Supportive Housing & Homeless Manager

Description

Scope:

Responsible for the research, development, coordination, and implementation of services for homeless and near homeless persons with the purpose of addressing their needs related to the causes, conditions, and effects of their homelessness while promoting opportunities for their social and economic growth.  In addition, responsible for serving as the liaison between Wayne Metro and community stakeholders to ensure greater coordination of efforts in serving homeless and near homeless members of the community.

Essential Functions

• Develop and implement a system to seek and secure housing and support services for homeless and near homeless persons through direct service and linkage to the larger service system.  Such services may include but are not limited to assistance with emergency, transitional, and permanent housing, transportation, case management services, medical treatment, clothing, educational needs, substance abuse treatment, vocational training, job placement, food, and finance.
• Develop, implement, manage, and evaluate outreach, programmatic and recruitment activities designed to identify clients meeting program specifications and guidelines and to educate the public about services available to assist homeless and near homeless persons, whether provided by the agency or other area service providers.  This will include conducting research of such services and may require conducting educational seminars, distributing flyers and other literature, meeting with community organizations/groups, and directly contacting potential clients.
• Develop and maintain relationships with area providers of services to homeless and near homeless persons necessary to: remain up-to-date in the knowledge of available services; increase the services available to agency clients; better coordinate existing services; make appropriate referrals of clients for supportive services; cultivate opportunities for joint service ventures; and identify potential sources of funding for programs.  In particular, serve as an active member of the Out-Wayne County Homeless Services Coalition as it works to implement a coordinated continuum of care approach to services.

• Conduct, with the assistance of agency development staff, periodic assessments of the needs of homeless and near homeless persons in the community, the availability of services for those persons, and gaps in the service delivery system; and subsequently, recommend the means through which the agency and its partners can improve services for this population.
• Remain abreast of programmatic and funding opportunities in the area of services to aid homeless and near homeless persons.  Work with agency development staff to identify opportunities that are appropriate for the agency to pursue in the interest of achieving the agency mission with respect to services for this population. 
• Develop, with the assistance of agency development staff, programs to be implemented by the agency, either independently or in conjunction with other service providers, to address gaps in the service delivery system and better provide for the needs of low-income residents in the community.  This may include the development of program goals, methods, and means of evaluation and the preparation of funding applications to public and private funders.
• Provide staff support to the Out-Wayne County Homeless Services Coalition through coordination of efforts including by not limited to Homelessness Awareness Week activities, common service procedures and assessment tools and design and execute professional development and in-service opportunities.
• Serve as an advocate for homeless and near homeless members of the community through means which may include but not be limited to membership in advocacy groups, participation in professional organizations, and efforts to affect present community services in a manner which would insure their greater availability or efficiency.  Act as an advocate for agency clients attempting to secure services or assistance from other agencies.
• Provide day-to-day supervision, support or oversight and direction to assigned staff and interns including but not limited to:  establishing work methods/techniques; conferring with staff on their work and counseling staff upon their selected approaches to accomplishing work goals; serving as a liaison to professional consultants and volunteers; evaluating staff performance; evaluating staff development needs and determining appropriate training or coaching; and resolving staff conflicts.
• Work closely with development staff, private landlords, and partnering agencies including the Out-Wayne County Homeless Services Coalition, in the design and implementation of housing development projects that meet the needs of the homeless and near homeless.  Such housing may include shelters, transitional units, single room occupancy units, and permanent housing with or without supportive services. 
• Coordinate and manage sub-contractual agreements between Wayne Metro and partner agencies.  This necessarily includes providing assistance in developing such agreements, monitoring of each partner’s performance in meeting objectives outlined in the agreements, having regular communication with partner agencies to insure efficient program implementation, and recommending changes to such agreements when necessary.
• Prepare statistical and narrative programmatic and financial reports for internal agency use and external funding sources in a timely and accurate manner.  This may include participation in the preparation of reports to private and public funding agencies and the development and implementation of methods through which to collect program data.
• Maintain accurate records which are compatible with those maintained by Wayne Metro for the purpose of deriving statistics, meeting legal requirements for program and client records, and compiling program reports as may be requested by program management
• Maintain a positive attitude towards assigned work, clients, and staff, and a willingness to work with others.
• Perform work in a manner that upholds Wayne Metro policies and procedures.
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

Clerical: 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. This job operates in a professional office environment with a usually quiet noise level. This is largely a sedentary role and the employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, frequently use hands and to talk or hear.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or a combination of education and experience which is similarly appropriate.
• Minimum of five years’ experience in housing/homeless service programs.
• Knowledge of Wayne County demographics, the needs of homeless and near homeless persons in Wayne County, and services available to meet those needs.
• Ability to design and implement new programs and services targeted towards homeless and near homeless persons some of whom are facing economic, social, health, age, and educational barriers.  Ability to develop program design, staffing patterns, and program operational guidelines.
• Ability to identify, contact and work with area social service providers in both the public and private sectors to obtain, coordinate, and modify services in the interest of aiding homeless and near homeless persons.
• Ability to collect and evaluate data regarding service needs, present services, and service gaps; and through such an evaluation, develop means through which to address those service gaps.
• Ability to effectively provide supervision for assigned staff and subcontracting agencies and coordinate program activities occurring at scattered program sites.
• Ability to identify and manage housing opportunities for homeless and near homeless families that best meet their needs.
• Ability to work with a minimum of supervision.

Minimum Competencies:

• Proficient working knowledge of intermediate internet applications and programs including Google technology and Microsoft Office Word and Excel. The ability to learn and utilize the necessary programs for this position.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in written form.
• Good interpersonal and professional skills including but not limited to professional appearance, tact, punctuality, and dependability.
• Ability to provide services for those persons facing economic, social, health, age, and educational barriers.
• Ability to work independently or in a team environment (as deemed necessary).
• Perform work in a manner that upholds Wayne Metro policies and procedures.

Licensing and Other Requirements:

• Valid identification and reliable transportation.
• Although the Covid-19 vaccination is no longer mandated, it is encouraged. Wayne Metro will always prioritize the safety of our staff and clients.

Travel Requirements:

• Ability to travel to various sites.

Work Hours:

• Work to be scheduled Monday through Friday with specific hours to be determined by program needs.

Other Duties

Please note that this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of 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.