Homelessness Services Coordinator

The Position

The current vacancy is for Homelessness Services Coordinator in the City Manager's Office.This is a full-time benefitted position.The eligibility list established from this recruitment may be used to fill other Homelessness Services Coordinator vacancies during the life of the list. The eligibility list established from this recruitment is valid for up to one year from the date established unless the list is extended or abolished by the Human Resources Director.

Under general direction, the Homelessness Services Coordinator is responsible for the operational management of the City's emergency shelters, sanctioned encampments, transitional community camps, severe weather shelter, safe parking programs and related operations and ensuring the successful implementation of the City's homelessness response policies and projects across City departments.

Click here to read about the City's Homelessness Response Team and Action Plan.

Recruitment #24-085

Selection Timeline: (The following process may be changed as deemed necessary by the Human Resources Director.)

• On Thursday, 05/09/24recruitment will close. All application materials must be received by the Human Resources Department by 5:00 pm; postmarks are not accepted. To apply, submit:

• Application - online application only. Resumes are not accepted in lieu of filling out the application form completely. Click the Apply button to begin the online application process.

• Response to supplemental questions - will be a primary tool in the evaluation of your qualifications for this position. Any work experience described here must also be included in your employment history on the main application.

• Week of 05/13 and 05/20/24: Applications will be competitively screened based on the minimum qualifications for this position. Candidates will be notified of their status in the recruitment once all applications have been reviewed.

• Week of 05/27/24: Interviews will be tentatively scheduled for May 30 and 31st. The examination process will include an interview and may include a writing and/or performance exam.

Typical Duties

(May include, but are not limited to, those duties listed below)

• Provides oversight of all operational aspects of the City's homelessness encampments and programs, including coordination and communication with other City staff, community-based service providers, members of the public, encampment residents, and program participants.

• Oversees the City's emergency shelters, sanctioned encampments and severe whether shelter; conducts site planning; coordinates City-departmental response; coordinates County and community providers' services to the campers; ensures infrastructure and supplies are provided and updated and ensures City Policy team remains updated.

• Oversees the City's Safe Parking program in coordination with the Parking Division.

• Serves as member of the City Manager's Office Response Teams; manages the City's Encampment Assessment Team (EAT) meetings; sets agendas, facilitates meetings, engages in team problem solving and ensures follow-up on action items.

• Manages the City's Encampment Assessment Team (EAT) projects; creates bridges between City homelessness response policy and implementation; coordinates City departments to ensure cohesiveness; tracks expenses associated with projects and ensures follow through of assigned tasks.

• Manages assigned staff; participates in the hiring, scheduling, training, mentoring, performance development, and evaluation.

• Oversees contracts for services; researches fair value; solicits bids; requests and alters services and supervises contractors; completes grant applications.

• Researches best practices for homelessness response; researches and analyzes existing programs in other jurisdictions; conducts feasibility studies; discusses feasibility with relevant City staff; and makes recommendations.

• Creates operational plans for City homelessness response to coordinate efforts across City departments; follows up on operational plans to ensure work is completed by appropriate City departments/staff.

• Coordinates outreach efforts for homelessness response; connects outreach workers from various providers/agencies to the unhoused within the City limits; provides feedback and follow-up to outreach workers as needed.

• Conducts constituent outreach; determines, prepares, and provides responses to public, as well as proactive public correspondence, related to the City's homelessness response.

• Prepares reports related to homelessness response.

• Oversees homelessness response budget and expenditures; conducts cost analysis; monitors monthly expenses; creates budget analysis and projections; manages purchase orders; opens new financial project numbers; and ensures invoice payments and tracking.

• Prepares, vets, issues, reviews, scores, and processes requests for proposals and similar documents.

• Coordinates with and manages local homelessness response service providers.

• Creates and updates resource materials for homelessness response.

• Ensures compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations and requirements related to operations.

• Performs other related duties that may be reasonably expected as part of this classification.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Position requires prolonged standing and walking, reaching, kneeling, stooping, bending, working on uneven surfaces, and sitting in the performance of daily activities. The position also requires grasping, repetitive hand movement and fine coordination in using a computer keyboard and picking up supplies. Additionally, the position requires far and near vision during the course of job duties. Normal hearing is required when providing phone and personal service. The need to lift, drag and push files, paper, documents, and miscellaneous items at camps (or similar) weighing up to 25 pounds is also required. The position sometimes works outdoors with the use of protective gloves during site visits with exposure to dust and allergens, trash, biohazards and/or hazardous chemicals, human waste, sharps and needles, unpleasant odors and insects.

Interfacing with all facets of the community including those with behavioral health diagnosis including mental illness and substance abuse is also required. Driving a city vehicle is required during the course of job duties. Some of these requirements may be accommodated for otherwise qualified individuals requiring and requesting such accommodations.

Minimum Qualifications

The minimum qualifications for Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities are the following:

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in psychology, counseling human services, social or behavioral sciences, community development, business, public administration or a related field; and

• Three (3) years of progressively responsible professional program and project management experience which includes one (1) year experience working in a social science field or one (1) year working with people who have experienced homelessness, mental health and/or substance use issues.

OR

• High School diploma or tested equivalent; and

• Six (6) years progressively responsible professional program and project management experience which include at least two (2) years' experience working in a social science field or one (1) year working with people who have experienced homelessness, mental health and/or substance use issues.

Knowledge:

• Principles and practices of homelessness or human services programs.

• Principles and practices of project and program administration, planning and implementation, policy development and analysis and evaluation.

• Budget development and management.

• Contract negotiation and administration.

• Reference and research methods and techniques used in collecting, compiling and organizing data; statistical analysis.

• Excellent interpersonal skills including patience and empathy.

• Proficiency with writing reports and documentation.

• Moderately complex analytical principles and techniques.

• Public relations and marketing and promotional techniques.

• Principles and practices of management and leadership, employee mentoring and performance development and management.

• Intermediate level computer skills.

Abilities:

• Select, train, mentor, develop and evaluate the performance of assigned staff; plan and assign the work of others.

• Being proactive, taking initiative and work independently.

• Multi-task several tasks at one time.

• Facilitate and effectively manage meetings.

• Evaluate operational processes or situations, develop sound conclusions, and make effective decisions and/or recommendations.

• Understand and explain community resources and services that provide assistance to the homeless.

• Interpret applicable federal, state, and local regulations and requirements pertaining to homelessness operations.

• Interact effectively with individuals experiencing homelessness in stressful situations, displaying psychological and substance-induced behaviors and maintain client rapport on an individual basis in person and over the phone; effectively engage in conflict resolution and de-escalation.

• Research, compile, analyze, and interpret data and information; write administrative summaries, reports, and other documents.

• Collect, compile, edit, classify, and tabulate statistical and qualitative data.

• Assess situations for health and safety needs.

• Being open-minded and open to trying new approaches

• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing, with people ofdiverse backgrounds.

• Establish and maintain a good working relationship with co-workers, clients, providers and the general public.

• Drive a city vehicle during the course of job duties.

Licenses and Certificates

Possession and continued maintenance of a valid California Class C driver's license.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Bilingual English and Spanish.

• Familiarity or experience with homelessness.

• Familiarity with a homelessness management information system.

Career Ladder

• Homelessness Response Manager

• Homelessness Services Coordinator

• Homelessness Response Shelter and Outreach Specialist I/II