Job Description

Geriatric In-Home Social Worker — Full-Time

Paine Senior Services · Cambridge, MA

Riverwalker Talent has been retained to support this search.

About Paine

Paine Senior Services has supported Cambridge older adults for over 100 years, providing a wide range of quality services that help older adults live with dignity, connection, and independence. Paine provides services to 40–60 older adults at a time, with over a century of experience providing support, case management, and advocacy.

About the Role

We're hiring a unique Geriatric In-Home Social Worker who works alongside the Executive Director, who is also a social worker. This is a meaningful opportunity to provide clinical support, advocacy, and case management to older adults and the people who love them. The person previously in this position was here for nearly 20 years.

This is a full-time role based in Cambridge, MA, combining in-home visits with office-based and remote work. The role is hybrid and flexible: most of your time is spent meeting clients where they are — often in their own homes — with the balance in a small shared office and some work-from-home hours.

What You'll Do

You'll be a trusted presence for Cambridge older adults and their families — meeting people where they are and helping them access what they need to thrive. The work blends case management, resource navigation, and advocacy, with counseling and emotional support woven naturally into the relationship rather than delivered as formal therapy sessions.

• Carry a caseload of approximately 15–25 clients, varying with acuity and need, delivering advanced case management and high-quality casework
• Provide emotional support to older adults, their families, and caregivers, grounded in strong clinical judgment and respect for each client's autonomy
• Conduct regular in-home visits (frequency ranges depending on acuity), supplemented by other modes of contact where clients prefer it
• Advocate for clients to secure resources — including medical advocacy, benefits, and insurance navigation — by collaborating with community partners and providers
• Assess needs, make timely referrals, and connect clients to the best available resources
• Represent Paine in community collaborations such as Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services, protective services, and caregiver coordination, ensuring clear communication and strong cross-team relationships
• Maintain accurate client records and data entry (currently paper-based notes — open to new systems that are HIPAA compliant)
• Provide timely and accurate billing information to Executive Director and follow billing procedures accurately 
• Cross-train on Executive Director responsibilities to provide caseload coverage during the ED's absence — with room to grow into greater leadership over time

What Success Looks Like

Success in clinical case management is harder to quantify than in many roles. Here, it shows up as rapport and trust built with clients over time — relationship-building takes intention and patience — and in managing an autonomous, independent schedule well, while knowing when to reach out for support.

Who You Are

You're an experienced clinician who does your best work independently and knows when to reach out — someone who blends clinical skill with genuine warmth for older adults, and who can set healthy boundaries while staying approachable.

• LICSW, LCSW, LMHC, or MSW candidate with a clear plan toward licensure under supervision is required
• 3 years of experience is the minimum requirement. 
  • We are looking for experience in social work, case management, or other relevant fields.
  • We recognize transferable skills. We imagine the person for this role will have 5-7+ years of experience. 
• Experienced serving older adults and their families/caregivers, with knowledge of aging-related issues and resources (or a drive to learn)
• Skilled at evaluating needs and matching clients to the right supports
• Comfortable responding to changing situations and coordinating care across families, medical providers, and government benefits
• Able to work autonomously within a small Cambridge nonprofit — managing your own time, travel, and caseload — while recognizing when clinical consultation is needed
• Grounded and able to set and maintain professional boundaries

Bonus Points

• Bilingual in Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, or Vietnamese
• Experience with in-home case management work
• Experience in a small-agency setting where staff wear multiple hats

What We Offer

• Compensation : $70,000–$80,000, commensurate with experience, plus 3% annual increases and periodic end-of-year bonuses
• Health insurance : Paine pays 100% of the premium for individual coverage for all regular, full-time employees. Coverage begins on your date of hire, once you've enrolled and met the requirements for coverage. You may extend coverage to family members per the insurance carrier's policies; the premium beyond individual coverage is your responsibility and is deducted automatically from your paycheck.
• Dental insurance : Individual dental coverage, fully paid by Paine
• Life and disability insurance : Provided by Paine
• Retirement: After one year of continuous employment, all full-time employees are eligible for the pension (provided they enroll and meet the requirements for participation). Paine contributes 11% of your salary toward your pension, and that contribution grows as your salary does. A pre-tax 403(b) option is also available in addition.
• Paid time off :
  • Vacation : 3 weeks/year from your start through year four; 4 weeks/year at 5–14 years of employment; 5 weeks/year at 15+ years. Up to 2 weeks of accrued vacation may carry over into the next year and must be used within the first 6 months.
  • Sick leave : Accrues at one day per month
  • Personal days : 3 personal days each year, beginning in January.
  • Paid holidays : All standard holidays.
• Professional development : Paine provides funding for training to maintain your licensure
• No on-call or after-hours crisis expectations
• A small, collaborative team and direct partnership with the Executive Director
• Work that genuinely changes the lives of Cambridge older adults

Details

• Schedule: Full-time, Monday–Friday, with flexible start/end times (e.g., 8–4, 9–5, or 10–6) and hybrid work-from-home flexibility. Visits are occasionally scheduled between 8am–8pm to accommodate family members who aren't local.

• Location & travel : Cambridge, MA — in-home visits plus a small shared office and some remote work. No personal vehicle is required; the role can be done via public transit (the T). For those who drive, Paine provides a business parking permit for use during home visits and work appointments, a small travel allowance, and a limited parking pass for a local garage.

• Physical demands : The office is ADA-accessible (elevator). No lifting or carrying is required. In-home visits may occasionally involve stairs; candidates must be able to ascend and descend some staircases.

What to Expect — Interview Process

• Applications open the week of June 22 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis throughout July
• Initial interviews conducted by search firm in July 
• Semi-finalists interview with Paine Senior Services
• Finalist interviews with Paine Senior Services & Board Members 
• Estimated start date: late summer/early fall

How to Apply

Submit your application through our portal by clicking the "Apply for this job" button. Along with your resume, you'll answer a few short questions — short and real is great, no novel required. No cover letter needed.

1. Tell us about why this role, working with older adults in Cambridge, interests you. Why is it a fit for your career right now?
2. This role is largely independent and in the field — you'll manage your own caseload, schedule, and travel, sometimes without seeing a colleague for a few days. Tell us about a time you excelled with very little structure or oversight.
3. Describe a time when you helped a client solve a complex problem. Please rely on your knowledge of HIPAA to ensure your client is protected while sharing your role in helping solve a complex client problem.
4. Is there anything else you would like us to know about you, your background, or interest in this role?

It is our policy to complete a CORI background check prior to hire; findings will not automatically disqualify candidates.

If you need accommodations or have questions about applying, please contact Jessye Kass Karlin at jessye@riverwalkertalent.com .

Paine Senior Services is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive team and strongly encourages applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences.

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