Housing Specialist

“I stayed in a violent relationship for years because my children and I had no place else to go.”

RESPOND has been working to end domestic violence and homelessness in our communities for over 45 years. By joining our team as the Housing Specialist, you will be helping folks experiencing domestic violence find safe, affordable housing and a life free of abuse. RESPOND’s three tenets focus on our life changing work, our diverse team, and our commitment to learning.

The Housing Specialists Work:

Each day will be different as you work in a fast-paced setting, serving a diverse caseload of domestic violence survivors who seek safe, independent housing solutions.

Your day may include:

• Identifying the barriers to safe housing and creating a service plan to overcome them
• Assessing eligibility and determining housing and service needs
• Assisting in the search for available properties
• Transporting program participants to an apartment viewing(s)
• Creating a budget and addressing credit repair
• Participate in furnishing a safe, permanent home for a family
• Helping a teammate out! Support a colleague or program in need of an extra set of hands

The team you will be working with:

• Staffers who are committed to social services, social justice and the belief that housing is a human and fundamental right
• Folks who are new to the field, and veterans who have been in service for decades Experts in diverse fields including domestic violence, criminal justice, early education, social work , housing and homelessness prevention
• People who work hard and play hard. This work is tough, we bring our A-game every day. When we use our ample Paid-Time-Off, you can find staffers with a diverse set of interests

What you will learn, model or teach:

• Trauma informed services are the cornerstone of RESPOND services. Program participants are treated with dignity and respect.
• Extensive training—RESPOND will provide 25 hours of domestic violence related training in the orientation period, and on-going training and continuous professional development opportunities
• The intersection of domestic violence intervention and homelessness prevention. Be a part of making your neighborhoods accessible, diverse and a safe place to work, live and play
• Upward mobility—if you are looking for a career and not just a job, you are in the right place!

Your Knowledge, Skills and Attributes:

• Proven ability to help individuals overcome barriers
• Access to a personal vehicle, possession of a valid drivers license and a willingness to transport program participants in RESPOND’s service area.
• Practice cultural sensitivity and ability to relate to persons of diverse backgrounds, such as the LGBQ/T community and individuals with histories of substance abuse and/or mental health and different ethnic and social backgrounds.
• At least one year of case management or relevant experience working with individuals and families.
• Bachelor Degree or High School Diploma/HiSET/GED with 4 years’ equivalent work experience strongly preferred.
• Must have or be willing to obtain the 25-hr Domestic Violence Training Certification.

RESPOND Compensation and Benefits include:

• Opportunity to join a new, start-up program and be part of the success from the get-go!
• Hourly pay range of $23.00-$26.00 with opportunity for overtime at time and one half the hourly rate for work over 40 hours in one week
• Ample accrued paid time off of 3 weeks’ vacation, 2 personal days, 12 sick days and 12 holidays
• 401k match of 3%
• Excellent health and dental insurance that is 80% paid by employer
• Opportunity to participate in MBTA Transit Perq Program
• No-cost 25k Life insurance policy
• Pre-tax flexible spending and dependent care accounts
• Additional vision, life, and illness policies available at cost to employees

Interested? Let us know why you want to join the team as a Housing Specialist by sending a cover letter and resume to hr at respondinc dot org with the job title in the subject line.

Please kindly refrain from calling our main office number to inquire about open positions. We are currently reviewing all applicants. If you have any questions regarding our opening positions (including status of application) please email us instead at hr@respondinc.org. Thank you for your interest!

RESPOND, Inc. is committed to building a culturally diverse staff that represents the populations we serve. RESPOND, Inc. celebrates diverse life experience and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer (EEO/AA). Candidates who are bilingual/bicultural, of color, Native/Indigenous, with disabilities, who identify as LGBTQIA , or who are members of other marginalized groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $23.00 - $26.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Experience:

• housing support: 1 year (Preferred)
• case management: 1 year (Required)

License/Certification:

• Driver's License and willingness to transport clients (Required)

Work Location: On the road

Salary : $23 - $26