Shelter Manager

POSITION TITLE: Shelter Manager 

POSITION SUMMARY: As a Shelter Manager, you help create a safe, supportive, and welcoming shelter environment for community members who have experienced intimate partner violence. Your responsibilities include keeping the shelter facility running smoothly and providing direct support to shelter guests. You will also answer the Shelter’s 24/7 hotline and provide information, referrals, and safety planning support to callers, as well as clear eligible callers for admission to the residential shelter program. 

COMPENSATION: $22/hour

SCHEDULE: Part-time with various shifts available:

• Evening shifts, 4pm-9pm
• Overnight shifts, 9pm-8am weekdays; 9pm-9am weekends/holidays (private sleeping quarters and bathroom provided) 
• Daytime shifts, 9am-4pm (only Saturdays, Sundays, and some holidays)
• Ability to work at least 4 shifts a month

CLASSIFICATION: Hourly, non-exempt

SUPERVISOR: Residential Support and Facilities Director

SUPERVISEE(S): N/A

LOCATION: On-site at shelter facility (undisclosed location within the urban core of Charlottesville and two blocks from public transit bus stop)

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS: 

• All Shelter for Help in Emergency staff are required to pass the organization’s Suitability to Work with Minors Policy, which requires fingerprinting and criminal background checks. Regardless of the stage of the hiring or employment process, the Shelter for Help in Emergency will rescind an offer or terminate employment if the results of the fingerprinting and criminal background checks do not comport with the Suitability to Work with Minors Policy.
• All Shelter for Help in Emergency staff are mandated reporters under Virginia law and are required by law to report any suspected child abuse, neglect, or exploitation to Child Protective Services (CPS).
• This is a part-time role that will typically not exceed 20 hours of work per week.  
• While sleeping is permitted during overnight shifts, it is not guaranteed. Shelter Managers must be prepared to work through the night if needs arise, such as answering hotline calls or responding to guest emergencies. 
• This position requires frequent standing, walking, bending, stooping, and lifting or moving up to 40 pounds. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Consistently embody the values of the Shelter for Help in Emergency when interacting with human beings 

• Practice and promote antiracist, trauma-informed, person-centered, strengths-based, and harm-reducting responses to human beings 
• Communicate assertively, clearly, thoroughly, and with solutions in mind 
• Foster a culture of collaboration, mutual support and respect, creativity, and excellence 
• Maintain impeccable confidentiality of client identities and facility location  
• Promote nonviolent speech and behavior
• Demonstrate ability and willingness to disagree constructively while options are being considered, and to then fully commit to the ultimate decision, even if it isn't the decision you would have made 
• Provide feedback to team members that is truthful, timely, specific, and non- judgmental and receive feedback with curiosity, respect, and a commitment to continuous growth and professional development 

Provide direct support to shelter guests 

• Communicate important client related information to appropriate staff member(s)
• Complete check-ins of guests throughout shift to ensure client safety
• Provide conflict resolution supports when conflicts arise between guests
• Let guests into the building (answering the door) 
• Lead weekly house meetings 
• Complete VADATA Advocacy data collection accurately and comprehensively
• Lead social groups for guests depending on shelter census and desires of guests 
• Provide active listening to guests who need support and connect them to 988 to the Mental Health Virginia Warmline as appropriate 
• Teach guests how the various systems and appliances at Residential work
• Remind guests of the expectation to keep their bedrooms and bathrooms clean
• Consistently and regularly communicate shelter rules and behavior expectations to guests and support guests in their efforts to align with rules and expectations 

Facilities management responsibilities 

• Turn rooms over for new clients
• Do facility laundry (linens, kitchen towels) 
• Answer Residential Office phone line 
• Let scheduled vendors into the building (answering the door)
• Answer the Hello Line
• Complete daily/weekly/monthly checklists of facility needs
• Keep common areas clean and functional 
• Remind guests of the expectations that they clean up after themselves and their dependents in shared spaces and complete their house duties daily 
• Track grocery needs for general house use 

Hotline operations 

• Answer hotline
• Provide information, referral, and safety planning to hotline callers
• Screen eligible callers for entrance to Residential Program 
• Coordinate hoteling for callers cleared for Residential Program 
• Complete VADATA data collection for all hotline calls accurately and comprehensively 

Departmental collaboration 

• Attend biweekly Shelter Manager meetings 
• Submit timesheets accurately and by the due date
• Attend regularly scheduled and ad hoc 1:1 meetings with Residential Support and Facilities Director
• Promptly and proactively communicate concerns or needs to Residential Support and Facilities Director
• Call on-call as necessary for guidance and support during emergency situations 

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Compassion for all people, especially those in crisis
• Naturally resourceful and curious 
• Experience working with humans of diverse racial, linguistic, ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds
• Ability to constructively provide and receive feedback
• Ability to maintain perspective and exercise wise decision making and good judgement in novel situations  
• Understanding of boundaries and self-care practices and ability to consistently implement them 
• Ability to improvise and adapt to changing circumstances 
• Comfortable with computers and able to learn new software programs including databases 
• Reliable, punctual, detail-oriented, and organized 
• Access to reliable transportation 
• Understanding of the importance of confidentiality and ability to keep both the location of the residential facility and identity of guests of the shelter confidential 
• Frequent standing, walking, bending, stooping, and lifting or moving up to 40 pounds

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Understanding of the power and control dynamics of intimate partner violence
• Experience working in an emergency shelter setting 

While the Shelter for Help in Emergency aims to create job descriptions that are as comprehensive as possible, they must occasionally be revised to account for emerging needs and priorities. Position holders will be informed and professionally supported any time revisions must be made.

This is an at-will position. Acceptance of this job description does not create an employment contract.