VISTA Program Coordinator: United Way

Service Opportunity Listing  

Help families receive their biggest paycheck of the year! Our team prepares free tax returns for low-income households. Duties include community outreach, tax site support and volunteer recruitment.

Project Description

United Way’s mission is to improve the lives of others by mobilizing the caring power of our community. For 100 years, we’ve been building a stronger, more equitable central Ohio by helping families thrive and students succeed. United Way invests in 91 local nonprofits that provide individuals and families with resources and support needed to transition from poverty to financial stability. We focus on helping low- to moderate-income families coping with food insecurity, housing instability, lack of access to high-quality childcare and barriers preventing children from graduating from high school. United Way recently relocated to the Arena District, where we share space with other nonprofits at the Nationwide Community Impact Center.

United Way’s Tax Time Program is a collaboration of nonprofit, corporate and government organizations that provides free tax services and linkages to financial resources to low- and moderate-income households. Tax Time helps low- to moderate-income households claim valuable tax deductions and credits, avoid tax preparation fees and achieve greater financial stability. A VISTA member will help program staff increase community awareness about free tax preparation services, manage volunteer recruitment and retention, provide tax site support and help launch a new tax preparation site for limited English-speaking clients.

The ideal VISTA candidate will be able to effectively interact and work collaboratively with diverse volunteers, donors, partners and staff of all levels. We’re looking for someone who has excellent writing and oral presentation skills, strong computer, time management and organizational skills, and the ability to independently problem-solve and make sound decisions that involve clients and volunteers. Most important, we’re looking for someone who is passionate about helping others overcome financial obstacles that disproportionately impact low-income families, people of color and limited-English speaking individuals.

VISTA Member Duties

The VISTA member will help increase community awareness about the availability of free tax assistance. This will include outreach to Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority units to ensure residents are aware of Tax Time’s free tax preparation services. The VISTA member will also collaborate with schools to ensure parents are aware of free tax assistance.

The VISTA member will identify and implement volunteer recruitment strategies. The only way Tax Time can serve more clients is if we recruit more volunteers. The VISTA member will explore resources for new volunteers (e.g., financial institutions, retiree groups, sororities/fraternities, faith-based organizations, colleges/universities, etc.).

The VISTA member will provide support to tax preparation sites and help open a new site that will serve immigrant and refugee populations. This will involve identifying a partner to host a tax site, ensuring information is translated into other languages and making sure the new site has needed technology, volunteers and equipment.

What skills would you like potential members to possess?

☒ Communications

☒ Community organization

☒ Education

☒ Fundraising/grant writing

☒ Leadership

☒ Public health

☒ Public speaking

☒ Recruitment

☒ Writing/editing

☒ General skills

☒ Nonprofit management

☒ Social services

☒ Teamwork

Service Areas:

☒ Community and Economic Development

☒ Community Outreach

☒ Education

☒ Health

All VISTA members must comply with the following standard terms of service:

☒ 18 years old

☒  U.S. citizen, national, or legal resident

☒ Successfully complete criminal background check

☒ Full-time service commitment

☒ Political advocacy, organizing, and/or demonstrating while on VISTA duty or while perceived to be on duty are prohibited.

☒ Reliable transportation required.

☒  Desired education level: Some college preferred.

Supplemental Benefits

• United Way currently offers a hybrid work schedule. This includes the requirement for a VISTA member to be in the office at least 2 full-work days per week and the member can work 3 days virtually. Days in-office vary based on departments in United Way and all employees, including the VISTA member, must have their proposed schedule approved by their supervisors. Depending on the weekly duties, employees may have to be in the office more than 2 days per week on a given week.
• United Way’s work week is 37.5 hours vs. 40 hours.
• Flexible daily hours may be available year-round. Daily work schedule and any flextime hours must be approved by your department head.
• Summer hours are offered from Memorial Day through Labor Day. This consists of working longer hours per day Monday through Thursday and a half day on Friday.
• The position that we are hiring for is located at our offices in the Community Impact Center (CIC) building, 215 North Front Street Columbus, OH, 43215. The CIC is located on the corner of Front Street and Spring Street in the Arena District in downtown Columbus. Parks, restaurants, shopping, and entertainment are all within walking distance.
• The VISTA member will be provided with a desk space in the CIC building.
• United Way will provide necessary office supplies for the VISTA member to complete all activities.
• United Way employees have access to a FREE COTA bus and COGO bike pass. A COTA bus stop is located close to our building. Parking is free to all employees in a conveniently located parking garage.

Job Posting Deadline: July 26, 2023 – click here to apply!