ONA Immigrant Community Navigator is responsible for providing comprehensive program management of all activities required to be completed for the Workforce Community Education, Community Navigator and Welcoming Communities Program.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Establish and lead a local “Immigration Integration Round Table” program including but not limited to representatives from members of the private sector, local governments, community based organizations, immigrants, local businesses, chambers of commerce, farm workers, farm owners, CAAs, refugee resettlement agencies, immigrant service providers and members of the community.
• Deliver research report regarding important economic, workforce issues facing immigrants in the region as identified by the immigrant community.
• Work with the ONA Opportunity Center(s) and other partners in the service area and develop and implement Employment/ Workforce Development workshops, expos, or other type of events to be held at the partner agency to meet the needs of the immigrant community.
• Coordinate and support ONA Press Office with advertising and other media related efforts.
• Create a strategic plan to recruit a significant number of community volunteers.
• Recruit significant number of community volunteers who will help low-income immigrants learn about existing services.
• Conduct community outreach impact days with volunteers.
• Track and create a calendar of local immigrant-related events on the ONA website.
• Create up to four (4) local tours for relevant stakeholders.
• Conduct Community Conversations about welcoming immigrants, particularly the low-income immigrant population, including outreach for these events.
• Conduct Community Navigator trainings, including outreach for these events.
• Responsible for all program documentation and reporting.

Accountabilities: The Immigrant Community Navigator reports to the Chief Operating Officer. Their responsibility is to ensures program activities are administered in accordance with federal and state regulations and in compliance with contract/funding requirements. 

Additional Employment Expectations: Coordinates services with other departments of the MVRCR to assure immigrants receive a full range of services provided by the agency, as well as external agencies. Establishes communication and works closely with the community partners to ensure culturally appropriate services and programming. Promotes MVRCR in the community by attending community functions, speaking on behalf of the agency and serving as a liaison with related agencies and service providers. Any other duties required by the agency, contracts, or the supervisory management or the Board of Directors of the agency.

Title: Employment Specialist

Department: Employment & Workforce Development 

Job Summary: Provides job enhancement services to assist refugees to gain employment, and/or upgrade employment

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Job Placement and Retention
• Contact employers to determine needs and to explain placement services.
• Gather data on clients, document client work habits and progress, and improvement in job status.
• Prepare client self-sufficiency plans.
• Arrange interviews between employers and clients to facilitate placement of clients.
• Track client progress, encourage self-improvement through job counseling.
• Meets on a daily basis with Employment staff to determine and evaluate progress of clients.
• Assist employers with on-site orientations, job training and conflict resolution.
• Assist clients with employment benefits.
• Assist clients to maintain their jobs for at least 90 days through weekly contact with both the client and the employer.
• Works with other employment team members to conduct employment orientation.
• When higher paying jobs become available, seek out qualified clients to prepare them for applying for new positions, or assist clients in seeking out higher paying jobs.
• Assist with resume preparation and interviewing skills
• Refer clients to relevant educational programs for additional training or educational counseling.
• Assists clients in seeking out certifications and skill training to become qualified for better paying jobs.
• Assists manager with mentoring and training new employment staff, as needed.

Accountabilities: Reports to the Employment Manager. Employment Services is responsible for preparing, counseling, placing refugees and immigrants in the best jobs for which the refugees and immigrants are qualified.

Additional Employment Expectations: The Employment Department seeks to build individual and community capacity to integrate our new neighbor into the local Utica community. This is achieved through a combination of programs and services that foster an atmosphere of understanding and tolerance through the engagement of individual clients, the refugee/immigrant community and the local community. Furthermore, the service promotes the work of the The Center within the community, identifies needs for expanded services, and communicates the work and philosophy of the agency to community stakeholders.

Volunteer Position: Tutor - Naturalization Exam

Department: Office for New Americans 

Position Summary: Work one on one or in small groups with immigrants and refugees studying for their naturalization exam to become U.S. Citizens. Individuals must learn 100 civics questions and be able to communicate in basic information in English.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Practice civics questions and speaking English with individuals or in small groups
• Keep track of progress and work on areas that need improvement
• Maintain confidentiality of clients at all times  

Accountabilities: This volunteer will report directly to the Project Coordinator for the Office of New Americans Opportunity Center

Volunteer Position: Tutor - English

Department: Adult Learning and/or Office for New Americans 

Position Summary: Work one on one or in small groups with immigrants and refugees studying the English language. 

