Case manager | Opportunity Consult

Case Manager/Navigator

Location: Washington, DC

Salary range: $54,000 – $69,500, based on experience

Position Type: Full-time, grant-funded position

Term: Initial 12-month appointment, with the potential for annual renewal for up to four years, subject to continued funding availability and satisfactory performance

Included Benefits: Healthcare benefits, sick leave, life insurance, 401K company match

About Opportunity Consulting

Opportunity Consulting is a growing, mission-driven consulting firm that partners with government agencies, school systems, nonprofits, foundations, and other mission-driven organizations to improve education, economic mobility, and community well-being. We take on complex challenges where strategy, policy, people, and implementation intersect, helping organizations move from big questions and competing priorities to data-informed strategies, stronger programs and systems, and meaningful results for the communities they serve.

Our work spans research and evaluation, needs assessments, strategic planning and advising, organizational improvement, leadership and capacity building, community and stakeholder engagement, and implementation support. Across that work, we value rigor, curiosity, collaboration, equity, and practical impact. We believe good consulting means listening closely to the people closest to the work, using data and evidence thoughtfully, asking hard questions, making complex information accessible, and developing solutions that can actually be put into practice.

That range means no two projects—or weeks—look quite the same. One day you might be helping a family navigate an urgent need for transportation, food, clothing, or housing support; another, connecting a young person to education, employment, behavioral health, or other community resources. You might be coordinating with a service provider, following up on an assistance request, troubleshooting a referral that didn’t work, documenting case notes, or helping a young person or family figure out the next step when the path forward isn’t clear.

About the Role

This role is ideal for someone with human-services experience who understands that effective case management begins with relationships: listening well, building trust, recognizing strengths, understanding the full context of a person's circumstances, and working alongside youth and families rather than simply directing them to services.

The Case Manager/Navigator will work directly with youth and families who may be navigating urgent needs, complex systems, or circumstances affecting their stability and well-being. You'll bring a strengths-based, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed orientation to that work while maintaining appropriate professional expectations. At times, you'll also help families access emergency financial or material assistance and ensure those resources are provided quickly, appropriately, and in accordance with program requirements.

We're looking for someone who is comfortable holding two things at once: deep care for people and strong accountability for the work. That looks like maintaining and producing quality case notes, documentation, follow-through, confidentiality, eligibility requirements, and responsible stewardship of resources. The strongest candidate will see those things as complementary rather than competing priorities. You'll work closely with program leadership, community-based organizations, service providers, government agencies, schools, and other partners. You’ll have meaningful responsibility and the opportunity to help shape how we support youth and families.

What You'll Do

Build Relationships with Youth & Families

Develop trusting, consistent, and respectful relationships with youth and families
Conduct professional assessments of immediate needs, longer-term priorities, existing resources, strengths, and barriers
Work collaboratively with participants to develop realistic action plans rather than prescribing solutions for them
Recognize and respect the expertise youth and families bring regarding their own lives and circumstances
Maintain regular contact and follow through on commitments so participants know they have a consistent point of connection

Provide Case Management & Navigation

Manage an assigned caseload and serve as a primary point of contact for participating youth and families
Document case notes into a case management system in accordance with project guidelines
Connect youth and families to housing, food, transportation, clothing, education, employment, healthcare, behavioral health, childcare, public benefits, legal services, and other resources as needed
Help participants gather documentation, complete applications, communicate with providers, and navigate unfamiliar systems
Follow up after referrals to determine whether services were actually accessed and whether they addressed the participant's need
Troubleshoot unsuccessful referrals, waitlists, eligibility barriers, communication challenges, and other obstacles

Support Youth & Family Stabilization

Respond promptly and compassionately when youth or families experience urgent stabilization needs, and support participant outreach
Help participants assess immediate needs and identify appropriate short- and longer-term solutions
Support requests for emergency financial or material assistance, including gathering required information and supporting documentation
Coordinate approved assistance and dispursements with participants, vendors, service providers, and program staff
Monitor pending requests and follow through to ensure approved assistance reaches youth and families as intended
Recognize situations requiring additional clinical, safety, legal, or other specialized intervention and promptly engage program leadership or appropriate professionals
Follow established eligibility, approval, fiscal-control, documentation, and reporting procedures

