Professional Assistant Jobs in Minnesota (NOW HIRING)

Positively impact the lives of individuals with disabilities.

Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) help people with cognitive and/or physical disabilities by assisting with daily living activities. The DSP assists individuals with personal care, such as bathing, toileting, and dressing; performs household chores such as vacuuming, washing dishes, laundry, cleaning bathrooms, and tidying; transports and/or accompanies individuals to appointments and activities; prepares or helps prepare meals; and helps individuals achieve outcomes as written in support plans.

At Opportunity Matters, we encourage the individuals we serve to be as independent as possible, by teaching independent living skills. Depending on the needs of the individual(s), the work may include performing the tasks completely for others, or it may be assisting the individual(s) in the completion of the tasks. DSP’s have a strong desire to create positive impacts on the individuals’ lives and enjoy encouraging, mentoring, and coaching others to achieve their goals.

Direct Support is a fulfilling career with a sense of purpose and the ability to witness the tangible results of your work. Foster meaningful relationships and advocate for the needs of those you support within the community.

Essential Duties

• Provide personal hygiene cares for adult males and females.
• Provide physical assistance to sit down/stand up, walk, transfer, lay down, or other required mobility demands.
• Supervise individuals according to support plans.
• Act as an appropriate role model.
• Supervise and facilitate interactions with others.
• Follow applicable and approved behavioral redirection techniques.
• Interact and engage with individuals.
• Transport and accompany clients to appointments and community activities.
• Administer client medications and treatments.
• Prepare and clean up meals, snacks, and beverages.
• Maintain records, documents, charts, and client information, legibly.
• Complete cleaning tasks and household chores
• Assist clients with money transactions.
• Immediately respond and address emergency situations.
• Communicate with and assist other staff positively and professionally.
• Assist with and complete duties that need to be done at the home, following Organization policies and procedures.

Required Qualifications and Education (must-haves)

1. High School Diploma or Equivalent (unless staff age 18 years or younger are attending high school).
2. Obtain and maintain acceptable clearance of the DHS Background Study.
3. Obtain and maintain OMI Medication Administration certificate within 60 days of hire.
4. Ability to lead individuals we serve and display appropriate behavior as a role model, work without immediate supervision, multi-task, effectively communicate, make decisions, accept and follow change, and interact with others at all levels of the organization.
5. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from Supervisors, Directors, clients, customers, and the general public. Read, Write, and Speak English fluently.
6. Reasoning ability to solve practical problems, deal with a variety of variables in situations, interpret a variety of instructions in written, oral, or schedule form.
7. Ability to prepare food/meals: Understanding of ingredients, measuring sizes, following a recipe, and preparing all types of foods.

Work Environment and Physical Demands

The work environment may be slow or fast paced, depending on what is happening at the client home. This is an environment of constantly working with others. The noise level is generally moderate but can be loud.

• Regularly lift up to 20 lbs and occasionally lift and move up to 50 lbs to waist height unaccompanied.
• Alternate sitting and standing and walking for duration of shift.
• Frequently required to walk, stand, bend, twist, or stoop.
• Frequently apply coordinated use of hands and fingers to grasp, feel objects, transfer small items from one hand to another, fine manipulation, and bilateral reach with arms.
• Use of close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Pay and Benefits

Starting pay range for this position is $17-18/hr. Overnight sleep shifts paid at minimum wage (can sleep at work on designated sleep shifts only). Benefits are 401k, 401k Match, paid sick and safe time, employee assistance program, and pay differential for working holidays and weekends.

EEO/AAP Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, creed, disability, familial status, marital status, national origin, public assistance status, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or membership or activity in a local human rights commission.