Outreach Housing Program Supervisor

Description

SCHEDULE:  40 hours, Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., evenings and weekends as needed 

Pays $ 61,464.00 annually DOE    

LOCATION:  105 Chauncey St. and Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA

The Housing Program Supervisor is an essential position in the event of weather or other emergencies and will work 100% site. 

SUMMARY OF THE POSITION:

The Outreach Housing Program Supervisor (OHP) is responsible for planning, assigning, reviewing, supervising and managing day-to-day activities of the Outreach Housing Placement, Housing Placement and Stabilization Specialists. These staff are responsible for providing complex pre-housing preparation and assessing and procuring stabilization services to clients housed by the program. This position will have direct oversight of the CAS Matches of Daytime Outreach clients.

Responsible for the effective advising of housing and outreach staff on all housing work. For OHP staff this will include performance management, employee relations, training and development, and prioritizing and assigning housing work and related activities. Participates in the development or revising of housing program policies and procedures

The OHP Supervisor position will provide supervision, support, and direction for up to six (6) Housing Placement and Stabilization staff as their direct report. The position also provides oversight of all housing with case managers and clinicians in the BHOT department, coordinating with the BHOT Supervisor.  The successful candidate will be the liaison with internal partners CHS, PMH, RRH programs, the Director of Landlord Engagement, and external partners including the Mayor’s Office of Housing, Boston Housing Authority, Metro Boston Housing, and the Coordinated Access System.

The OHPS position may be on the streets supplementing BHOT services during weather emergency coverage and checking on clients housed during these episodes of dangerous weather. The incumbent will maintain client records in Clarity, HMIS, and internal record-keeping and will meet or exceed program outcomes related to recovery, housing, asset development and maximizing self-sufficiency of the unsheltered homeless working towards housing. The OHPS will work within a best-practice framework and base the work in principles of Harm Reduction, Trauma-Informed Care and Housing First models.

The OHPS will work with the Associate Director and supervisors of BHOT and the Director of Daytime Outreach as a resource to the Outreach Team to achieve program goals, work with management to develop and implement appropriate policy and procedures, as well as ensure excellence in data quality for the program. The OHPS will work with the team to ensure exceptional customer service both internally and externally and will work in partnership with the Triage team as well as other Emergency Services and Housing Department staff to provide integrated service delivery which furthers our mission to eliminate homelessness. 

The Housing Program Supervisor will work from the following principles: 

• Shelter is a temporary safety net, not a home. 
• All individuals experiencing homelessness, regardless of their housing history and duration of homelessness, can achieve housing stability in permanent housing.
• Never warehouse or institutionalize individuals in our shelters.
• Sobriety, compliance in treatment, or an unblemished criminal history is not necessary to succeed in housing acquisition. Rather, homelessness programs and housing providers must operate from Housing First models.
• Leverage strengths, assets, and connections to move individuals off the street, out of shelters to any other safer place or housing with all possible speed.
• Recognize the impact of violence and victimization on development and coping strategies.
• Employ an empowerment model.
• Maximize choices and control in recovery based in a relational collaboration.
• Create an atmosphere that is respectful of the individuals need for safety, respect and acceptance. 
• Employ client strengths, emphasizing adaptations over symptoms and resilience over pathology. 
• Minimize the possibilities of re-traumatization.
• Strive to be culturally competent and to understand each person in the context of his or her life experiences and cultural background.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION/TRAINING:

REQUIRED:

• Bachelor’s Degree and two (2) years’ experience in human services or, two (2) years of college and four (4) years ‘human services experience 
• Experience in housing search/coordination of housing services
• Computer literacy in Microsoft Office products

PREFERRED:

• Valid Massachusetts driver’s license in good standing

KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE:

REQUIRED:

• Minimum of two (2) years substance abuse or mental health counseling experience
• Knowledgeable in Motivational Interviewing, Harm Reduction, Trauma-Informed Care and Stages of Change 
• Experience in housing acquisition/coordination of housing services
• Working Knowledge of Housing First and Rapid Rehousing principles
• Highly skilled in working collaboratively as a member of a multidisciplinary team
• Experience in client assessment, trauma informed care, motivational interviewing, negotiation, household budgeting, and housing/community referrals, case management and service planning
• Knowledge of the issues related to homelessness and housing
• Working knowledge of human services systems, housing subsidy programs and homeless referral networks 
• Knowledge and experience providing case management services to a complex and vulnerable population.
• Ability to effectively work with area crisis programs and homeless persons struggling with the challenges of trauma and a psychiatric crisis 
• Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills 
• High degree of cultural sensitivity and ability to work effectively with diverse populations and situations
• High standards of accuracy and attention to detail
• knowledge, sensitivity and cultural competency around issues related to homelessness, trauma, mental illness, addiction, and diverse vulnerable populations

PREFERRED:

• Familiarity with Clarity and HMIS systems
• Experience accessing local housing opportunities and subsidy programs for homeless individuals
• Two (2) or more years of leadership and/or supervisory experience
• Experience navigating systems of housing and care for homeless individuals
• Experience speaking/presenting in front of medium to large size groups
• Experience with Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Informed Care, Harm Reduction, Housing First and Change Theory 
• Bilingual (English/Spanish)