Safety Specialist - Homeless Shelter

Status: Full-Time, Non-Exempt
Pay: $21.50/hour
Schedule: Saturday - Wednesday: 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Benefits Offered:

• 100% employer-paid medical insurance at base tier
• Voluntary dental and vision insurance
• Paid Time Off
• Flexible Spending Account
• Employee Assistance Program
• 403(b) savings plan with up to 3% company matching
• Paid on-the-job training and orientation
• Mileage reimbursement
• Referral program
• Opportunities for career advancement

Mission Statement: "To be a leader in ending homelessness by providing a unique system of dignified housing opportunities, programs, and supportive services."

Job Summary: The Safety Specialist is responsible for providing supportive services and logistical support to the Emergency Shelter Program during designated shifts. This position requires a flexible work schedule including some weekend, morning and evening and holiday shifts. Dependability, responsibility, and the ability to communicate effectively and respectfully are mandatory skills. Fluency in Spanish is a significant value. The ability to demonstrate personal integrity is a must.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Shelter Support

Goal: Ensure a safe and client focused environment for guests to quickly end their homelessness.

• Assist in the implementation of shelter activities to ensure quality, guest focused, and trauma informed delivery of services.
• Encourage and discuss progress toward housing with shelter guests
• Assist with shelter setup and maintenance
• Assist with general cleanliness and safety of facility including emptying trash cans and clean-up
• Assist with receiving and verifying orders from vendors, completing tally sheets
• Assist in the organization of supplies and facilities needs
• Maintain a safe and functional shelter facility by providing traffic control and gate service
• Perform basic searches of persons or their property
• Demonstrate responsibility during perimeter checks and fire watch duties
• Provide client engagement support to drivers during shuttle service ride-along

Administration
Goal: Oversee administrative duties that support program services

• Assist with keeping detailed daily summary sheets
• Assist with record keeping and reporting
• Assist with keeping perimeter check logs and fire watch duties

Miscellaneous

• Assist with guest services and program activities if necessary
• complete ad hoc projects as appointed by Supervisor

Requirements:

Education and Experience

• This person must possess a high level of patience, tolerance and understanding for individuals who present for services with urgent multiple case management and health needs
• Ability to perform crisis intervention as needed
• Ability to complete job duties that are guest focused, trauma informed, and housing focused.
• The ability to direct and professionally control crowds while preserving their right to personal dignity
• Ability to work in synch with licensed 3rd-party security officer team

General

• Reliable transportation required
• A flexible work schedule including some schedule changes, some weekends, and evening shifts to meet the department’s needs
• Detail-oriented and computer proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel required
• Self-motivated, the ability to manage a high volume of emails, work independently and with a
• group, dependability, responsibility
• The ability to communicate clearly, effectively both in written and verbal form as well as respectfully are mandatory skills
• Multi-task and work in a fast-paced environment
• Navigate urgent matters while upholding a degree of flexibility
• Work effectively with a diverse population
• Rapid prioritization
• Speak effectively before landlords and/or small groups
• Knowledgeable about fair housing and legal concerns to advocate for the organization and the clients we serve

Physical Requirements

• Commuting in the field as needed throughout the week to meet with property managers, attend to property emergencies, conduct habitability inspections, post notices, unit assessments, etc.
• Enter units with program staff as needed
• Answer and respond to phone queries
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be able to lift fifty pounds at times

Mercy House must reserve the right to modify, supplement, rescind, or revise all job descriptions to meet the overall needs of Mercy House except as to any language that establishes that the employment relationship is at the will of either the staff member or Mercy House.

Mercy House is an E-Verify employer. E-Verify is an Internet based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that allows participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees in the United States. Please click on the following links for more information.

E-Verify Participation Poster: English & Spanish (https://www.e-verify.gov/sites/default/files/everify/posters/IER_RightToWorkPoster Eng_Es.pdf)

E-Verify Right to Work Poster: English & Spanish (https://www.e-verify.gov/sites/default/files/everify/posters/EVerifyParticipationPoster.pdf)