Tenant Education Specialist

Tenant Education Specialist - Limited Term

Tenant Education Specialist

Key responsibilities: Tenant Education Specialists support the heartbeat of the Tenant Education and Support (TES) Department at Community Alliance of Tenants (CAT) which is the Renters’ Rights Hotline. The hotline provides: educational information about landlord tenant law to tenants seeking guidance,  internal & external referral services, scheduling letter writing clinic appointments, legal referral services, and more. This position is responsible for a combination of in-person and virtual services: hotline support, conducting education workshops and community outreach, support to tenants needing letter-writing assistance, and contributing to the development and maintenance of educational content. 

CAT is seeking an engaging, self-directed and compasionate individual who cares about housing justice and empowering tenants through tenant education and organizing. As a social justice organization dedicated to dismantling systems of oppression as it relates to housing justice, the ideal candidate is an advocate at heart who has the desire to support the spread of tenant knowledge through community education. This position needs someone with excellent customer service skills who can calmly support people in crisis, who has cultural competency and a culturally humble approach for many different diverse populations, and a high-degree of emotional intelligence. This position will require a team member who can work independently to accomplish deliverables and work closely with a team.

Classification: Full Time/Non-Exempt

Tenant Education and Support (TES) Department Support

• Stay abreast and up to date on tenants’ rights news, policy changes, service providers, and any and all that impact CAT’s work. Working with the education director and hotline manager to support program development to reflect new trends and changes for effective program delivery

• Support the education director and hotline manager in developing fundraising for grant and contract opportunities for the Tenant Education Program

• Support the hotline manager in writing reports for grants and contracts

• Develop community partnerships with other organizations and agencies

• Works collaboratively with education director and hotline manager to develop and execute community-entry and marketing plans
• Maintain a calm demeanor with tenants who may be in crisis
• Provide non-English language support such as translation of materials, interpretation, and coordinate with language service providers 
• Supports with volunteer coordination and supervision
• Supporting the education department needs and staff as needed 
• Other duties as assigned especially as they relate to CAT's 2023-2025 Strategic Plan.

Renters' Rights Support (Hotline and In-Person) - Providing information, strategies and support for tenants who have questions about their rights and/or are experiencing challenges protecting their rights as a renter on the hotline or in-person.

• Provide feedback, support and training for volunteers and staff on hotline & hotline related duties.
• Maintain calm demeanor with tenants who may be in crisis.
• Make hotline calls and in-person consultations, utilizing Landlord-Tenant law and Fair Housing expertise.
• Support and coordinate with hotline team on supervision of hotline shifts.
• Support and facilitate Hotline Volunteer trainings.
• Timely and accurate entry of hotline data into HMIS.
• Stay up to date on changes in Oregon landlord tenant law.
• Working with community partners to develop a robust community referral process. 
• Provide technical support on hotline software (Jive, Community Services formerly Service Point, etc.) and hardware (phone systems, etc.).

• Provide appropriate resources and referrals to renters, complete internal & external referrals (partners/agencies).
• Provide rental assistance support as needed.

• Other duties as assigned.

Renters' Rights Workshops (RRWs) - Planning, coordinating and conducting renters' rights workshops online or in-person for membership base, and other organizations.

• Help conduct renters' rights workshops for membership base, HCV/Section 8 Voucher holders, and other organizations and agencies as directed and in coordination with staff and volunteers.
• Develop, update, maintain Renters' Rights & Responsibilities presentation(s) as needed.
• Sign up and track participants, including outreach, reminder calls and other logistics.
• Prepare packets and update materials for workshop participants for in-person use or sent electronically to renters.
• Maintain and update spreadsheet of workshop attendance & other needed data.
• Other duties as assigned.

Letter Writing Clinics (LWC) & Supports  - Empowering tenants to document and communicate effectively.

• Coordinating LWC on-site, off-site and virtually; including outreach, reminder calls, hosting the clinic, supporting people one on one, supporting and training volunteers, and connecting tenants to additional resources. Frequency of LWC could be weekly.
• Maintaining calm demeanor with tenants who may be in crisis.
• Supporting education staff in developing new sample letters.
• Maintain and update tracking systems of program activities and participation.

