The Downtown Women’s Center (DWC) seeks a full-time Peer Specialist with a proven history of high-quality work, to provide culturally responsive services. The Department of Community Based Housing is focused on providing culturally responsive services to unhoused women, living on Skid Row and across Los Angeles County, who have experienced long-term homelessness and have been historically underserved by traditional housing programs. Our innovative housing programs are designed to quickly and permanently house the most vulnerable women in Los Angeles County. This direct service role is responsible for engaging women in services, building relationships, and identifying natural community supports. An ideal candidate has lived experience, is strengths-based, decisive, flexible, and creative. This position will report directly to the Rehousing Program Supervisor.

Competencies (I.e. Flexibility, Communication Proficiency, Relationship Management)

1. Strong engagement skills

2. Culturally Responsive

3. Flexibility

4. Empathy

5. Communication

6. Relationship building

7. Trauma-informed

8. Organization Skills

9. Decision Making

10. Collaboration Skills

This position does not have supervisory responsibilities.

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. This position would also require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets and bend or stand on a stool as necessary.

This is a full-time, non-exempt, hybrid position. Days and hours of work are Monday- Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm

Travel is expected for this position. The position is primarily field based.

1. Lived experience and familiarity with the Skid Row community strongly preferred.

2. Strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills; proven ability to communicate with diverse audiences.

3. Ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities, including proficiency in balancing direct service responsibilities with data management responsibilities.

4. Strong administrative skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) required.

5. Ability to be flexible with hours when needed.

6. Ability to build and sustain relationships.

7. Excellent active listening and crisis intervention skills with ability to exercise and model good judgment.

8. Knowledge of the complex barriers surrounding women’s homelessness

9. Knowledge of communities that are disproportionately represented in the homeless population (communities of color, LGBTQ etc.)

10. Computer skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, and Outlook)

11. Strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills and ability to build relationships with women, coworkers, and community partners from diverse backgrounds.

12. Demonstrated ability to establish priorities, implement plans, and meet deadlines.

13. Active listening and problem-solving skills, a solution-oriented attitude, and good judgment

14. Knowledge of trauma informed care

15. Cultural humility.

16. Must be a CA resident and live no more than 75 miles from DWC; must be available for in-person meetings at DWC.

17. Must provide documentation of a negative TB test result within the last twelve months, on first day of hire.

18. You will be required to be up to date on your vaccinations against COVID-19 and provide documentation. If you are fully vaccinated and not yet eligible to receive a booster dose, then you must receive the booster dose within 30 days of becoming eligible and eligibility begins 5 months after receiving the final primary dose. If you are fully vaccinated and have received a booster dose, you are considered up to date with your vaccinations. Unvaccinated individuals must receive their 1st dose before their first day of hire. Partially vaccinated (for 2-dose series) individuals must receive their 2nd dose within 30 days of being hired. The second dose of a two-dose vaccine series is due 4 weeks after the primary dose.

$21.86 - $23.07/hour

Being authorized to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment. DWC does not sponsor employment visas, such as H-1B.

Downtown Women’s Center provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants and actively seeks candidates who reflect the rich diversity of the communities that we serve.

We are committed to a work environment that embraces and promotes individuality and inclusion. We believe that diversity and inclusion of varied perspectives, backgrounds, and life experiences are essential to our organization’s effectiveness, and allow us to serve our clients in the respectful, responsive, and understanding way that they deserve. We define diversity in broad terms to include race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, mental or physical disability, marital status, pregnancy, military and veteran status, medical condition, geography, socio-economic status, and other unique attributes that make us who we are.

Downtown Women’s Center complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.