Resident Services Specialist

Job Description

About NRHA Founded in 1940, the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority (NRHA) provides low-income families in Norfolk, Virginia with safe and well-maintained housing. It also plans and administers large-scale residential redevelopment programs within Norfolk.

NRHA is an award-winning public housing authority that has been effective in obtaining private investment partners to fund new neighborhoods; improving low-income public housing; planning and building mixed-income communities; and offering programs that support residents receiving rental assistance on their path to self-sufficiency. NRHA aims to create and apply meaningful housing and neighborhood development programs to serve all residents of Norfolk, Virginia.

NRHA looks for people who want to work in a challenging and progressive environment and make a positive difference in the community.

NRHA seeks qualified candidates for Resident Services Specialist

Summary

Conducts client assessments of public housing residents. Counsel's residents at assigned community on a variety of economic, social, personal, and other issues. Performs general social service case management duties. Assists Tenant Management Corporations (TMCs) associated with the assigned community with program development. Plans, organizes, and conducts workshops to residents on a variety of economic, social, and other issues. Establishes and supervises resident support groups at the assigned community. Coordinates human services programs that are implemented at the assigned community. Assists others with the development and publishing of public housing community newsletters. Participates in a variety of community, NRHA, and City of Norfolk teams, committees, and task forces; includes assisting other Resident Service Specialists on team projects. Advises, confers, and guides Property Managers on social services issues at assigned communities. Maintains secure resident document management system. Performs a variety of administrative detail work. Typically assigned to communities of less than 500 families.

Essential Functions

• Conducts client assessments of public housing residents at the assigned community to identify resident social service needs and to evaluate resident eligibility to receive public housing and social services assistance: interviews and otherwise obtains relevant information from resident; verifies income and other relevant information; records and analyzes resident information; determines resident’s service needs; determines resident's eligibility for services; and documents and submits information to appropriate parties.
• Counsel's residents at assigned community on a variety of economic, social, personal, and other issues; includes counseling on maintenance of public housing residency, social services issues, NRHA programs, and related issues; developing individual plans of actions and timetables for residents to resolve problems; and documenting the counseling given.
• Performs general social service case management duties, including referring client residents to specific social service agencies for assistance, collecting case information, monitoring progress of residents in resolving problems; and maintaining confidentiality of information.
• Assists Tenant Management Corporations (TMCs) associated with the assigned community with program development; includes developing TMC activity plans, leadership development counseling and training, and grant application writing and submittal.
• Plans, organizes, and conducts workshops to residents on a variety of economic, social, and other issues.
• Establishes and supervises resident support groups at the assigned community.
• Coordinates human services programs that are implemented at the assigned community.
• Assists others with the development and publishing of public housing community newsletters.
• Participates in a variety of community, NRHA, and City of Norfolk teams, committees, and task forces; includes assisting other Resident Service Specialists on team projects.
• Advises, confers, and guides Property Managers on social services issues at assigned communities.
• Maintains comprehensive and current knowledge of social service programs, particularly those aimed a public housing community residents and low-income families; may research and identify resident empowerment strategies and programs; recommends social service programs to management as appropriate.
• Maintains secure resident document management system: maintains hard copy and electronic documents/files; acts to assure completeness of files; participates in file audits; acts to assure security of confidential information.
• Performs a variety of administrative detail work, including preparing and submitting reports; composing, formatting, printing, and distributing newsletters, brochures, and other informational documents; and other related work.
• Performs other related work as required.
  
  

Education, Experience, And Licenses

• Bachelor's degree education in Social Work, Sociology, Urban Studies, Public Administration, Business Administration, or other related field.
• Completion of some college level graduate courses is preferred.
• Three to five years of progressively responsible experience in human services case management.
• Any equivalent combination of training, education, and experience necessary to obtain the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
  
  

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Comprehensive and current knowledge of concepts, principles, programs, methods, and techniques of delivering human services to public housing community residents; includes considerable knowledge of human service issues related to low-income families, elderly residents, young residents, and disadvantaged groups.
• Comprehensive and current knowledge of human service counseling methods and techniques.
• Comprehensive and current knowledge of social service case management methods and techniques.
• General knowledge of program funding and grants management concepts, principles, methods and techniques; includes general knowledge of community and governmental sources of program funding.
• Operational knowledge of personal computer for word processing, database, and electronic communications; includes operational knowledge of peripheral equipment, such as printers.
• Considerable human relations skills, particularly counseling, leadership, consulting, negotiating, and persuasive skills. The jobholder must have the capacity to deal effectively with a wide variety of individuals, including those who exhibit skepticism or who do not cooperate with the jobholder; includes ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Oral and written communication skill to present and make comprehensible complex information regarding organization operations, of which some information may be technical in nature; provide clear work instructions; compose reports; and respond to questions on a variety of job-related matters.
• Analytical ability to comprehend, understand, and interpret complex and technical information, such as public housing legislation, human services legislation, grant application procedures, and social services procedures; and to comprehend, understand, and interpret organizational and environmental factors that could have potential effects on the success of projects and programs.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment in the development and implementation of complex operational activities, and the formulation of programs and procedures.
• Ability to exercise initiative in the development and implementation of complex operational activities, and the formulation of programs and procedures.
  
  

Physical Demands/Work Environment

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, talk, see, or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds. This position requires depth, color, and texture perception.

NRHA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants receive consideration for a position without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, political affiliation, or any other class protected by law. NRHA is an eVerify employer and reviews the eligibility of each employee to work in the United States. NRHA is a drug- and alcohol-free workplace. NRHA requires a criminal history record review for all positions. NRHA reserves the right to close or withdraw at any time any position it lists or advertises.