Group Facilitator Job Description

People seeking group facilitator jobs will find skills similarities and differences among job descriptions, primarily because facilitator jobs exist in many industries. Examples of skill similarities across industries include: interpersonal skills; communications skills, conflict-resolution skills, and the ability to create and maintain a non-threatening environment. The skills differences would be skill requirements relating to something proprietary or specific to an organization.

Facilitators values everyone's opinion.

Job Description

An example of job requirement similarities comes from a recent support group facilitator's job description for Kaiser Permanente. Summarizing, the job description requires the facilitator to make sure all participants contribute thoughts and feelings by creating an environment where comments are valued and group members are treated with fairness, equity and respect.

Job description philosophy

The Kaiser Permanente group facilitator description does not clearly state the skills necessary to create a safe and comfortable environment. Rather it implies that the applicant will know which skills are necessary to create and maintain a productive environment. When job descriptions are written like this, it becomes an applicant's responsibility to know and convey that the required situation requires leadership and communications skills, and an understanding of group dynamics and processes.

Industry Association

Industry associations are good information sources for job outlooks, trends and necessary skills. The most widely recognized facilitators' association is the International Association of Facilitators, or IAF, formed at a networking conference of peer professionals in January 1994. The organization now has 1,500-plus members in more than 63 countries. Its mission is to promote, support and advance the art and practice of professional facilitation through methods exchange, professional growth, practical research, collegial networking and support services.

Skills and competencies

The IAF has identified six areas of core skills for facilitators. They are create collaborative client relationships; plan appropriate group processes; create and sustain a participatory environment; guide group to appropriate and useful outcomes; build and maintain professional knowledge; and model positive professional attitude. Each core competency consists of from one to four subsets of specific actions that support each skill. Facilitator job descriptions generally include some or all of these skills stated in one form or another.

Organizational competencies

In addition to the general skills listed on most facilitator job descriptions, there are sometimes specialized skills specific to an industry or organization. An example is in a Booz Allen Operations Concept Working Group Facilitator job description. Here, the basic qualifications are beyond general skills and include five-plus years' experience with working in control and reporting center operations or maintenance; five-plus years' experience with Air Force Tactical Control System concepts of operations; top-secret clearance; and a bachelor's degree. This is clear example of job-specific skills.

Job outlook

Facilitator jobs exist in most industries; however, job numbers are difficult to estimate because facilitator jobs can be grouped together with other jobs. In a Bemidji State University Career Services newsletter for psychology graduates, support group facilitator is among 33 job titles and placements. No numbers indicate facilitator placements. Regardless of job outlook, an applicants will increase her employment chances by distinguishing between general and specific skills and matching her skills to those on a job description.

References

• Kaiser Permanente
• Booz Allen
• Bemidji State University