Job Openings
Join Team Dougy!
Thank you for your interest in joining Team Dougy.
Dougy Center is committed to providing support in a safe place where children, teens, young adults, and their family members who are grieving before and after a death can share their experiences. On Team Dougy, you can be a part of ensuring that every child has an opportunity for hope and healing. We are a small non-profit with big hearts.
Dougy Center is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. With our mission and with the well-being of all families who are grieving in mind, our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the communities we serve.
Dougy Center offers competitive salaries and excellent benefits, including generous vacation, dog friendly office, employer matched retirement fund, life and disability insurance, and employer paid medical, vision, and dental.
Current Openings
Program Assistant
Status: Full-Time, Hourly, Non-Exempt
Schedule/Location: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Fully onsite at Dougy Center's SE Portland location (3909 SE 52nd Ave). This position does not offer a remote work option.
Reports to: Chief Program Officer
Pay Range: $24-27/hr
Position Overview
Dougy Center is seeking a warm, organized, and dependable Program Assistant to join our Program team. This position plays an important role in creating a welcoming and supportive environment for children, teens, young adults, families, volunteers, and visitors at Dougy Center.
The Program Assistant serves as a first point of contact for many people connecting with Dougy Center and provides essential administrative and operational support to our grief support programs. Responsibilities include welcoming visitors, responding to phone inquiries, maintaining organized and inviting program spaces, preparing materials, coordinating schedules, and supporting the daily activities of the Program team.
The ideal candidate enjoys working with people, is attentive to details, and brings a collaborative, flexible approach to their work. This is an opportunity to be part of a compassionate team dedicated to supporting children and families who are grieving.
Key Responsibilities
Create a warm, welcoming, and inclusive environment for families, volunteers, staff, and visitors, including greeting individuals arriving at Dougy Center and providing tours.
Answer and direct phone calls, manage general voicemails, and connect individuals with appropriate staff and resources.
Provide administrative support to the Chief Program Officer, Program Manager, and Program team, including scheduling, preparing materials, maintaining calendars, and assisting with reports.
Maintain accurate program records, update information in the agency database, and organize participant and volunteer documentation.
Support family orientation and group activities by preparing materials, coordinating reminders, and creating attendance sheets.
Help maintain welcoming, organized, and functional program spaces, including monitoring inventory, ordering supplies, and ensuring materials and resources are readily available.
Coordinate administrative projects and volunteer activities, including supporting office volunteers, volunteer appreciation efforts, and other recognition activities.
Maintain and update community resource and referral information to support families and staff.
Collaborate with staff across departments to support agency events, trainings, fundraising activities, and special projects.
Participate in team meetings, regular supervision, and professional development opportunities to strengthen knowledge of grief support and Dougy Center's work.
Qualifications
Bachelor's degree preferred; Previous experience in customer service, reception, administrative support, or a related role is helpful but not required.
Warm, approachable, and compassionate interpersonal style, with the ability to help people feel comfortable, welcomed, and respected.
Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to interact with others in a friendly and professional manner.
Good organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple tasks with accuracy and follow-through.
Dependability, flexibility, and a willingness to contribute to a collaborative team environment.
Ability to work independently, follow established procedures, and recognize when to seek guidance or support.
Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with care and discretion.
Commitment to equitable and inclusive practices and to creating a welcoming environment for people from diverse backgrounds and life experiences.
Basic computer skills, including email, word processing, and data entry, with a willingness to learn new software and systems.
Interest in learning about grief, The Dougy Center Model, and the agency's approach to supporting children, teens, young adults, and families who are grieving.
Commitment to Dougy Center's mission and organizational values of respect, integrity, stewardship, and excellence.
Ability to work onsite at Dougy Center's SE Portland location during regularly scheduled work hours.
To Apply
Please submit a resume and cover letter to our search consultant, Kathy Kniep, at kathy@kathykniep.com by November 30.
Grief Services Coordinator (Level 2)
Status: Full-Time, Exempt
Schedule/Location: Hybrid position based at Dougy Center's SE Portland (3909 SE 52nd Ave) and Beaverton (15985 NW Schendel Ave) locations. Flexible schedule, including some evenings and occasional agency events.
Reports to: Program Manager
Salary Range: $57,000 -$70,000 annually
Position Overview
Dougy Center is seeking a compassionate, collaborative, and skilled Grief Services Coordinator to join our Program team. This position plays an essential role in providing peer grief support to children, teens, young adults, and families who are grieving before and after a death.
The Grief Services Coordinator is responsible for planning and facilitating peer grief support groups, supporting volunteer facilitators, and creating welcoming, inclusive environments where participants can share their experiences and connect with others. This position also provides grief-related information and resources, supports volunteer training and community education, and contributes to projects and activities that further Dougy Center's mission.
