Independent Contractor Financial Coach Jobs in California

Job Description: ABOUT SEED HOUSE PROJECT Our Mission We are on a mission to provide system-impacted youth with a pathway from survival to self-actualization. Our Vision We envision a world where housing is more than just a roof over your head, but a classroom for life for all young people. Our members are navigating real financial challenges, often for the first time and without family support. The Financial Coach plays a vital role in helping them build the money skills, habits, and emotional relationship with finances they need to thrive — both inside SHP and long after they leave.POSITION OVERVIEW Compensation: $60.00/per hour The Financial Coach is a part-time contractor who provides individualized financial coaching, group workshops, and team collaboration to support member financial wellness across all stages of the SHP Life School program. This role blends practical money management skills with a deep understanding of the psychology of money — helping members not only know what to do financially, but understand why they feel and respond the way they do around money. This is a relational, trauma-informed role. The right candidate brings warmth, lived experience, and the ability to meet young people where they are while holding them to high standards of growth.CORE RESPONSIBILITIES1. Individual Financial Coaching Sessions Provide one-on-one financial coaching sessions with assigned members. Sessions should be consistent, goal-oriented, and tailored to each member’s program stage and personal circumstances.Custom Budget Development • Build a personalized monthly budget for each member based on their current income, program membership fees, and living expenses • Ensure the budget reflects the member’s real life — not a generic template — and accounts for their specific goals, stage of program, and savings milestones • Revisit and update the budget regularly as income, expenses, or goals change • Develop a transition budget for life after SHP — projecting housing costs, utilities, food, transportation, and other independent living expenses • Align budget planning with the Path to Stability savings match program and program advancement requirementsBudget Accountability & Follow-Through • Hold members accountable to their budget goals through regular check-ins and progress reviews • Review spending and savings activity with each member — celebrating wins and troubleshooting gaps without judgment • Help members develop self-accountability habits and the ability to self-correct when they fall off track • Document budget adherence and flag consistent barriers that may require additional team supportCustom Credit-Building Plan • Assess each member’s current credit situation — including credit score, credit history, open accounts, and any derogatory marks • Create an individualized credit-building plan with clear, actionable steps and measurable goals • Guide members through tools like secured credit cards, credit-builder loans, becoming an authorized user, and on-time payment strategies • Help members review their credit reports, understand what’s on them, and dispute any inaccuracies • Set short- and long-term credit score targets tied to housing and financial independence goalsCredit-Building Accountability • Monitor each member’s progress toward credit goals through regular check-ins • Review credit score changes, new account activity, and payment history on a consistent basis • Adjust the credit-building plan as needed based on member circumstances or progress • Educate members on how their daily financial behaviors connect directly to their credit healthInvestment & Long-Term Savings Planning ( Advance Goals) • Develop a personalized savings and investment plan for each member that extends beyond program exit • Introduce foundational investment concepts: compound interest, index funds, retirement accounts (Roth IRA, employer 401k), and long-term wealth building • Help members understand the difference between saving (short-term security) and investing (long-term growth) • Set tiered savings goals: emergency fund first, then longer-term investment vehicles as income and stability increase • Connect investment planning to each member’s life vision and Purpose Map — making it feel relevant, not abstract • Introduce age-appropriate platforms and tools members can use independently (e.g., Acorns, Fidelity, CUNA, etc.)Tax Filing Education & Support • Educate members on the basics of filing taxes: what forms they need, how income is reported, and what deductions or credits may apply to them • Guide members through the tax filing process — including use of free filing tools (IRS Free File, VITA sites, Cash App Taxes, etc.) • Help members understand their refunds and how to use them intentionally — aligned with their savings and investment goals • Clarify tax implications for different income types: W-2 employment, gig work, stipends, and program-related income • Ensure members understand deadlines, extensions, and what to do if they owe taxes • Connect members to Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites or trusted resources when professional support is needed2. Psychology of Money & Emotional Financial Coaching Go beyond the numbers. Help members understand the emotional and psychological dimensions of their financial behaviors: • Explore each member’s personal money story — the beliefs, messages, and experiences around money they carry from childhood and past experiences • Identify emotional triggers around money (anxiety, avoidance, shame, impulsivity, scarcity mindset) and introduce tools to recognize and respond to them constructively • Practice reframing financial decisions through a growth mindset and asset-based lens • Connect financial patterns to broader healing and purpose work happening in therapy and life coaching • Normalize money conversations — creating a judgment-free space where members can be