Community Specialist - Fluency in K'nyaw (S'gaw Karen) Language

Connect, empower, and inspire K'nyaw-speaking communities through meaningful library services. The Saint Paul Public Library is seeking a bilingual K'nyaw (S'gaw-Karen)-speaking Community Specialist who is passionate about building trusted relationships, expanding access to library resources, and creating welcoming spaces for individuals and families.

Here is what you can expect to do:

• Serve as a cultural bridge by delivering programs in both English and K'nyaw (S'gaw-Karen) that support early literacy, school readiness, digital literacy, job searching, and lifelong learning.
• Collaborate with community organizations, provide translation and interpretation services, strengthen connections with immigrant and K'nyaw (S'gaw-Karen) speaking communities, and help ensure library programs and services reflect the diverse needs of the people we serve.
• Improve the effectiveness of Library communication with communities of color by developing and maintaining key contacts within the communities.
• Host in person S'gaw-Karen story times, facilitates digital literacy classes, and provides library information and resources to the community.
• Coordinate multiple programs and collaborates with other Library Community Specialists.
• Serve as an internal consultant regarding specific communities of color to Saint Paul Library staff.
• For more information and essential functions, see the Cultural Liaison Job Description

Information Specific to this Position 
This is a three year grant-funded position. Candidates for this full time vacancy should be able to communicate fluently in K'nyaw (S'gaw-Karen) and demonstrate cultural competency with the K'nyaw (S'gaw-Karen) community represented in Saint. Paul. A $1.50 per hour language premium is available for this position upon successful completion of the required language proficiency test.

Ideal candidates should have general background in community engagement, understanding of the immigrant and refugee experience or paths to citizenship, and ability to work with culturally diverse communities. The flexible and mobile nature of this role may include working at and traveling to multiple library locations and community partner locations, such as local schools. This position also requires working a flexible schedule including evening and weekend hours.

Our Benefits: We offer competitive wages, and a variety of excellent benefits, including health insurance, retirement contributions and paid vacation and sick time.

Equity, Inclusion and Belonging: The City of Saint Paul is dedicated to dismantling systemic racial, cultural, and economic barriers that prevent people from fully enjoying and participating in our community and ensuring fairness in opportunities and outcomes for all individuals. At the City of Saint Paul, we want our workforce to reflect the diverse city that we serve. Our leaders are guided by an unapologetic equity agenda, which promotes the belief that true equity is building a city that works for all of us. We encourage you to apply as we are most interested in finding the best candidate for this job.

Must meet one of the following, as designated in the job announcement:

• A bachelor's degree.
• Two years of college (60 semester credits) and two years of reference and referral library services experience.
• A Certificate in Urban Library Services or equivalent certification and one year of library services experience.
• Four years of experience in a social service agency providing direct client service and one year of library services experience.
• Four years of experience in a social service agency providing direct client service plus 12 college semester credits.

If applying for a position delivering services in a language other than English, must read and write fluently in the respective language.

Assessment: Qualifications Rating
 
The Qualifications Rating is an assessment of your completed application and answers to the Supplemental Questionnaire. Be as specific and detailed as possible in completing your application and questionnaire. You must submit your completed application and supplemental questionnaire by the application deadline.

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Open Job Posting: This posting is open to anyone who meets the position requirements.

Eligible Lists Created from Open Job Posting: You must receive a score of 75% or higher to pass the assessment and be considered for the position. Non-promotion eligible lists typically are pass/fail and promotion eligible lists are typically ranked. If the open eligible list created contains a veteran, one open list will exist. When there are no veterans remaining on the eligible list (i.e. hired, withdrawn) from an open list that also contains promotional candidates, two lists will be created: one open list and one promotion list. If two lists exist, the promotion list must be exhausted before the open list is considered.

Final Selection Process: Those who pass will be placed on an eligible list for approximately six months and all will be notified of their status. A Hiring Manager will consider those applicants eligible for hire. You will be notified if you are invited to participate in the final selection process which may include an interview, job simulation, work sample submission, or other evaluation method.

Pre-Employment Screening: This position will require a background check which may include criminal history, and employment history as a condition of employment. Candidates will be required to submit proof of education to Human Resources upon conditional job offer, if qualifying based on education.

Human Resources Contact Information:  
Trisha Freiberger at 651-266-6481
Email: [email protected]

The City of Saint Paul encourages individuals to apply for positions regardless of criminal history.

Veteran’s Preference: If you are a veteran and would like to receive Veteran’s preference in accordance with MN Statute 197.455, you must submit a photocopy of your DD214 preferably at time of application. Click here for more information.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement: The City of Saint Paul is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Veterans, women, persons of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Working Title: Community Specialist - K'nyaw (S'gaw-Karen) Fluency in  Language
Official Title: Cultural Liaison