EA (Emergency Assistance) Housing Search Specialist - Boston Region
Posted 2025-03-15About the position
The EA Housing Search Specialist assists family shelter providers (private non-profit agencies) across the Commonwealth and other related contracted agencies. This position is a vital role within the EOHLC's sheltering system to facilitate rapid exits out of shelter into more permanent long term housing stability. The EA Housing Search Specialist is responsible for supporting efforts to improve shelter exits and placement into housing outcomes. The incumbent provides best practice strategies in housing search and technical assistance directly to a variety of stakeholders, including, but not limited to, shelter staff and families experiencing homelessness. The incumbent supports the Regional Director of Family Shelter to expedite access to resources that quickly move families out of shelter and promote a family shelter response built on the belief that homelessness should be rare, brief, and non-recurring. This position covers the Boston MA region. You may be required to float to other regions upon request. Frequent travel will be required. Those employees who elect to use a motor vehicle for travel must have a current and valid Massachusetts Class D Motor Vehicle Operator's license or the equivalent from another state.
Responsibilities
? Works directly with families experiencing homelessness, contracted shelter providers, community resource agencies, local and state government staff, local and regional housing authorities, and various other stakeholders, to develop new re-housing programs and/or expand existing re-housing programs.
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? Works with vendors to provide effective housing search strategies to rapidly re-house families experiencing homelessness.
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? Provides insight and assistance with the development of guidance materials and process design for the implementation of re-housing special initiatives.
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? Ensures that families experiencing homelessness and shelter staff are active participants in the re-housing plan, at the rehousing plans are being completed and documented in compliance within the scope of service expectations.
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? Conducts in-person site visits and desk reviews as needed, provides technical assistance and strategies for performance improvement, and when necessary, develops corrective action plans.
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? Interviews families experiencing homelessness as needed to ensure re-housing services are being received as expected, and aids with resolving barriers to rehousing based on individualized circumstances.
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? Investigates stakeholder complaints regarding re-housing activities and intercedes when appropriate to resolve conflict.
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? Provides training and workshops on re-housing best practices for shelter staff.
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? Supports the Regional Director of Family Shelter with the facilitation of regional rehousing meetings, distribution of subsidy resources, coordination of voucher utilization, and developing relationships with Local Housing Authorities (LHA's), Regional Administering Agencies (RAA's) and other housing provider agencies.
Requirements
? Three years of full time, or equivalent part-time, professional, administrative or managerial experience in business administration, business management or public administration with major duties involving program management, program administration, program coordination, program planning and/or program analysis.
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? Excellent oral and written communication skills.
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? Experience in program analysis, program management, program coordination, and program planning.
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? Demonstrated proficiency using Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, and Microsoft Teams.
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? Ability to communicate in a manner that promotes harmonious interaction with others and motivates performance in a changing environment.
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? Knowledge of Department's Emergency Assistance program rules and regulations.
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? Knowledge of the Department's family sheltering programs.
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? Knowledge of housing and homelessness policy, with a particular focus on Housing First approaches.
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? Ability to conduct annual site visits to review facilities for compliance with health & safety codes and licensing requirements.
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? Ability to interview clients and conduct investigations.
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? Ability to be flexible to respond to changing requirements and to be available to resolve programmatic and other issues as needed.
Nice-to-haves
Benefits
? Comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off.
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? Employee benefits that support work-life balance and career development opportunities.
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