Support Specialist

Salary : $30.96 - $38.50 Hourly

Location : Multnomah County, OR

Job Type : Administrative and Office Positions

Job Number : 2025-00016

Department : Rent Assistance

Opening Date : 02 / 20 / 2025

Closing Date : 2 / 27 / 2025 11 : 59 PM Pacific

Description

Before you apply, we ask that you watch the following video to learn more about our organization and recruitment process : CLICK HERE.

Additionally and in order to properly assess you as a candidate for the role, please complete the application as thoroughly as possible. This may include attaching a resume and other applicable documentation that demonstrates your qualifications.

Home Forward is seeking a Support Specialist for our Landlord Services team in the Rent Assistance department. The Support Specialist is responsible for performing a wide variety of complex, responsible, and confidential office and administrative duties in support of rent assistance service coordinators, short-term rent assistance or landlord services. The person in this role will act as a point of contact for housing assistance participants and landlords.

TO SEE THE FULL JOB DESCRIPTION : CLICK HERE.

This position is represented by AFSCME Local 3135 and the posting will close Thursday, February 27, 2025 at 11 : 59 p.m. Compensation starts at $30.96 per hour.

Home Forward provides wonderful and competitive benefits, including (please see the benefits tab for full details) :

• Generous medical, dental, vision, prescription, and mental health benefits. Employees only need to cover 11% of the cost regardless of plan option!
• PSLF Covered Employer We are a participant in the Public Student Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) plan. This means that by serving your community with Home Forward, your loans could be forgiven.
• Long-Term Savings & Retirement is important for financial wellness and closing the wealth gap. We contribute 12% into each employee's PERS / OPSRP pension plan as well as contributing a$750 match to your deferred compensation / 457b plan each year.
• 16 Paid Holidays! - Over three weeks in paid holidays, which includes 4-days of organizational rest.
• Home Office & Internet Stipends We are a hybrid organization and set-up our folks for success! Each new employee will receive a $250 home office set-up stipend, and $150 annually there-after. Plus, we contribute to your internet expenses too.

This is a great opportunity to make an impact in your community, and establish a great career with an organization that cares about its employees. This is a hybrid position with on-site work located at :

New Market West

135 SW Ash Street Portland, OR 97204

Please Apply Today!

Education & Experience Guidelines

Three (3) years of office administration or accounting support experience. High school diploma or equivalent required. A related degree may substitute for work experience requirement.

Home Forward recognizes that knowledge, skills, and experience may be gained through lived experience as well as education, professional experience, volunteering, or other means.

The Benefits of Working for Home Forward

In addition to competitive wages and meaningful work, Home Forward offers an excellent benefits package. An outline of these benefits is offered below :

Health, Vision, Alternative Care, and Dental Insurance

Regular full-time employees and part-time employees working more than 20 hours per week have the option upon hire of selecting one of two health insurance plans. Health, vision, alterative care, and vision coverage is effective the first of the month following the date of hire.

Currently, Home Forward offers medical and vision coverage through Kaiser Permanente and Providence Health Plans. Dental coverage is offered through Kaiser and MetLife. Coverage is available for employees, their families and domestic partners.

Retirement Plan

Employees are eligible to participate in the PERS' Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan (OPSRP) after completing a six-month waiting period and working at least 600 hours per calendar year. Home Forward contributes both the employer and employee contribution amounts for all eligible employees. For more information on how this retirement benefits work, go here :

Employer Sponsored Time

Effective January 1, 2023, employees normally scheduled to work a full FTE (40 hours per week) are eligible for 2.5 hours of Employer Sponsored Time (EST) per week. EST is not available for employees who work less than a full FTE (40 hours per week).This will reduce the work week to 37.5 without a reduction in pay or accruals. The intention of EST is to allow flexibility and achieve more balance. EST is intended as a way for employees to manage personal needs during the week. There are no restrictions about how EST can be used. When illness and medical appointment occur, we encourage employees to use other forms of paid leave in addition to their EST.

Paid Parental Leave

Regular full-time employees working at least 32 hours a week that have worked for Home Forward for one year and are approved for a leave for pregnancy disability or prenatal care, parental leave, leave to care for a spouse or partner experiencing pregnancy disability or needing prenatal care, and / or the adoption of and / or placement of foster children will receive a single credit of 160 hours (4 weeks) of sick leave per leave year added to their sick leave bank on the pay period after Home Forward's approval of their leave.

Deferred Compensation

Employees may also participate in Home Forward's 457 Deferred Compensation plan, a tax-deferred retirement savings option available through payroll deduction. We contribute a $750 match to your deferred compensation / 457b plan each year.

Tuition Reimbursement Program

Home Forward believes that providing training and educational opportunities for all employees will enhance the agency as a whole. Any regular employee scheduled to work at least 20 hours a week is eligible for the Tuition Reimbursement Program.

Time Off

Home Forward provides 16 paid holidays each year.

Sick leave accrues at the rate of 4.34 hours per pay period for regular full-time employees, or the equivalent of 13 days per year.

Paid vacation leave accrues at the rate of 3.34 hours per pay period, the equivalent of 10 days or two weeks per year for the first five years of employment. After six months of employment, an additional 3 personal days are added to your vacation balance, and then every first of the year thereafter. Part-time employees accrue sick and vacation leave on a pro-rated basis.

Flexible Benefit Plans

In addition to health, dental and vision insurance, employees may be eligible to participate in flexible spending accounts. The pre-tax payroll deductions can be used to pay for qualified healthcare or dependent day care expenses up to the maximum per plan year as established by the IRS.

Public Transit Discount

Home Forward allows employees to obtain a discounted annual all-zone TriMet transit pass and pay for the pass with pre-tax dollars through payroll deductions.

Short-term and Long-term Disability Insurance

Short-term and long-term disability insurance is available to all regular employees working more than 20 hours per week.

Life and Accidental Death Insurance

Regular full-time employees are provided with life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance. Home Forward pays the full cost of basic employee coverage (up to $150, 000). Supplemental coverage is available for the employee, spouse and / or domestic partner or children of the employee at the employee's expense.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Each employee has access to (6) free confidential counseling sessions each year through our EAP provider.

Please describe your knowledge of HUD regulations and Oregon Landlord-Tenant Law (specific details are encouraged).

This position requires strong communication skills, customer service, and relationship management. Please provide examples of your experience in utilizing these skills in a professional setting.

The person in this role must be proficient in communicating ledger and other financial communication to tenants, landlords, and other stakeholders. Please provide examples of your experience with utilizing these skills in a professional setting.

Required Question

Salary : $150 - $150,000