The Community Navigator will guide and support RISE program graduates returning to the community from prison. Reporting to the Director of Reentry the Community Navigator will work with individuals both pre-and post-release to remove reentry barriers  and help them navigate community resources and services.

The Community Navigator will administer needs assessments, review reentry and personal action plans, help individuals set short- and long-term goals, provide employment and housing search assistance, make community referrals to wrap-around services, conduct wellness check-ins, facilitate classes, conducting employment verifications, and managing other case management needs. The Community Navigator will work closely with the entire RISE Team to encourage and empower program participants to become successful members of their families and communities.

Please note that this position requires (reimbursable) travel.

About RISE 

RISE is the largest nonprofit organization in Nebraska focused solely on habilitative programming in prisons and reentry support. At RISE, transformation starts pre-release and continues post-release. Our inside/out model bridges incarceration to the community and considers all the critical steps in that journey. We prepare and train people for each phase through intensive character development, employment readiness, job creation through entrepreneurship, family programming, and case management. We transform people in the community by building awareness and empathy that leads to support and opportunity. These connections heal families, create employment pathways, and lower recidivism. The mission of RISE is to break generational cycles of incarceration.

RISE has received a “Best Places to Work in Omaha” award from Baird Holm and the Greater Omaha Chamber. RISE is a recipient of the Non-Profit Association of the Midlands Catalyst Award, honoring non-profits that inspire action, advance excellence and innovation, and drive transformation while making a meaningful impact. In 2025, RISE received the Roger Baldwin Civil Libertarian of the Year Award from the ACLU of Nebraska.

Responsibilities

• Utilize both peer support and case management skills to support RISE program graduates in their transition from prison to the community
• Build and nurture supportive relationships with people on their caseload.
• Maintain and build healthy relationships with Prison Program staff members, working closely with the program staff at the facility the Community Navigator is serving.
• If someone on the Community Navigator’s caseload is still incarcerated, make regular contact with them through in-prison tabling sessions and/or letter writing. 
• Administer post-release needs assessments to determine services and programmatic needs of reentering individuals. Identify and refer participants to community resources including housing, wrap-around services for mental health and substance use treatment, public benefits, healthcare, etc.
• Review reentry plans to develop realistic goals and personal action plans to ensure successful reintegration and address the five keys to reentry well-being: healthy thinking patterns, meaningful work trajectories, effective coping strategies, positive social engagement, and positive relationships. 
• Assist individuals with obtaining and completing forms and documents necessary for transition (i.e. transcripts, birth certificate, state identification, social security cards) and navigate challenges that having a criminal background will present (i.e. employment, housing, transportation). 
• Serve as a liaison between individuals, community organizations (e.g., transitional living facilities, parole officer), and family to ensure networks of support. Coordination will provide the best opportunity for success and lower the chance of recidivism. 
• Build partnerships, utilize existing partnerships, and liaise with other organizations that are working on reentry efforts. 
• Maintain a positive working relationship with Nebraska Department of Corrections and their staff
• Communicate with program participants to do wellness check-ins and progress updates on reentry and personal action plans. 
• Notify caseloads of RISE Community Events where they are welcome, and encouraged, to attend.
• Collect and maintain accurate records in the database to monitor the progress of individuals. These records include case notes on well-being check-ins, reentry and personal action plans, milestone achievements, attendance records, class progress, and employment verification. 
• Participate in staff meetings to coordinate information on participants’ release/parole dates, needs, and updates to the progress and well-being of participants. 

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED required, associate degree preferred with coursework in Social Sciences, Human Services, Criminal Justice, Psychology or a related field.
• Certified peer support specialist preferred.
• Combination of training, education, or lived experience working/participating in a program or organization serving individuals who are system-impacted.
• Knowledge and/or experience of the jail/prison environment and knowledge of the criminal justice system preferred.
• Basic computer skills.
• Ability to work effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Scrappy, adaptable, entrepreneurial, and innovative.
• Ability to work some evenings and weekends.
• Reliable transportation (reimbursement provided).
• Ability to enter the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services as a cleared volunteer.
• Ability to occasionally lift, carry, or move program materials and supplies weighing up to 10 pounds.