honest about their financial reality3. Case Conference Participation & Team Collaboration The Financial Coach is an active member of the SHP care team. Responsibilities include: • Attend and contribute to case conference meetings — providing updates on each member’s financial goals, progress, and areas of concern • Share observations about a member’s relationship with money relevant to their overall case plan (e.g., avoidance behaviors, high stress, meaningful progress) • Identify and flag patterns of growth or challenge across the caseload — noting where financial stress may be intersecting with housing stability or program engagement • Collaborate with the, Case Manager, and staff to align financial goals with each member’s broader program stage • Contribute to member advancement reviews — affirming readiness based on savings milestones, budget consistency, credit progress, and overall financial skill development4. Group Financial Wellness Workshops Identify and facilitate group workshops based on collective needs observed across the member community. Workshop topics may include: • Budgeting basics and building a spending plan • Understanding and building credit from scratch • Savings strategies — why it feels hard and how to make it stick • Introduction to investing: making your money work for you • Banking, financial products, and avoiding predatory services • The psychology of money: money scripts, emotional spending, and scarcity vs. abundance mindset • Tax filing 101: what every young adult needs to know • Preparing financially for independent housing • Financial goal-setting and vision mapping The Financial Coach is expected to observe themes across members and proactively propose workshops that meet the community’s current, collective needs.5. Documentation & Progress Tracking • Maintain session notes and financial progress records for each member • Track key milestones (savings amounts, credit score changes, budget completion, investment accounts opened) in SHP’s tracking systems • Provide input for quarterly member assessments and annual evaluations as requestedWHAT MEMBERS WILL LEARN By working with the Financial Coach, SHP members will develop the following knowledge and skills:Money Management & Budgeting • How to create, maintain, and adjust a personal monthly budget • How to track income, expenses, and discretionary spending • How to set and meet savings goals — short-term and long-term • How to read a bank statement, pay stub, and basic financial documents • How to avoid common financial pitfalls: overdraft fees, payday loans, high-interest debtCredit & Banking • What a credit score is, how it works, and why it matters • How to read and understand a credit report • Concrete steps to build credit from scratch or repair damaged credit • How to choose the right bank accounts and financial productsInvesting & Long-Term Wealth Building • The difference between saving and investing — and why both matter • Basic investment concepts: compound interest, index funds, retirement accounts • How to start investing with small amounts and grow over time • How to connect long-term financial planning to personal goals and life visionTax Filing • How to file taxes independently and on time • What forms and documents are needed and what different income types mean for taxes • How to access free filing resources and VITA support • How to use a tax refund intentionally to build savings or pay down debtPsychology of Money • How to identify personal money beliefs and where they came from • How emotions like fear, shame, avoidance, and excitement show up in financial decisions • Tools to pause and respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively to financial stress • How to shift from a scarcity mindset to one of agency, possibility, and abundanceFuture Planning & Independence • How to plan financially for independent housing: first/last month’s rent, utilities, household costs • How to build and maintain an emergency fund • How to navigate financial setbacks without derailing long-term goals • How to align financial goals with personal purpose and life vision RequirementsQUALIFICATIONSRequired • Demonstrated experience in financial coaching, counseling, or education — individual and/or group settings • Strong working knowledge of personal finance: budgeting, credit, banking, saving, taxes, and consumer financial products • Familiarity with the psychology of money, behavioral finance, or emotionally-informed financial coaching approaches • Experience working with young adults, marginalized communities, or system-impacted populations • Excellent communication skills — able to build trust and engage people without judgment • Ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary care team • Reliable, organized, and able to maintain documentation and meet deadlinesPreferred • Certification in financial coaching or counseling (AFC®, NFEC, CFP®, or equivalent) • Experience facilitating financial wellness workshops or group education programs • Familiarity with investment education for first-time and low-income investors • Experience supporting clients through tax preparation or connecting them to VITA resources • Lived experience navigating economic hardship, system involvement, or housing instability (valued and welcomed) Benefits COMPENSATION & STRUCTURE Rate: $60.00 per hour Hours: 5–10 hours per week (flexible, based on member caseload and workshop schedule) Classification: Independent Contractor — Invoice-based Schedule: Flexible; must accommodate some evening or weekend availability for workshops OUR COMMITMENT Seed House Project is committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve. We actively welcome applicants with lived experience of housing instability, system involvement, or economic hardship. We believe that proximity to the work is a qualification, not a disqualifier. We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or any status protected by law