Tenant Advocacy and Engagement Support

• Collaborate and support tenant organizing and advocacy efforts of the CAT Tenant Advocacy and Engagement Department staff 

• Support field organizing of regional and statewide efforts

• Support leadership development program to promote strong tenant leaders

• Support local, regional and statewide legislative campaigns 

Survey follow-up calls

• Calling a sample of renters who have used CAT services such as the Renters’ Rights Hotline 3-6 months after the help we provided
• Surveying the caller with questions related to outcomes, feedback and challenges related to their issue(s)
• Support staff and volunteers doing survey calls
• Maintaining spreadsheets providing timely and accurate data entry
• Other duties may be assigned based on organization priorities

Additional duties:

• Moderate translation or interpretation as appropriate.
• Work at least one Saturday per month. 
• Work at least one evening per week. 
• Flex schedules as needed for attending community events.
• Utilize typical writing and spreadsheets and other reporting applications.

Required Qualifications

• Excellent writing, listening, communication, organizational and interpersonal skills
• Highly organized and detail oriented
• Self-directed, with the ability to work independently and in a team environment
• Experience public speaking and/or providing training/workshops

• Belief and commitment to social justice, structural change and restorative justice
• Ability to listen, empathize and problem solve with people in crisis on the phone and in-person
• Knowledge of both Windows and Mac operating systems 
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office and Google collaboration products
• Ability to learn and use database systems (Community Services formerly Service Point, Every Action, etc.)
• Brings empathy, passion and humor to the work
• Willingness to challenge oppression in all aspects of work
• Enjoys working with diverse populations

• Ability to travel in local region and occasionally to other areas of the state
• Reliable means of transportation and ability to transport workshop/event materials (if/when it is safe for staff to attend public events)
• This position requires regularly working on weekends and/or evenings. Events are often on weekends and evenings to ensure accessibility to community members

• Open to and committed to active engagement towards the eradication of racism to People of the African diaspora and all types of racism
• Able to work in an office environment and independently from home

Required Education and experience

• High School Diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED) or equivalent 
• Minimum of one years’ experience in a similar position, or equivalent combination of education and experience 

• If driving, then a valid Driver's license is requires and car insurance.

Working Conditions

• The position requires working at least one evening per week and at least one weekend day per month.
• Remain in a stationary position (sitting or standing) for extended periods of time; and ability to occasionally stand and walk about the office
• Exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects
• Reliable means of transportation and ability to transport workshop/event materials (if/when it is safe for staff to attend public events).
• Work in-person in an office setting, off-site settings outside or inside, and independently from home

Preferred Qualifications

• Fluency in another language (Spanish, Vietnamese, Arabic, Russian or other) to be used during service provision and for CAT related events, and/or
• Lived experience and/or understanding of race-based disparities
• Experience centering Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities most harmed by the housing crisis
• Familiarity with or interest in Renters’ Rights and Tenant Advocacy
• Familiarity with Landlord-Tenant Law
• Experience working with immigrants and refugees 
• Experience working at a call center or a social service agency
• Lived experience with housing instability

To Apply:

https://oregoncat.bamboohr.com/hiring/jobs

Compensation and Benefits

$49,921- $55,117

Benefits package including 100% paid medical and dental for spouse or domestic partner and children; Oregon sick leave; Paid Leave Oregon, Personal time off minimum of 120 hours per year; Family Leave after 180 days of employment; the opportunity to participate in Oregon Saves Roth IRA program. All CAT positions are funded primarily by grants and positions may be eliminated at any time due to business need and available funding. This position is represented by a union. The wages and benefits are subject to change due to ongoing CBA negotiations;

Duration:

This position is through June 30th 2025 and renewal is dependent on funding. 

Equal Opportunity Employer
CAT is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, creed, sex, national origin, religion, age, handicap, disability,  sexual orientation, family relationship, marital status, political affiliation, or any other reason prohibited by law. BIPOC, Women, LGBTQ, Two Spirit, and low-income renters are encouraged to apply.

Salary : $49,921 - $55,117