Other

• Must be willing to work flexible hours, including working evenings and weekends.
• Local travel is required for this role. Must possess a valid driver’s license and proof of insurance.
• RISE is a background friendly employer and seeks to employ those who have lived experience within the system we serve; background checks may be run on final candidates as a compliance measure. 

(This position is a temporary full-time benefited position funded through December 31, 2027.)

Position Description

RISE is seeking a highly motivated and mission-driven Program Manager to oversee the implementation and lead the day-to-day operations of a pilot program designed to study the impacts of reentry cash assistance. The Program Manager will serve as the primary point of contact for 200+ program participants, oversee recruitment strategies, lead onboarding efforts, manage day-to-day operations, develop operational processes and support the achievement of programmatic goals. This role also involves building strong relationships with both program participants and community stakeholders. The ideal candidate is a skilled project manager with a deep understanding of the local community and a strong commitment to advancing equity and social justice.

About RISE 

RISE is the largest nonprofit organization in Nebraska focused solely on habilitative programming in prisons and reentry support. At RISE, transformation starts pre-release and continues post-release. Our inside/out model bridges incarceration to the community and considers all the critical steps in that journey. We prepare and train people for each phase through intensive character development, employment readiness, job creation through entrepreneurship, family programming and case management. We transform people in the community by building awareness and empathy that leads to support and opportunity.  These connections heal families, create employment pathways and lower recidivism. The mission of RISE is to break generational cycles of incarceration. 

RISE has received a “Best Places to Work in Omaha” award from Baird Holm and the Greater Omaha Chamber. RISE is a recipient of the Non-Profit Association of the Midlands Catalyst Award, honoring non-profits that inspire action, advance excellence and innovation, and drive transformation while making a meaningful impact. In 2025, RISE received the Roger Baldwin Civil Libertarian of the Year Award from the ACLU of Nebraska. 

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement recruitment strategies to engage eligible participants in the program application process.
• Lead in-person participant onboarding, including travel to meet with participants, and ongoing communication throughout the program.
• Serve as the primary liaison for program participants, providing client-centered support, guidance, and troubleshooting as needed.
• Ensure the program adheres to established timelines and milestones.
• Provide program updates that RISE can use to update community partners, funders and other stakeholders as needed.
• Liaise and collaborate with the research team to support evaluation efforts.
• Manage financial partner relationships, coordinate payment logistics, ensure program compliance, and clearly communicate financial processes to diverse participants.
• Proactively identify and address risks, challenges, and opportunities to improve program delivery.
• Other duties as agreed upon.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in program implementation, project management, or related leadership roles.
• Strong knowledge and relationships with the local community and its members.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize competing demands, and meet deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders and build trust with program participants.
• Commitment to advancing equity, social justice, and economic inclusion.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, ensuring all program deliverables are met on time.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and Google Suite or other comparable office software. Comfortable learning new software and client-management systems.
• Ability to work independently and effectively in collaboration with diverse groups of people 
• Scrappy, adaptable, entrepreneurial and innovative 
• Ability to remain in a stationary position, including sitting or standing, for extended periods while working at a computer, driving, or attending meetings.
• Ability to move about the office and community sites, including program locations, events, and partner organizations.
• Ability to occasionally lift, carry, or move program materials and supplies weighing up to 10 pounds.

Other

• Please note: This position is currently funded through December 31, 2027.
• Must be willing to work flexible hours, including working evenings and weekends.
• Must have access to a vehicle, possess a valid driver’s license and proof of insurance. 
• This position requires traveling between Lincoln and Omaha 1-2 times per week. Mileage will be reimbursed.
• RISE is a background-friendly employer and seeks to employ those with lived experience within the system we serve; however, this job is contingent on receiving approval to enter correctional facilities following a security check. Additionally, background checks may be run on final candidates as a compliance measure. 

Submit Resume and Cover letter on our website at www.seeusrise.org/careers