Maintain Strong Case Documentation

Maintain timely, accurate, and complete participant records in required case management and program systems
Document assessments, case notes, participant contacts, service plans, referrals, assistance, follow-up activities, and outcomes
Monitor open cases, outstanding referrals, pending requests, and follow-up deadlines
Maintain required supporting documentation for participant assistance and services
Protect participant confidentiality and handle sensitive personal and family information with care
Review records regularly for completeness and accuracy
Support data-quality reviews, program reporting, monitoring, and other accountability activities
Use case information and participant experiences to identify patterns, unmet needs, and opportunities for program improvement

Engage with Partners & the Community

Represent the program professionally and respectfully in interactions with participants, families, community organizations, government agencies, schools, and other partners
Participate in community events, outreach activities, partner meetings, and resource fairs as needed
Help ensure eligible youth and families know about available supports and understand how to access them
Coordinate with professionals already working with participants when appropriate and authorized
Share relevant resources and information with program and community partners
Bring participant and family perspectives back to the team so that implementation remains responsive to the people the program is intended to serve

Who You Are

We're looking for someone who understands that relationships are central to helping people navigate change. You are approachable and warm, but you also know how to establish boundaries, have difficult conversations, and follow through. You're interested in people's stories and strengths, not simply the problems that brought them to the program. You likely bring a social work, human services, counseling, or related background and approach the work with the mindset of a helping professional, even when you're working within a program rather than a traditional clinical setting.

Relational. Building trust comes naturally to you. You understand that people are more likely to engage, share honestly, and accept support when they feel respected and know someone is genuinely invested in their success.
People-centered. You listen before jumping to solutions. You see participants as whole people with strengths, relationships, histories, aspirations, and agency, not as a collection of needs or a case number.
Strengths-based. You look for what is working as well as what isn't. You help participants recognize and build on their existing strengths, relationships, resources, and resilience.
A navigator, not just a referrer. Giving someone a phone number isn't enough for you. You want to know whether they got through, whether the resource helped, and what needs to happen next.
Empathetic and professional. You care deeply about people without losing sight of your professional role, program expectations, or the importance of helping participants build their own agency.
A thoughtful problem-solver. When the obvious answer doesn't work, you're willing to make calls, ask questions, research alternatives, and keep working toward a solution.
Calm under pressure. You can remain grounded and thoughtful when a participant or family is experiencing an urgent or difficult situation.
Proactive. You don't wait for participants or supervisors to remind you about open needs, promised follow-ups, or approaching deadlines.
Highly organized and detail-oriented. You understand that excellent social-service work requires both strong relationships and strong documentation.
A strong communicator. You communicate clearly and respectfully with young people, families, colleagues, community partners, government agencies, and service providers.
Culturally responsive. You approach people with curiosity and humility and recognize that culture, community, family, and lived experience shape how individuals experience systems and services.
Comfortable with accountability. You can be supportive while maintaining eligibility requirements, documentation standards, appropriate boundaries, and clear expectations.
Tech-savvy. You're comfortable learning case-management and data systems and understand that technology can help us provide more coordinated and responsive services.
An active learner. You're interested in continually expanding your knowledge of community resources, social-service systems, youth development, and effective case-management practices.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in social work (BSW) strongly preferred; degrees in counseling, psychology, human services, family studies, public health, sociology, or a closely related field will also be considered
3+ years of relevant professional experience in case management, social services, family navigation, youth services, community-based services, behavioral health, workforce development, or a related field
Demonstrated understanding of person-centered, strengths-based, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed approaches to working with youth and families
Experience working with individuals or families navigating multiple systems or service needs
Knowledge of Washington, DC community resources and public-service systems, or demonstrated ability to learn them quickly
Strong written communication skills and ability to produce clear, timely, professional case notes and documentation
Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately
Ability to manage a caseload and multiple follow-up activities, deadlines, and priorities simultaneously
Comfort using case-management databases, Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and other digital tools
Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work effectively across diverse communities
Experience working with justice-involved or system-involved youth and their families is strongly preferred
Experience working in a government-funded or grant-funded human-services program is preferred
Experience with crisis response, stabilization services, benefits navigation, or emergency assistance programs is a plus
Bilingual proficiency, particularly English/Spanish or another language commonly spoken by participating families, is a plus
Ability to work in DC office on a set schedule and travel throughout Washington, DC for participant, partner, and community activities
Availability for shift work that may include weekends and evenings, based on program needs

Submit your cover letter and resume.