Peer Wellness Specialist II

Written By Katie Cox

COVID-19 vaccine is required for this role. If an offer is made, a COVID-19 Vaccine series must be completed by the first day of employment. Medical and/or Religious exemptions will be assessed if needed by the applicant.

Job Title: Peer Wellness Specialist II
Salary: $25/hr starting wage + $1 bilingual pay differential
Job Type: Full-time, 40 hrs/week

Progressive Benefits Include:

  • Paid self-care time each week

  • 6 floating holidays per year

  • 4 weeks of PTO – 2 weeks of flexible PTO (use whenever you’d like), 1 scheduled week after Pride Season, and 1 scheduled week during the last week of the year

  • Sick leave

  • Flexible schedule

  • 401k matching

  • Medical coverage through Kaiser, vision and dental through Guardian (Equi pays 100% of baseline plan)

  • $200 Monthly Wellness Stipend

Reports to: Program Director

Background

The Marie Equi Center is dedicated to providing trauma-informed, culturally affirming care and services to the Trans, Queer, Gender Diverse, and Intersex communities. Our Center operates a day shelter and community building event space located in the Brooklyn Neighborhood of SE Portland that fills critical gaps in healthcare and social services for unhoused and low-income LGBTQAI2S+ individuals, creating a welcoming space that fosters belonging, dignity, and justice.

Equi’s Community Health and Recovery Program serves unhoused or insecurely housed LGBTQAI2S+ individuals, including those at the intersections of BIPOC, disability, elders, and people who use drugs. We aim to connect people with health care, peer support, recovery support, wraparound services, harm reduction, basic first aid, wound care, shower and laundry facilitation, and COVID-19 prevention.

Position Overview

The Peer Wellness Specialist II role is ideal for candidates with peer work experience and a strong foundation in systems navigation and outreach. This mid-level position requires demonstrated ability to independently support community members in accessing health care, harm reduction services, and social supports while maintaining accurate documentation and contributing to program evaluation.

This is primarily an in-person role based at The Marie Equi Center, with Peer Wellness Specialists required to be present at the Center during scheduled drop-in hours to provide direct support to community members. While some remote work may be required for documentation and meetings, the position emphasizes physical presence at the Center and outreach events to foster connections and offer on-site support.

Current Hours of Operations open to the public:

  • Winter Hours (October–June): Monday–Thursday 10am–4pm and Friday 10am–2pm

  • Summer Hours (July–September): Monday–Thursday 10am–6pm and Friday 10am–2pm

Responsibilities

Core Commitments

  • Use trauma-informed care, anti-oppressive practices, and person-centered approaches.

  • Treat participants, staff, volunteers, and community partners with respect and dignity.

  • Engage in ongoing learning around racial equity and social justice, with an understanding of the intersections of oppression embedded in institutions.

Direct Support & Care Coordination

  • Facilitate peer support and goal mapping conversations with community members.

  • Provide basic wound care and harm reduction education after training.

  • Deliver one-on-one coaching, education, and social support.

  • Coordinate referrals and facilitate connections to gender-affirming care, social service resources, health services, recovery support, and housing navigation.

  • Maintain accurate and timely case documentation and participate in care coordination meetings.

  • Manage a caseload with appropriate support from the Peer Services Lead and Coordinator.

Outreach, Education & Community Engagement

  • Conduct outreach and support community-based harm reduction and safer sex outreach events.

  • Provide health education sessions and culturally appropriate resource navigation.

  • Represent The Marie Equi Center at community events and collaborative meetings.

  • Engage in advocacy efforts that uplift the needs of unhoused and low-income LGBTQAI2S+ individuals.

Mentorship & Team Collaboration

  • Collaborate closely with the Program Data Analyst on data, evaluation, and quality improvement.

  • Support Tier I Peer Wellness Specialists through informal mentorship and modeling best practices.

  • Participate in regular team meetings and collaborative decision-making.

Qualifications

Required:

  • 1–2 years of relevant experience in peer support, community health, or direct service.

  • Familiarity with trauma-informed care and anti-oppressive practices.

  • Understanding of local resources for unhoused and LGBTQAI2S+ communities.

  • Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team.

  • Strong organizational and documentation skills.

Preferred:

  • Peer Wellness Specialist Certification (or willingness to obtain within 3 months; certification costs covered by Equi).

  • Experience with HMIS (Homeless Management Information System) or other case management systems.

  • Bilingual skills strongly preferred.

Required Training (provided and paid for by Equi if not already acquired)

  • Trauma-informed care

  • First aid and CPR

  • Harm reduction and Narcan training

  • Bloodborne pathogen training

  • Safety and de-escalation training

  • Stop the Bleed

  • HIPAA training

  • PWS certification courses (if applicable)

  • Public health training

  • Motivational interviewing

  • Basic wound care

Transparent Wage Policy

The Marie Equi Center does not engage in wage negotiations. We are committed to pay equity and transparency, and all staff are placed on our wage scale based on objective criteria such as experience, skills, and certifications. This policy is designed to eliminate pay disparities and ensure that all employees are compensated fairly and consistently for their work.

Work Schedule and Location

This role requires physical presence at The Marie Equi Center during scheduled drop-in hours to provide direct in-person support. Remote work may occasionally be required for documentation and meetings. The Marie Equi Center provides a computer and requires a workspace with a reliable internet connection. Masking is required for all in-person services.

Centering Equity and Social Justice

We have a deep commitment to equity and social justice, advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all—in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, The Marie Equi Center is rooted in working to advance regional change and ensure that residents from the most vulnerable communities are at the forefront of our efforts.

We are dedicated to hiring individuals who are committed to serving our guests with affirming care and compassion. The selected candidate will join an innovative and progressive team that values collaborative leadership to foster personal and professional growth, equity, and social justice, as well as respect for people and staff. Trauma-informed care is a cornerstone of our work, and we strongly encourage individuals with lived experiences of houselessness and other identities relevant to the communities we serve (LGBTQAI2S+, BIPOC, neurodivergent, disabled) to apply.

Special Requirements

Employees must protect the privacy and security of protected health information and adhere to OSHA guidelines, including timely completion of required training.

To Apply

Applications will be reviewed as received, and interviews will be scheduled on an ongoing basis. Please allow at least 2 weeks from the date you apply to hear back from us.







Katie Cox