Outreach Specialist

At the San Diego Rescue Mission, we are driven by a profound belief in compassion, service, and the transformative power of Jesus' love. Our mission goes beyond charity; it is a calling to love our neighbors and provide hope and healing to those experiencing homelessness. We are committed to creating a holistic approach to recovery and rehabilitation, ensuring that our programs serve as safe havens for men, women, and children in need.

Position Summary

The Outreach Specialist plays a key role in furthering the Mission’s commitment to excellence in service and Christlike compassion. This position supports program objectives, ensures operational integrity, and reflects our values in every interaction with clients, staff, and the public. The Outreach Specialist serves as a street-based case manager, responsible for engaging individuals living in encampments and other unsheltered environments. This position plays a critical role in building trust with vulnerable populations, conducting needs assessments, and connecting individuals to essential services including shelter, healthcare, substance use treatment, and permanent housing pathways. The Outreach Specialist conducts daily engagement in encampments and public spaces to build trust with unsheltered individuals. Using trauma-informed, person-centered approaches, they provide assessments, case management, and resource connections, including housing navigation and transportation support. This role collaborates with internal teams and community partners to ensure coordinated care and accurate documentation of outreach efforts.

Schedule Requirements: This position requires availability to work Saturdays as part of the regular schedule, in-office phone coverage two days per week, community outreach at the Little Italy farmers market, and transporting clients to shelters when needed.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct daily outreach in targeted encampments and public spaces to engage unsheltered individuals.
• Build trusting relationships with individuals experiencing homelessness using trauma-informed and person-centered approaches.
• Perform intake assessments to identify individual needs, goals, and barriers to stability.
• Provide case management services including referrals, transportation assistance, and support with navigating public systems.
• Work closely with outreach coordinator and community partners to align efforts and reduce duplicative services.
• Support and participate in ministry-wide activities and chapels as applicable.
• Document outreach activities, referrals, and outcomes in a timely and accurate manner.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to uphold trauma-informed practices and ensure client dignity.
• Participate in coordinated entry and housing navigation efforts as appropriate.

Staff Expectations

As a representative of San Diego Rescue Mission, all employees are expected to:

• Adhere to the Statement of Faith, upholding biblical principles in all aspects of work and life.
• Be prepared to share the hope you have in Christ. As a representative of Christ, be ready to gently and respectfully share the Good News of Jesus Christ at all times.
• Live out the Mission, Vision, and Values of the SDRM by safeguarding the Mission, pursuing the Vision, and reflecting our core values—Faith, Compassion, Excellence, and Integrity—in both your personal and public life. Remain focused on serving, demonstrating a deep desire to see God transform the lives of those experiencing homelessness.
• Intentionally spend time in God’s Word, prayer, staying rooted in a biblical community (local church, ministry, small group) to deepen your relationship with Christ.
• Model servant leadership in all interactions, encourage and support SDRM staff in their walk with Christ, putting the needs of others before yourself.
• Foster a coachable, approachable, and humble spirit, remaining open to feedback, growth, and guidance.

Education

• Minimum: [e.g., Associate’s Degree or equivalent experience]
• Preferred: [e.g., Bachelor’s in Social Work, Theology, Psychology, or related field]
• Lived experience of homelessness counts towards education and experience 

Experience

• Minimum of 2 years working in a nonprofit, ministry, or human services environment
• Experience working with individuals facing homelessness, trauma, or addiction preferred

Skills & Abilities

• Ability to function effectively in a dynamic, faith-based environment
• Strong communication and administrative skills
• Capable of maintaining emotional resilience in challenging client situations

Work Environment and Physical Demands

• This role may require walking, standing, lifting up to 25 lbs, and working irregular hours, including evenings or weekends.
• Environment includes residential program sites and client-facing spaces.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The San Diego Rescue Mission (SDRM) Is both an equal opportunity employer and a Christian Ministry. We conduct hiring without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, age, sex (which included breastfeeding, or a medical condition related to breastfeeding), marital status, parental status, military status, veteran's status, pregnancy, medication condition, genetic characteristics, genetic information, disability or any other protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.

However, as a registered non- profit religious organization, SDRM does reserve the right to discriminate in hiring persons whose lifestyle is contradictory to Biblical principles.

Pursuant to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 702 942 U.S.C 2000e (a)), SDRM has the right to, and does hire only candidates who agree with SDRM's Statement of Faith and conduct themselves in accordance with our religious beliefs.

Background Check Disclaimer

SDRM conducts background checks in compliance with applicable federal and state laws, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the California Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act, and the California Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies Act. If you accept a position with SDRM, as part of your conditional offer of employment, you will be asked to submit to a virtual background check AND a California Livescan Fingerprint.

You will be provided the following notifications as an example:

1. You will be provided with appropriate written notice of the company's intention to obtain information by way of a background check and will give applicants and employees the opportunity to obtain a free copy of any report obtained.

2. Applicants and employees will be asked to authorize a background check before such check is performed.

Drug Screen Disclaimer

SDRM is a Nonprofit Religious Organization and as such, we require all employees to submit to our drug screen as a condition of employment once they have accepted a position with SDRM. Because of our religious affiliation, we do not allow employees to use or consume recreational or medicinal marijuana, along with all other federally recognized substances. You will be notified prior to any employment decisions if your drug screen is returned with negative findings. Refusal to submit to testing will result in disqualification of further employment consideration.

E-Verify Statement

San Diego Rescue Mission participates in E-Verify. We will provide the Social Security Administration, and if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security, with information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. Please note that we do not use this information to pre-screen job applicants.

Salary : $25