Autism Response Team Specialist

Summary

Join Autism Speaks as a Bilingual Autism Response Team Specialist in the Chicago area (home-based position)! This exciting project, running until March 2026, offers competitive compensation and potential for future opportunities. You will provide information and referral services, community navigation, and partnership development, focusing on the Spanish-speaking community. Responsibilities include responding to inquiries, building community partnerships, creating Spanish-language content, and maintaining resource databases. The role requires a Bachelor's degree and relevant experience, with specific requirements varying based on internal vs. external candidates. Benefits include a competitive compensation and benefits package, flex work hours, weekly training, tuition reimbursement, and summer bonus Fridays.

Requirements

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree
• Internal candidates must have a minimum of 3 years’ experience as an ART Associate with Autism Speaks and an ability to significantly exceed veteran ART Associate interaction goals (5,500) as determined and documented in Work Compass performance plan
• External candidates must have 5+ years professional information and referral, case management, and service navigation experience
• Excellent oral and written communication skills; good interpersonal skills Ability to research information; work independently, but also as a team member; ability to respond in a timely way to staff changing priorities
• Knowledge and experience in autism care navigation and service systems
• Ability to maintain high level of baseline ART constituent interaction numbers while engaging in additional tasks and responsibilities
• Solid administrative skills and a high level of proficiency in MS Office, Excel, PowerPoint, database entry, social media, and webinar platforms
• Flexible to changing priorities
• Strong organizational skills
• Strong degree of professionalism and maintains boundaries with constituents
• Must demonstrate high degree of initiative and a commitment to service in support of the organization’s mission and staff

Responsibilities

• Respond to ART phone calls, e-mail, and chat inquiries from individuals with autism, family members, and caregivers
• Provide longitudinal Community Navigation for target constituent groups or special projects, with a special focus on Spanish-speaking constituents and communities
• Build partnerships with community organizations, providers, and individual stakeholders in the Chicagoland area
• Participate in community outreach activities to promote Autism Speaks’ resources the autism community and increase personal knowledge of regional autism service providers, with a special focus on reaching Spanish-speaking constituents
• Collaborate with departments outside of ART to deliver presentations, webinars, or other media, with a special focus on content in Spanish
• Provide each contact with a connection to the full array of Autism Speaks resources, tools, and information, ensuring a comprehensive and supportive response
• Track individual contacts and work efforts using online CRM database in live time
• Execute advanced data collection using case management-specific aspects of the CRM
• Provide advanced curation and maintenance of Autism Speaks resource databases including ART IRs, Resource Guide, My Autism Guide, with a special focus on resources for Spanish-speaking constituents
• Provide weekly reports and feedback to the Autism Response Team Director on trending ART topics to support the development of additional resources for the autism community
• Maintain up to date knowledge of Autism Speaks resources, local autism services providers, and state/federal systems of care and record feedback to ensure high quality ART referrals
• Pursue training to better reach, support, and respond to target constituent groups
• Escalate any and all emergency situations or contacts in crisis to the Autism Response Team Director
• Engage in peer mentoring and training of new staff and ART Associates as needed
• Provide administrative support by sorting and assigning open emails and calls as needed

Preferred Qualifications

Bilingual: English/Spanish

Benefits

• Competitive compensation, benefit, and vacation package
• Flex work hours
• Weekly training sessions
• Tuition reimbursement
• Summer bonus Fridays
• Creative, innovative, collaborative, inclusive, kind, and fun work environment