Community Support Specialist

Job Description:

Aurora Commons cultivates belonging and community to foster health and healing among neighbors experiencing poverty and homelessness. Guided by our values of hospitality, connection, and empowerment, we strive to co-create an equitable third space where people feel heard, seen & valued.

Reporting to the Program Coordinator, the Community Support Specialist (CSS) helps create a welcoming, trauma-informed, and community-centered environment for neighbors accessing Aurora Commons. This role focuses on building authentic relationships, supporting access to resources and basic needs, and maintaining a clean, safe, and hospitable community space.

Community Support Specialists are often the first point of contact for neighbors entering the program space and play an essential role in fostering dignity, belonging, safety, and connection within the Aurora Commons community. This is a highly relational and fast-paced position that requires flexibility, teamwork, emotional resilience, and a strong commitment to hospitality and compassionate care.

Job Duties:The following responsibilities are intended to describe the general nature and scope of work performed in this role and are not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties. Responsibilities may evolve or change based on organizational, operational, and community needs. Additional duties may be assigned as needed.Hospitality & Community Engagement

• Foster a welcoming, supportive, and community-centered environment for all neighbors, guests, volunteers, and visitors.
• Build authentic and compassionate relationships with neighbors grounded in dignity, respect, and trauma-informed care, using a nonjudgmental, person-centered approach in all interactions.
• Help create a sense of belonging by ensuring all individuals feel heard, seen, and valued within the Aurora Commons space.
• Support neighbors in accessing in-house and partner resources, advocacy services, and basic needs support.
• Maintain awareness of community dynamics and proactively assist with de-escalation, conflict mediation, and problem-solving when needed.
• Enforce Aurora Commons’ rules and procedures utilizing a trauma-informed and relationship-centered approach.

Basic Needs & Resource Support

• Distribute food, hygiene items, personal care supplies, bus tickets, clothing, and resource information to neighbors as requested.
• Assist with scheduling and coordinating access to laundry, bathrooms, and clothing closet services.
• Help maintain organization and accessibility of shared resources and supply areas.
• Triage & prioritize advocacy sign up list and support neighbors in navigating community resources and connecting to staff advocates or partner organizations.

Program Operations & Facility Care

• Help maintain a calm, welcoming, and functional environment throughout program hours.
• Assist with opening and closing procedures for the Commons space and ensure daily checklists are completed in alignment with Public Health and CDC recommendations.
• Assist with basic maintenance tasks and communicate facility concerns to Program Space Manager.
• Assist with program operations tasks as directed, examples:
• Food and supply inventory, ordering, organization, distribution, and tracking.
• Lead volunteers in program food preparation and other opening & closing tasks.
• Assist with in-kind donation sorting, organization, and transportation of food and paper product supplies as needed.
• Assist Program Coordinator with gathering survey data about Aurora Commons Programming.

Documentation & Administrative Support

• Track daily attendance and maintain daily logs including laundry lists, bus ticket tracking, and related program documentation.
• Support accurate and timely data entry and recordkeeping.
• Maintain timely and professional communication with staff and leadership through Slack and other organizational communication tools to support collaboration, safety, and responsive care for neighbors.
• Follow organizational procedures and expectations outlined in Aurora Commons’ employee handbook and operational policies.

Additional Requirements

• All CSS will be trained in all tasks, but may have areas of specialization as assigned.
• Physical abilities involving standing, walking, bending, lifting up to 50 pounds independently onto a flat hand truck or moving dolly, using step stool or ladder, climbing stairs.
• Works in an environment that may include exposure to emotionally charged situations, crisis response, or unpredictable behavior. 
• Work collaboratively with coworkers, volunteers, and program partners to support smooth daily operations.
• Participate in required staff meetings, trainings, and professional development opportunities.
• Support special events, evening programming, and organizational activities as assigned or needed.
• Work in an environment where there may be exposure to illicit drug residues and fumes, bloodborne pathogens or other bio-hazardous materials in the course of doing business. Other exposures could include cleaning supplies, chemicals involved in pest control, paint, and other materials used in building maintenance, building temperature fluctuations, dust, noise, pests, and odors. 
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ability to effectively interact with unhoused neighbors, co-workers, and volunteers with diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds and treat each individual with respect, dignity, and compassion.
• Excellent communication skills, including a person-centered approach.
• Ability to work effectively with a team.
• Flexibility to accommodate a variety of work tasks.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to perform physical work.
• Ability to stand or walk during the majority of a 6-hour work shift.
• Basic computer skills.
• Food Handler Permit (can obtained at time of hire).
• CPR/First Aid Certificate (within 90 days of hire date).

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience in Mental Health Field.
• Familiarity with harm reduction.
• Experience working with unhoused members of our community.
• Experience in Hospitality.
• Bilingual.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Aurora Commons is committed to diversity in the workplace and promotes equal employment opportunities for all staff members and applicants. The Agency will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability in any employment practice, unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification.

Hours per week: 40

Typical Schedule:
Monday-Friday 8:00AM-4:00PM (flexing depending on programming needs)
Evening Programming Availability 2-4 days a month.

Work Remotely: No

Job Type: full-time

Pay: $29.00 - $31.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Experience:

• Hospitality: 1 year (Preferred)
• working with unhoused community: 1 year (Preferred)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $29 - $31