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Practice English 
• Keep track of progress and work on areas that need improvement
• Maintain confidentiality of clients at all times  

Accountabilities: This volunteer position is available for two different departments at the Center. Our Adult Learning department which provides English classes everyday through a partnership with MVCC needs tutors for some of their students. Our Office for New Americans program also needs tutors to assist individuals outside of regular English language classes or at other locations in the City where English instruction is provided.

Volunteer Position: Outreach and Planning Assistant

Department: Office for New Americans

Position Summary: Support administrative tasks such as community outreach, workshop planning and facilitation for the Office for New Americans Opportunity Center 

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Complete administrative tasks as requested (i.e. copying, data collection, filing, follow-up, research etc.)
• Conduct outreach for the Office for New Americans programs (such as putting up posters at various locations throughout the City or contacting local faith institutions to make them aware of upcoming events)
• Assist with workshop ideas, planning, and facilitation

Accountabilities: This volunteer position will report to the Project Coordinator for the Office for New Americans Opportunity Center.

Volunteer Position: Administrative Assistant 

Department: Making a Connection Program (MAC Grant)

Position Summary: Support this brand new program by providing support with administrative tasks and outreach!

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Complete administrative tasks as requested (i.e. copying, data collection, filing, follow-up, research etc.)
• Assist with community outreach 
• Follow-up with individuals interested in program participation 
• Assist with identifying mentors for refugee youth
  

Accountabilities: This volunteer position will report to the MAC Program Manager. This is a new grant program at the Center with the purpose of matching refugee youth ages 15-24 with positive adult mentors to promote positive civic and social engagement and support individual educational and vocational advancement.

Volunteer Position: Office Assistant - Reception

Department: Administration 

Position Summary: Provide coverage for the reception area (front desk) during lunch periods, meetings, and other times as needed

Responsibilities and Duties

• Answer the phone and direct calls accordingly
• Answer the phone and take messages as needed
• Buzz people into the building 
• Request sign-in from visitors

Accountabilities: This volunteer position will report to the Chief Operating Officer and work directly with the Receptionist.

Title: Scheduler/Office Assistant

Department: Compass Interpreters

Job Summary: The Scheduler/Office Administrative Assistant oversees the organization, cullection, data entry, and management of paperwork from interpreting assignments as submitted by Compass Interpreters and assists with scheduling of customer interpreting requests.

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Overseeing data finishing entry to the Fluency scheduling system
• Providing all completed confirmations in an efficient manner to the Finance Department
• Communicating with interpreters to ensure submission of paperwork
• Assisting with scheduling appointments and filing
• Assessing coverage concerns
• Ensuring customer satisfaction and excellent customer service
• Assisting and coordinating with other MVRCR departments as needed
• Any other required duties

Accountabilities: This position reports to the Manager of Compass Interpreters. Report to the manager/director. This position will coordinate entry of data into Fluency scheduling system, assist with assignment scheduling, be in charge of time finishing, and work closely with the Finance Department

Additional Employment Expectations: Compass Interpreters is the interpretation department at The Center. Candidates are expected to be welcoming, having an understanding of working in a multicultural / multilingual environment and be flexible. Individuals working in this position must be able to multitask and handle interruptions due to phone calls or office visitors. 

The Center is currently seeking individuals who are interested in interning during the Fall Semester at our organization. Additional internships are available for the Spring semesters and summer break. Specific positions may change from semester to semester. Minimum hours and work load vary depending on the department and internship position. If you're the community builder we are looking for, apply today!

The organization prefers individuals who are pursuing studies in the following areas:

• International Studies/Relations
• Human Rights
• Human Services
• Government
• Journalism
• Communications
• Public Relations
• Computer Sciences/Graphic Design
• Human Service
• Language
• Anthropology

University students of any level of study will be considered. Prospective interns who match our organization's needs will be contacted for an interview.  After the interview process, a final decision will be made.

Volunteer with The Center to help refugees, immigrants, and the greater Mohawk Valley community feel welcome.