Council for the Homeless - Housing Hotline Specialist | Vancouver Housing Authority

The Council for the Homeless (CFTH) operates the Housing Solutions Center, our community’s one-stop access point for over 40 housing assistance programs, including emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, and programs designed for specific populations such as families or unaccompanied youth. Staff and volunteers at the Housing Solutions Center work with clients to assess their housing needs and connect them to their best fit housing solution, as well as connect them to services in the community that will help them on their journey toward safe and stable housing. Housing Coordinators also work closely with partner agencies to understand referral needs and identify those eligible for program.

Who we are looking for

CFTH is seeking a Housing Hotline Specialist that plays an integral role in ending homelessness within Clark County. The role is responsible for providing excellent customer service, accurate information and direct housing connections to individuals calling the Housing Hotline. The specialist interacts in a trauma-informed, professional and knowledgeable manner over the phone with people seeking housing services, with the purpose of screening callers for emergency shelter and housing programs. Supportive, empathetic customer service will be provided to those experiencing a housing crisis. Accurate data entry, positive partner engagement and consistent communication with supervisor is also needed.

What you’ll do

• Answer phone calls to the Housing Hotline, which may include people seeking emergency shelter, housing programs for people experiencing homelessness or housing programs for people at-risk of homelessness.
• Practice strong boundaries among clients and staff while maintaining a trauma informed environment for all.
• Understand where to glean program updates and review/provide updates on a daily basis to remain informed.
• Provide ongoing and clear communication with supervisor regarding challenges, questions, and opportunities for efficiencies and improvement.
• Serve as an active listener, crisis interventionist and resource broker, as needed on the hotline.
• Create, complete, and maintain accurate data (HMIS) profiles on each household calling the hotline.
• Understand and meet all agency confidentiality requirements.
• Provide superior customer service and respond to household and partner inquires in a timely fashion in all aspects of the role.
• Establish and maintain positive, productive relationships with colleagues and partnering agencies.
• Consistently comply with position and department safety and attendance standards.
• A willingness to apply a trauma informed and equity lens when communicating with clients and staff.
• Strong cultural awareness and humility.
• Ability to accept feedback as an opportunity to improve and excel.
• Ability to remain empathetic, kind, and nonjudgmental regardless of the situation.
• Be a positive, self-motivated individual who has demonstrated the ability to work independently and well with others as a member of various teams.
• Willing to work in an environment with constantly changing priorities and roles without losing enthusiasm for the organization mission.

What we offer

• The STARTING SALARY RANGE for this position is $18.80 – $24.44 per hour based on experience. The full salary range for this position is $18.80 – $29.90 per hour. The final candidate for this position will be paid within the STARTING SALARY RANGE.
• Full-time, non-exempt position working 40 hours per week, Monday – Friday. May be required to work a few hours on weekends and holidays when needed.
• 100% employer-paid medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term and long-term disability insurance for the employee’s coverage.
• Benefits package also includes 10.39% paid into WA PERS by employer, 12 company paid holidays, and generous paid time off and separate sick time accrual.
• Meaningful work that addresses affordable housing and homelessness in our community.

What you’ll bring

• At least one year professional experience working directly with people who are low-income and/or homeless or equivalent.
• Strong customer service and interpersonal skills
• Strong cultural awareness and humility.
• Proficient with Google Drive and Microsoft Office Suite, with strong computer skills.
• Ability to multi-task and handle a high volume of client phone calls while inputting information into a computer database
• Ability to accept feedback as an opportunity to improve and excel.
• Experience with de-escalation and crisis intervention on the phone or in-person.
• Willing to remain flexible and open to change.
• Ability to remain empathetic, kind, and nonjudgmental regardless of the situation.
• Personal and professional commitment to ongoing learning, engagement and change that progresses diversity, equity and inclusion.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Lived experience as someone who is low-income or homeless.
• Identify as a member of a population(s) disproportionately affected by homelessness.
• Experience with call centers, hotlines or extensive telephone or virtual communication work.
• Knowledge of telephone access and/or call center best practices.
• A degree in Social Work, Human Services or related field.
• Experience using Slack, databases and conducting screenings.
• Knowledge of Clark County resources and agencies that serve people experiencing homelessness.
• Writes, signs and/or speaks a language(s) other than English that is represented in the diverse community served.

A cover letter and resume are required when applying for this position. For more information on the Council for the Homeless please visit our website at www.councilforthehomeless.org. Please note, those candidates deemed to best match our requirements will be contacted for an interview. We do not discuss application status during the selection process. Applications will be reviewed as they come in.

The VHA provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applications for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as covered veteran in accordance with federal, state, and local laws.