RS Coordinator - Housing Coach

Position Open: November 14, 2023

Position Closing Date: November 30, 2023

Job Summary:

This position is responsible for providing coaching services to families with housing choice vouchers as a part of the Section 8 demonstration program. The Housing Coach primary responsibility is to work with families as they choose between neighborhoods, prepare to put in housing applications, search for homes, and transition into a new neighborhood. The Coach also assist in enrolling families into the program, hosts workshops, and work closely with other program staff to assist families in their relocation.

Duties and Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• Host group workshops for clients to learn how to search for units on the private rental market and how to maintain tenancy with property owners and Housing Authorities.
• Manage a case load of clients with housing vouchers to assist them in moving to an opportunity area, including assessing clients’ strengths and barriers to moving, referring clients to outside service agencies, and helping to maintain clients’ motivation to move.
• Assist clients in developing goals to make them ready to move and assess their progress as they take steps toward achieving their goals.
• Encourage and promote a housing search process that is based on emotional support and motivation building to help clients meet their goals.
• Assist clients in contacting property owners, attend unit tours with clients, and assist clients with developing rental applications.
• Perform post-move in-home check-ins with clients to ensure that clients are transitioning smoothly into their new community.
• Work with other program staff to communicate with property owners and clients to assist in resolving any issues identified as clients transition into their new homes.
• Track client and property owner data using case management software programs.
• Participate in interviews by the research partner and other research related activities as requested.

Other Functions

• Performs varied duties in entering and maintaining computerized information;
• Answers phones and directs calls to appropriate staff; answers general inquires;
• Obtains and recounts information which requires considerable knowledge of the program;
• Deals with the public and answers questions on matters involving some knowledge of departmental policies and procedures;

Knowledge , Skills and Abilities Required

Behavioral Skills:

Knowledge of the best practices and approaches to case management such as motivational interviewing, the person-in-environment approach, and the strengths-based approach, ability to advocating on behalf of clients, ability to use Microsoft Office software including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook and strong interpersonal skills. Knowledge of Local, state, and/or federal safety net programs,The Nashville/Davidson County rental housing market, The role systemic racism plays in shaping communities, Understanding of trauma-informed care principles, The lease up process for property management companies in Nashville/Davidson County.

Technical Skills:

Ability to provide case management services to clients, read credit reports and provide basic information on how to improve credit scores, communicate effectively both verbally and in writing to a diverse clientele develop rapport and trust among program clients, use the internet to research and obtain information related to available rental housing, navigate case management software packages, assist clients and property owners in solving leasing and tenancy-related issues, perform duties of the position with minimal direction and complete tasks in a time-sensitive environment.

Physical Skills:

Willingness, mental and physical ability to perform the duties involved in this classification, ability to perform work with or without an accommodation that requires sitting, standing, and walking, dexterity of hands and clarity of vision, speech and hearing and powers of observation, other physical duties as required.

Employment Standards

Education and Experience Required

Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work, Social Services, Psychology or a similar field, and at least 1 year of relevant work experience; or 6 or more years of previous work experience in a similar field. Direct practice experience is required. Knowledge of the Housing Choice Voucher program is preferred. Preference will be given to applicants with experience in working with organizations similar to MDHA. Candidates with accreditation earned in foreign institutes are encouraged to apply.

Equipment Used

Personal computer, case management and financial management software, employee's automobile, general office and audio-visual equipment.

Supervision Exercised

May supervise the work of interns and other staff as assigned by the Director of Resident Services.

License(s) Required:

Valid Tennessee Drivers license