OPEN UNTIL FILLED. 1st APPLICATIONS REVIEWED ON 06/03/2024

Responsible for working directly with Blue Earth County with a focus on housing related tasks and projects. The Housing Resource Specialist (HRS) will provide housing and homelessness related information and referral, education, and consultation for people with low income, housing advocates, community services providers, and county staff. The HRS will coordinate and implement various Housing Support program policies and processes, develop and complete internal and external reporting responsibilities, complete referrals and intake duties, and participate in professional staff development.

The HRS position is made possible through a County/Agency collaboration which is grant-funded and has a solid possibility for continued funding. The HRS will be an employee of Partners for Housing (P4H), however will be located at and receive daily direction and assignments from Blue Earth County Human Services Supervisor. Orientation for the position will occur with both County and Agency.

The HRS will promote a team-based environment of support, collaboration, and encouragement where contributions and feedback from others are valued; model professionalism, positivity and be a champion of our mission. Applications are welcomed from a broad range of applicants. Join our caring team!

Status: Full-Time, Hourly at 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Occasional evening, weekend, and overtime hours may be required.Starting Salary: $23.58 an hour.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

· Provides Information and Referral. Includes acting as main point of contact for all housing triage inquiries. Assists clients, staff, and providers to obtain information about local resources. Make referrals to other Human Services Units and/or other community resources. Assist individuals with gathering necessary documentation.

· Establishes and maintains working relationships with other agencies. Creates and carries out high level of collaboration between county staff, housing providers and other agencies to fill service gaps and identify potential partnerships to meet the housing system needs.

· Coordinates and Implements Housing Support Processes. Research and maintain working knowledge of the Housing Support program policies, rules, statutes, etc. In coordination with the licensing and other related staff, initiates Housing Support agreements and related documents with eligible vendors. Communicates with other county staff to relay updated information. Serves as the main point of contact for human services staff when working on development of a new vendor location and consulting on concerns of an Agreement. Serves as main point of contact for Housing Support providers. Coordinates with the proper human services staff for appropriate follow up actions.

· Develops and completes internal and external reporting responsibilities. Compiles, analyzes, and verifies data to prepare daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual agency and program reports. Investigates, assimilates, and implements report requirements directed by Supervisor. Analyzes report data to recommend improvements in workflows.

· Provides ongoing education, information, and support to clients and community providers. Consults with human services staff in areas of professional expertise. Assists supportive housing staff in follow up contacts with enrolled households to ensure continued engagement and retention in programs. Prepares and provides presentations at various county, community, and provider meetings to provide education on community housing and homelessness resources.

· Participates in Human Services Projects. Works directly with the Supervisor to help identify issues and solutions, perform quality assurance and end user testing for various Human Services departmental project tasks. Attends project meetings. Supports staff on new processes and systems as a result of project work.

· Completes Referral and Intake Duties. Completes referral and intake paperwork and obtains appropriate client consents. Completes related paperwork as directed. Uses appropriate data bases such as SSIS and HMIS for documentation and research. Forwards referral and intake paperwork to appropriate Agency staff for eligibility determination.

· Actively participates in Supportive Housing team meetings. As requested, prepares, and presents information for training or educational purposes.

· Interacts positively with internal and external customers. Communicates and interacts effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, individuals from other organizations, and customers.

· Performs the physical and mental demands of the position.

· Attends work during regularly scheduled hours.

EXAMPLES OF WORK:

• Independently researches possibilities and gaps to define what needs to be done in this role/project and executes.
• Acts as point person for housing related information; housing expert position accessible to Human Services staff within the participating Counties.
• Develop and present trainings to County staff and community providers to offer better services to all householdsexperiencing housing instability or homelessness.
• Provides specific client consultation to peers and County staff regarding housing options and creative problem-solving based on the situation.
• Provides housing referrals and resource information.
• Provides outreach to community partners and community members with low income, housing instability or homelessness.
• Implement the annual Housing Support Agreement process; following up with providers to ensure all documentation is received and submitted; tracking the submission of all documentation.
• Leads data collection, analysis, and report writing for the specific program area.
• Participates in applicable task force, committee, or task-orientated work group activities.
• Works closely with all County Services towards integrating common housing goals.
• Other duties as assigned.

EXPECTED SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

· Provide fair and equitable support of all persons regardless of situation.

· Must be adept at building relationships based on mutual trust and respect.

· Must adhere to the strictest of professional and ethical standards, abide by a code of Confidentiality.

· Maintain good judgment at all times and in all activities.

· Strong verbal and written skills; strong organizations skills; effective time management; attention to detail andability to be self-motivated and disciplined.

· Local travel required; must have a reliable vehicle, insurance, and clean driving record.

· Working knowledge of software applications including Word, Excel, and Outlook. Experience with online filestorage and data entry programs is a plus.

· Excellent administrative and communication skills (e.g., emails, case notes, organization).

· Must be a self-starter who is highly organized, able to prioritize and is highly flexible/adaptive.

· Must possess a heart for advocating for and supporting the low-income population.

· Ability to work outside of the typical Monday through Friday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. hours when work demands are present – including being accessible to County staff, clients, and required attendance at meetings.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

· Must successfully complete a background check.

· Must possess a valid driver's license and be able to drive in the State of Minnesota, use of personal vehicle is required.

· Must comply with all federal and state laws and organizational and departmental policies and regulations.

· Must comply with data practices policies and standards relative to not public data. Any access to not public data should be strictly limited to accessing the data that are necessary to fulfill the employment responsibility. While data are being accessed, incumbent should take reasonable measures to ensure the not public data are not accessed by individuals without a work reason. Once the work reason to access the data is reasonably finished the not public data must be properly stored according to county policy and the Minnesota Statutes.

Partners for Housing is committed to continuous awareness and improvement in the services we provide and the organization where people work. P4H is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

Note: While working as an employee of P4H, will work solely with County Staff who will direct work.

Partners for Housing reserves the right to modify, interpret, or apply this job description as needed to meet the needs of the agency. This job description in no way implies that these are the only duties, including essential duties, to be performed by the employee occupying this position. This job description is not an employment contract, implied or otherwise. The employment relationship remains at-will. These job requirements are subject to change to reasonably accommodate qualified disabled individuals.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $23.58 per hour

Benefits:

• 403(b)
• 403(b) matching
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Application Question(s):

• Describe your professional experience in a general clerical/customer service or as administrative support or case aid in a human services setting. if you do not have this experience, type N/A.
• Describe your professional experience working with vulnerable populations as a case manager. If you do not have this experience, type N/A.
• Describe your professional experience related to analyzing procedures and processes. If you do not have this experience, type N/A.
• Tell us why you are interested in this position as a Housing Resources Specialist with Partners for Housing and Blue Earth County.
• Which of the following best describes your working knowledge of local homelessness, affordable housing and rental assistance resources available to community members?

Limited - I have very little knowledge of local homelessness, affordable housing and rental assistance resources available to community members.
Moderate - I have knowledge of local homelessness, affordable housing and rental assistance resources available to community members that I utilize on an occasional basis over the course of a month.
Extensive - I have knowledge of local homelessness, affordable housing and rental assistance resources available to community members that I utilize on a regular basis over the course of a month.
N/A - I have no experience in this area.

Work Location: In person