Intake and Operations Coordinator - Agate Housing and Services

CAREER OPPORTUNITY

Agate Housing and Services is an innovative and collaborative nonprofit organization whose mission is to end homelessness and relieve hunger through action and advocacy. We progress toward this goal by providing emergency services, shelter, and housing programs for individuals and families. We meet people experiencing homelessness where they are and accompany them on their journey to safe, stable housing and a healthier life. We believe that housing is a basic human right.

Agate Housing and Services values are:

Integrity: Consistently doing the right thing even if it isn't the popular thing.

Equity: Fighting the status quo by actively examining and changing the way things are done to better represent the people who are most impacted by homelessness and hunger.

Humanity: Understanding how these issues impact us- the community, our staff, and the people we work with- as a collective and developing relationships by establishing trust when we put in work to understand the needs of people experiencing homelessness and hunger.

Creativity: Responding to the needs of the community with innovative and unique solutions.

Agate Housing and Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer/AAE, offering competitive pay and exceptional benefits including; medical insurance, employer paid dental and life insurance, short term disability, 4 weeks of paid time off in the first year of employment, and a 401k retirement savings with an employer match.

POSITION DESCRIPTION & OVERVIEW

The Housing Program Managers Department serves households who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness in Hennepin County. Our programs include Prevention, Diversion, Coordinated Entry Assessments, Fast Track, Rapid Rehousing, and Long-term Supportive Housing for households with children and adults without children. By offering programs of various intensity and length, we hope to be able to provide the level of service each household needs to be successful. The goal in all of our housing programs is to end homelessness by assisting households in stabilizing their housing and achieving self-sufficiency.

The Intake and Operations Coordinator is a key member of the Agate Supportive Housing Team with responsibility for completing intakes with new program participants and ensuring eligibility paperwork is completed correctly. This role is also responsible for ensuring that operational aspects of the team's work are working effectively, including coordinating the Agate's store and providing paperwork and personal needs support to participants who do not qualify for Agate case management. This position works in close partnership with the Associate Director of Housing Programs and the Housing Support Coordinator.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND EXPECTATIONS

• Complete Intakes for Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) Programs including Housing Support, MN Housing's Housing Trust Fund (HTF), and HUD Supportive Services. This includes scheduling the intake, meeting with the participant, and completing program eligibility paperwork.
• Host weekly office hours for enrolled PSH households to pick up home goods, hygiene supplies, laundry money, and bus cards; submit their utility bills; and to receive support completing paperwork to ensure benefits and rental assistance remain active.
• Serve as the primary Agate contact for Housing Support households who receive their case management from an outside agency via programs like CADI or HSS. Communicate with the outside case worker and Agate Housing Location as needed for moves, program recertification, and crisis management.
• Maintain participant file and complete accurate and timely documentation including case notes, and data collection.
• Partner with the Program Manager to manage the Agate Store (which provides essential home and hygiene supplies to participants) including managing inventory of items and ordering items when needed.
• Offer quality contact with participants to maintain trust, assist in crisis prevention, and assist in meeting individual needs.
• Support and effectively work with participants with diverse identities and experiences including young participants; participants with cultural backgrounds of historical and generational trauma; participants experiencing past or current domestic violence; participants struggling with mental, physical, developmental, and chemical health challenges; and participants with persistent low income.

Performs all other duties, as assigned.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS POSITION

Sedentary work - Sitting most of the time with occasional walking. Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally.

Must be able to attend home visits and apartment showings with clients, including units that may only be accessible by climbing stairs.

Must be able to drive to home visits and other casework appointments

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Must have valid Driver's License and access to an insured, safe, and reliable vehicle
• Must pass a DHS NetStudy 2.0 background check.

In addition, successful applicants will embrace the following perspective, skills and abilities:

• Commitment to Agate Housing and Services' values and mission of ending homelessness and relieving hunger through action and advocacy.
• Commitment to working towards an anti-racist culture both within Agate Housing and Services and the broader community.
• Hold the belief that every household can achieve housing stability.
• Commitment to harm reduction and housing first philosophies.
• Ability to work respectfully with clients, coworkers, and key stakeholders who are diverse with respect to race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and religion.
• Ability to establish rapport quickly with people experiencing a crisis through use of trauma informed care, client centered care, and strengths-based approaches.
• Ability to meet expectations regarding paperwork and documentation through organizational skills, a strong attention to detail, and the ability to work efficiently and accurately.
• Competency and comfort using technology and computers including cloud-based collaboration tools such as SharePoint, Teams, and Zoom.

Experience that gives applicants the required skills, abilities, and perspectives listed above are commonly gained through one or more of the following:

• Personal experience with homelessness;
• Experience working, interning, or volunteering with people experiencing homelessness;
• An Associates, Bachelor's, or Master's degree in a relevant field such as Social Work (with accompanying licensure), Human Services, or Family Studies.

We encourage applicants with lived experience to apply. However, if you have received services from Agate Housing and Services within the last two years this will make you ineligible for employment.

This position requires use of your own personal vehicle for Agency business and will be required to maintain liability insurance coverage of at least $100,000 per person and $300,000 per occurrence. In addition to criminal background studies, applicants must have a valid Driver's License and pass a driving record background check.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• One year casework or similar experience, such as PCA.
• Two years' experience working with people experiencing homelessness.
• Fluency in languages used by our clients (Spanish, Amharic, Oromo, Somali, ASL)
• Familiarity with community resources relevant to our participant's needs
• Prior experience managing inventory on a small scale.

REFERRAL BONUS PROGRAM

Do you know someone who you think would be a good fit for a position at our organization? Please refer them! Agate Housing and Services offers a $250 bonus to employees who refer qualified candidates for current openings. The referring candidate must clearly state the name of the employee who referred them in the section of the application that requests this information.

The Referral Bonus Form must be submitted to Human Resources no later than 30 days after the referred employees begin employment. Any Referral forms submitted after 30 days will not be processed.

To be eligible for rewards, candidates must be hired as permanent full or part-time employees (this excludes on-call, employees, temporary employees, interns or contract workers).

When applying for the position, candidates must clearly state the name of the current employee that referred them. The referral bonus will be paid out within one month of the candidate's six (6) month anniversary. There is no cap on the number of referrals bonuses an employee can receive!

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION

Visit agatemn.isolvedhire.com and select the opening for which you wish to apply. Submit your information under "Apply Now" and you will be directed to the full application, where you can upload your resume and cover letter. If you have previously created an account to apply for a position at Agate Housing and Services, log in to your account before attempting to apply for another position.

Applications will be accepted until position is filled. Qualified applicants will be selected for interviews as applications are received. No phone calls please.

Agate Housing and Services is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and strives to promote an environment that is diverse and inclusive where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect. Employees actively participate in various committees that give voice to staff to create active participation and involvement in shaping the future of our agency.

Agate Housing and Services is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from people of color, indigenous people, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ individuals.