NAYA Family Center seeks a capable and compassionate social services professional to join our Mobile Housing Team.This role will support houseless families in obtaining safe and stable long-term housing, as well as access to other support services. The Family Housing Advocate will build relationships with primarily Indigenous families by earning their trust and supporting their strengths. This is a direct service position.

NAYA offers an exceptional benefits package, including free medical, dental and vision insurance for employees (and affordable care for family members), 401(k) retirement plan with 6% match, paid vacation and paid holidays. 

This is a full-time role with work hours of 9 am to 6 pm with a one-hour unpaid lunch. This role reports to Riley Fishburn, Family Housing Manager. 

Starting pay is $25 to $27/hour, which is equivalent to $56,000/year.

Who You Are

• You are a social services professional with at least two years of experience working directly with clients. It is a bonus if you have worked with houseless clients.
• Ideally, you have lived or work experience in the Native community.
• You have experience with case management and managing a caseload of clients. You are detail oriented, and you have superb follow up. You don’t let work—or your clients—fall through the cracks, ever.
• You aren’t afraid to connect with houseless people and are able to initiate conversations with kindness, dignity and respect.
• You are an excellent coach. You are adept at providing positive as well constructive suggestions and empowering options.
• You have a calming presence. You are able to keep your cool and make good decisions, even in stressful situations.
• You are an on-time person. You don’t let your team or your clients down.
• You know how important documentation is and you do your data entry to your client management system every day, rather than saving it up.
• You are self-aware and you tend not to be defensive. You are generally OK making mistakes and taking responsibility for them.
• You understand the importance of client confidentiality, and you know that confidentiality is part of treating clients with dignity.
• You have had strong partnerships with your previous supervisors. You know the importance of keeping your supervisor informed of your progress and your challenges. You don’t go at it alone.
• You don’t hesitate to roll up your sleeves and pitch in, even when it’s not your job.

What You’ll Do

• Build relationships with primarily Indigenous clients who are houseless and have a broad range of backgrounds, rental history and household compositions. Assist them in obtaining safe and stable long-term housing.
• Assist with all aspects of permanent housing search, including documentation readiness, application, landlord advocacy, move-in support, securing furnishings, setting up utilities, and other housing stabilization.
• Help clients using strengths-based case management, motivational interviewing, assertive engagement, Housing First and Relational Worldview Model techniques.
• Coach clients to set goals and identify realistic steps to achieve them.
• Do daily client data entry to our client management databases, Efforts to Outcome (ETO) and WellSky.
• Provide continued support to recently housed families for six months or longer. Respond to property managers immediately when concerns arise so that you can help bring resolution and prevent eviction. Follow up carefully and consistently with property managers after such incidents.
• Learn about the underlying issues impacting houselessness and poverty, such as trauma and mental illness.
• Learn all of the community organizations, social service agencies and emergency services that could assist your clients. Make referrals to these organizations.
• Coordinate wraparound services with other NAYA programs.
• Work with landlords and others to expand housing options for homeless families.
• Establish strong connections to Native people and Native communities in the Portland metro area.
• Integrate culturally relevant practices into your work.

Read the full job description.

Questions? Want to chat about this role before you decide to apply? Contact Riley Fishburn, Family Housing Manager, or email Ariel Rayfield, HR Manager, at jobs@nayapdx.org.