OUTREACH SPECIALIST

The New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) is the largest organization in the United States dedicated to preventing and addressing homelessness. In partnership with other City Agencies and Nonprofit Organizations, DHS works to prevent homelessness before it begins, reduces street homelessness, provide temporary shelter, and connect individuals and families to stable housing all with a focus on accountability, empathy, and equity.

DHS is committed to continuous improvement and employs innovative strategies to deliver high-quality services that support a swift transition from shelter to self-sufficiency. The agency manages hundreds of facilities and operates with a large team as well as a several billion-dollar budget to meet the diverse needs of New Yorkers experiencing homelessness.

The Department of Homeless Services (DHS) seeks a Community Associate to serve as the Outreach Specialist in the Placement/HERO Unit. The Placement/HERO Unit is the only 24/7 DHS organizational unit dedicated to identifying and securing shelter placements for families and single adults applying for emergency housing assistance. Placement Unit is divided into seven sections: Placement and Vacancy Control for Families with Children and Single Adults, Strategic Initiatives and Transfers, Serious Incident Unit, Care Day Certification, Data and Systems, Portfolio Operations, and Capacity Management.

The Department of Homeless Services (DHS) is recruiting for three Community Associates to function as an Outreach Specialist who will:

-Liaise with two or more agencies by obtaining and conveying information and providing feedback to facilitate cooperation; coordinate activities; maintain current records.

- Assess each family’s needs to match them appropriately to shelter vacancies within the DHS portfolio.

- Coordinate referrals, arrivals, and transportation for conditional families and/or eligible families for temporary housing throughout the five boroughs.

- Prepare standardized summary reports, vacancy forms, records, enter codes and information obtained from Intake Centers and facilities to ensure that records are complete and accurate.

- Analyze and solve problems that arise from placements, transfers, and room vacancies.

- Complete Placement Verification Sheets (PVC) accurately and according to protocol.

- Work in shifts to ensure coverage 24-7 and require mandated occasional holdover.

- Ensure that all families who are processed through the Intake Centers each day are given a placement.

- Report directly to the HERO Shift Supervisors.

- Be responsible for updating CARES and for processing exits, updating family compositions, reconciling facilities units in CARES, update unit status, various transfers, and vacancy control tasks to ensure the accuracy of lodging and vacancies.

Hours/Schedule: Tuesday – Saturday, 4PM-12AM.

COMMUNITY ASSOCIATE -

Minimum Qualifications

Qualification Requirements
1. High school graduation or equivalent and three years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to duties described above; or
2. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" above.

Preferred Skills
- Strong problem-solving and organizational skills. - Ability to multi-task. - Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness
As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at class="jobad-residencyRequirement">Residency RequirementNew York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.