Key Responsibilities
Lead peer grief support groups for children, teens, young adults, and adult caregivers.
Provide ongoing guidance, supervision, and support to volunteer facilitators, fostering a collaborative and supportive group environment.
Build positive, trusting relationships with participants, families, and volunteers, creating a welcoming and inclusive experience for all.
Communicate regularly with families and volunteers and maintain accurate group records, attendance, and related documentation.
Respond to phone and email inquiries from individuals and families seeking grief support, providing information, resources, crisis response, and community referrals as appropriate.
Assist with initial and ongoing volunteer facilitator training, recognition, and appreciation activities.
Support participant and volunteer orientations at Dougy Center locations.
Collaborate with Program team members to ensure continuity of services, including providing group coverage and additional program support as needed.
Participate in community education and response activities, including introductory presentations about Dougy Center and support for local trainings.
Contribute to special projects, agency events, and other activities that support Dougy Center's mission.
Participate in regular supervision, team meetings, and professional development opportunities to strengthen knowledge and skills related to grief support.
Qualifications
Master's degree in counseling, social work, psychology, or a related human services field and an understanding of grief, loss, and bereavement are required.
Three or more years of professional experience providing direct services to children, teens, adults, and/or families, preferably in a counseling, social services, grief support, or related setting.
Experience with or demonstrated understanding of group dynamics and group facilitation, with a willingness and ability to develop skills in facilitating peer grief support groups.
Demonstrated ability to build positive, trusting relationships with children, teens, adults, and individuals from diverse backgrounds and life experiences.
Strong interpersonal skills and sound professional judgment, including the ability to navigate emotionally complex situations, respond thoughtfully to individual and group needs, and recognize when additional consultation or support is appropriate.
Sensitivity to participant sharing, personal stories, and expressions of grief, with an ability to maintain confidentiality, appropriate professional boundaries, and respect for individual experiences.
Ability to provide guidance, constructive feedback, and ongoing support to volunteer facilitators, fostering a collaborative, respectful, and supportive team environment.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate with warmth, empathy, clarity, and professionalism.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively, balancing direct service responsibilities, group preparation, documentation, and other program needs.
Commitment to equitable and inclusive practices, including recognizing and helping address potential barriers to participation and adapting approaches to meet the diverse needs of children and families.
Comfort learning and using databases and other technology to maintain accurate records and support program operations.
Commitment to learning and practicing The Dougy Center Model and demonstrating the agency's values of respect, integrity, stewardship, and excellence.
Ability to work both in person and remotely, supporting programming at our SE Portland and Beaverton locations with flexible hours, including some evenings and occasional agency events.
To Apply
Please submit a resume and cover letter to our search consultant, Kathy Kniep, at kathy@kathykniep.com by November 20.
About Dougy Center
Dougy Center: The National Grief Center for Children & Families is committed to providing grief support in a safe place where children, teens, young adults, and their families can share their experiences before and after a death. We provide support and training locally, nationally, and internationally to individuals and organizations seeking to assist children who are grieving. With this mission and with the well-being of all families who are grieving in our community in mind, we will demonstrate Dougy Center’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and specifically, fair and inclusive access to meaningful and relevant resources and services for all people who are grieving in our community. We are committed to engaging in intentional dialogue to foster a community based on our organizational values of respect, integrity, stewardship, and excellence.
Dougy Center is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the communities we serve. Frequently cited statistics show that women and underrepresented groups apply to jobs only if they think they meet 100% of the criteria. If you meet many but not all the criteria and feel you may be a good fit for the role, Dougy Center encourages you to apply. We will provide accommodation during the recruitment process upon request. Information received relating to accommodation will be addressed confidentially.
Become a Dougy Center Volunteer Facilitator
One in 12 children in the Portland area will experience the death of a parent or sibling before they turn 18. Dougy Center's in-person and virtual peer grief support groups are growing to fill an increased need, and Dougy Center volunteer facilitators play a crucial role in ensuring continued access to our bereavement program.
Become a Dougy Center Volunteer Facilitator. Work directly with kids, teens, young adults, and their adult family members at one of Dougy Center’s three metro area locations. Complete the free volunteer facilitator training, then work with the grief support group that fits your interests and schedule. Volunteers commit to giving 3.5 hours every other week for a year.
Award-winning Workplace
Dougy Center has been recognized for several years as a 100 Best Nonprofit to Work For in Oregon by Oregon Business magazine. Oregon Business named us as a 100 Best Green Workspaces in Oregon. And we are one of Portland Business Journal's Most Admired Non-Profits.
With our mission in mind, we are committed to engaging in intentional dialogue to foster a community based on our organizational values of respect, integrity, stewardship, and excellence. We believe that every staff member brings a unique perspective and skills to our team and are actively searching for new people to bring new perspectives and ideas to the work we do.