Description

Overview

Catholic Charities of Central & Northern Missouri is seeking a dedicated addition to join our agency's case management team and play a crucial role in providing care and creating hope. This entry-level position is responsible for fostering strong relationships with clients and delivering high quality housing counseling services. The ideal candidate is compassionate, organized, and detail-oriented. Catholic Charities is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This is a full-time (40 hr / week), non-exempt position. Employer offers medical, dental, vision, life, and long term disability benefits as well as paid holidays, paid vacation, and a matching 403(b) plan. 

Summary

The Housing Counselor plays an instrumental role in the program’s mission delivery team by coordinating and providing client-centered housing counseling services for Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri. As a member affiliate of Catholic Charities USA, our agency is committed to incorporating disaster-preparedness into all programs and services with the ability to provide disaster case management and participate in long-term recovery throughout our 38-county service area when the need arises. This case management position is responsible for upholding the mission and integrity of Catholic Charities by delivering excellent housing support services through comprehensive education through one-on-one counseling and group education sessions, grant compliance, training and formation, and stakeholder engagement, collaborating with agency leadership and program staff to address program challenges, nurture community relationships, and advocate for client rights/needs. Housing services are compliant with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidelines, and include credit review, budget development, savings skills, and assisting clients overcome barriers that prevent home ownership. Possesses a strong commitment to the mission of Catholic Charities, including the understanding of Catholic Social Teaching and ability to demonstrate the philosophy and values of the agency. The identity of the agency is clearly Catholic. As such, Catholic Charities adheres to the social and moral teachings of the Catholic Church. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Implementing program management in the following areas: 

• Collaborating with the Director of Community Services to uphold strong fiscal management in the implementation and adherence of yearly budgets. 
• Supporting, monitoring, and ensuring best practices for program development. 
• Coordinating with agency and program leadership to guarantee the adherence to all agency policies and procedures.

Supporting delivery of compassionate and efficient housing counseling services for all assigned cases, that includes but is not limited to: 

• Identifying needs, assessing eligibility, coordinating services, and providing orientation that clarifies expectations, communicates rights and responsibilities, and establishes a supportive, professional relationship with clients.
• Ensuring provision of mandated/required housing services by staying current on the programmatic knowledge of service providers and housing-related topics such as collection, credit education, credit reports, housing issues, consumer protection laws, student loans, wage attachments, etc. 
• Overseeing and/or developing written action plans that promote the client’s best interests or the client's choice of action and identifying ways to reduce barriers.
• Providing services that are compliant with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidelines such as assessing clients’ financial situation, assisting clients with budget development and financial goal-setting, explaining credit report ratings and protection laws to clients, preparing materials for housing workshops, and providing referrals to clients.
• Identifying communities in need of support and ensuring access to meaningful agency and community resources that assist clients working towards economic and housing stability through referrals, one-on-one counseling, and group education sessions.
• Tracking financial support and completing all required financial documents.
• Documenting goals and outcomes through comprehensive case notes and ensuring case files are compliant with program/service requirements.
• Maintaining communication with clients and facilitating connections between clients and partners, the agency, and the community. 

Working with agency and program leadership to complete and participate in initial and continuous orientation, training, supervision, and assessments, including annual performance evaluations, contributing to a culture of ongoing quality enhancement, growth, and sustainability.

Cultivating and sustaining positive working relationships with agency and program leadership, peers, and program staff, as well as local and regional service partners, and regional and national agencies, to ensure the delivery of high-quality client services and fulfillment of program initiatives, especially as it pertains to housing services.

 Expectations

• Full-time staff members are required to attend their designated work site from Monday to Friday, typically from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Core working hours may be subject to change based on the specific role and the requirements of the program.
• Participates effectively as a team member through communication, cooperation, information sharing, and problem-solving.
• Attends and participates in staff trainings, meetings, activities, and programs as required.
• Utilizes common software and digital applications (Microsoft Office suite, Outlook, Teams, time-keeping software, etc.).

Supervisory Responsibilities

Supervises AmeriCorps members, interns, and volunteers as assigned. 

Requirements

Education and/or Experience

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a field related to Catholic Charities’ mission and services and/or experience in delivery of social, human, financial services and programs is required. Demonstrated success in working building/maintaining community relationships and knowledge of Catholic Social Teaching is preferred.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations 

Willingness to pass/complete certification as a Housing Counselor from a HUD approved training agency within 3 months of hire. Ability to complete continued education trainings as required to maintain certifications. 

Other Qualifications

Ability to successfully pass Family Care Safety Registry and criminal background checks and requires completion of the Protecting God’s Children VIRTUS training session. Licensed to operate a motor vehicle and ability to meet agency auto insurance coverage requirements. Local travel may be required. 

Agency Identity and Mission

The work of Catholic Charities serves as an expression of the ministry of evangelization of the Roman Catholic Church by serving the poor and most vulnerable in our society. Although staff are not to proselytize, they are, however, expected to be guided in every way by the teachings of the Catholic faith in their daily work. These include church teachings on abortion, sterilization, abstinence, and the sanctity of the family as well as fidelity to the Catholic ethical religious directive of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. In addition, all staff are invited to attend periodic Catholic Masses. As employees of Catholic Charities, it is further expected that staff will adhere to the Diocesan code of conduct. Employees are expected to not only perform duties consistent with the Doctrines of the Catholic faith, but outside of the workplace they are expected to refrain from publishing any communication in any form, electronic or otherwise, that affiliates them with Catholic Charities in a manner that is inconsistent with the doctrine of the Roman Catholic faith.