Family Support Educator - Organ Donation

Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Versiti Organ and Tissue is a federally designated Organ Procurement Organization, (OPO) supporting the transplant community in southeastern Wisconsin. While we recover organs for life-saving transplant, we prioritize a family-centered process, supporting both our donors and their families throughout the end-of-life, donation, and bereavement processes. We educate both the public and medical professionals about the tremendous need for organ and tissue donors. We are guided by an advisory board that includes members from the community and affiliated transplant centers. Our service area includes 50 critical care hospitals and 3 transplant centers for a population of 2.3 million people in a 12-county region. We are the region's primary, most current source of information about organ and tissue donation in collaboration with our state team, Donate Life Wisconsin. More than 100,000 Americans are waiting for the organ they need to survive. 2,000+ of those individuals reside in Wisconsin. The need is great, and Versiti is committed to increasing the number of donated organs, eyes and tissue available for transplant to save and enhance lives.

The Family Support Educator is a dedicated advocate for the mission of organ and tissue donation and plays a dual role within the Family Support team. In addition to providing compassionate, high-quality support to potential donor families, the Family Support Educator serves as an informal leader responsible for the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of training and education for Family Support Specialists and related roles. This position works closely with OPO leadership and cross-functional teams to ensure staff are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to support families effectively and advance donation outcomes.

Benefits
Versiti provides a comprehensive benefits package based on your job classification. Full-time regular employes are eligible for Medical, Dental, and Vision Plans, Paid Time Off (PTO) and Holidays, Short- and Long-term disability, life insurance, 7% match dollar for dollar 401(k), voluntary programs, discount programs, others.

Family Support (Approximately 50%)

Demonstrates commitment to professional development, staying current with trends in family support, education, and organ donation.
• Supports continuous improvement through participation in Lean initiatives and other quality enhancement efforts.
• Contributes to public and professional education efforts as needed in collaboration with Hospital Relations or Community Outreach teams.
• Maintains compliance with AOPO, UNOS, and other regulatory standards.
• Coordinates huddles with hospital staff to establish collaborative donation care plans and ensures a family-centered approach to end-of-life discussions.
• Meets with potential donor families to advocate for donation, providing emotional support and compassion before, during, and after the process.
• Supports and upholds donor designation status and advocates on behalf of recipients waiting for transplant.
• Obtains and documents authorization from legal next of kin for the purpose of organ and tissue donation.
• Engages with cultural and religious sensitivity to support families in diverse communities.

Education & Leadership (Approximately 50%)

• Collaborates with OPO leadership to design, deliver, and evaluate training content and experiences for Family Support Specialists and adjacent roles.
• Creates and maintains training materials, orientation programs, and continuing education to reflect current best practices and evolving team needs.
• Conducts initial and ongoing competency assessments, documenting outcomes as required by regulatory and internal standards.
• Serves as a coach and resource to team members, modeling effective practices and providing real-time feedback to enhance team performance.
• Participates in internal leadership meetings, quality initiatives, and cross-departmental collaborations to align team performance with organizational goals.
• Shares responsibility for on-call coverage and serves as an educational support during active cases when needed.

Required Qualifications:

• 4+ years' experience working with family dynamics within a medical or health care setting, hospice, bereavement, or grief counseling
• 1+ years' experience in training or leadership

Recommended Qualifications:

• 1+ years' organ procurement experience

Educational Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in social work, sociology, psychology, or related field

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Display compassion in written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills while engaging with grieving families required
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks, strong attention to detail and independence; Maintains confidentiality required
• Flexibility to work independently and with a team. required
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to provide feedback to peers. required
• Strong conflict resolution skills, able to communicate and collaborate with others during challenging and stressful situations required
• Effective problem solving and decision-making skills in high stress environment required
• Ability to listen actively and respond with sensitivity, while guiding the donor family to donation required
• Valid Wisconsin Driver's License and access to a vehicle required

Tools and Technology

• Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) required