Director of Shelter Services

Summary/Objective:

The mission of HomeFront is to end homelessness in Central New Jersey by harnessing the caring resources and expertise of the community. We lessen the immediate pain of homelessness and help families become self-sufficient. We give people skills and opportunities to ensure adequate incomes and to increase the availability of adequate affordable housing. We help homeless families advocate for themselves individually and collectively.

HomeFront is seeking a Director of Shelter Services to provide oversight of all operations at HomeFront’s Family Preservation Center (FPC) emergency shelter. The FPC is an important part of HomeFront’s Family Campus, our innovative model designed to be a haven of healing and hope. The Family Campus offers a wide array of services for families experiencing homelessness and the effects of poverty including on-site childcare, career support, vocational opportunities and job training, educational support for adults and children, physical and mental health and wellness partners, therapeutic art programming, specialized support for children, and much more. The Family Campus is designed to offer these solutions to the barriers facing HomeFront families, lessen the immediate pain of homelessness, and help break the cycle of poverty.

Within the Family Campus model, the Family Preservation Center exists to provide emergency housing for up to 38 families – adults and children – every night. The Director of Shelter Services leads the team that operates the shelter within the Campus: Family Advocates that provide intensive case management support and Family Care Workers who provide around the clock support to families in residence. The Director embodies HomeFront’s mission and ensures families live in a trusting and thriving environment while they strengthen life skills for a sustainable future. The Director shall provide leadership to shelter staff in ensuring that HomeFront’s core values are embedded in the residents’ experience while at the shelter.

Duties include, but are not limited to: creating and maintaining a comfortable environment for residents, staff and volunteers; leadership and management of Family Advocates and Family Care Workers; staff hiring, training, and supervision; assessing of residents’ needs including need for clinical oversight for mental health, substance abuse, and behavioral issues; ensuring compliance with all funding requirements; providing required demographic information and program outcomes; serving as the 24-hour on-call contact; and ensuring program compliance with HomeFront Policies and Procedures.

Essential Job Functions

• Oversee, coordinate and manage all Shelter services, functions and activities, ensuring consistent, holistic, and trauma-informed services, co-designed by each guest to best meet their needs
• Provide leadership to the FPC team committed to the delivery of high-quality programming around HomeFront’s core beliefs
• Ensure continuous coverage during all shelter shifts, which may include on-call responsibilities
• Provide active direct and indirect management of FPC staff, including leadership and guidance on shelter operations and professional development
• Monitor and review in-depth needs/strengths assessments and service plans of FPC guests
• Collaborate in internal and external case conferencing focused on the goals of each guest
• Provide crisis intervention services, as needed, in support of Family Advocates
• Establish and maintain shelter policies and procedures that balance the many competing needs in a family shelter: safety, security, hope, growth, opportunity, fairness, compassion, and more
• Lead regular community meetings with guests and the Campus Team
• Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with HomeFront program managers to ensure a holistic delivery of services to meet clients’ needs
• Provide FPC onboarding and ongoing training to all FPC team members, including on case management software (Apricot)
• Collaborate with Innovation & Evaluation team and HomeFront leadership to make data driven decisions and ongoing quality improvement to programming
• Ensure and protect agency, employee, and client confidentiality
• Develop and maintain cooperative working relationships with funding partners, referral agencies, and other regional social service agencies
• Ensure compliance with State of New Jersey shelter licensing guidelines and other relevant regulatory requirements
• Submit program summary reports and data as per deadlines
• Other related duties as assigned

Technical Skills

• Computer Literacy
• Intermediate Microsoft Office Skills
• Strong Writing Skills
• Time Management

Requirements:

• Master’s degree in Social Work or related field, or Bachelor’s degree in related field with 5 years of experience in social services, housing, or homelessness-related work
• Demonstrated skill in building and leading effective teams through a minimum of three years of supervisory experience
• Valid driver’s license and satisfactory driving record

Preferred Experience:

• Experience in leading emergency shelter operations or housing/homelessness programming
• Knowledge of State, Trenton and Mercer County Agencies, surrounding county businesses, organizations and demographics
• Fluency in Spanish

Physical Demands:

• This job operates in an office setting using standard office equipment such as computers, phones, calculators, copiers, fax machines, and file cabinets
• Ability to sit, stand, walk, climb steps, bend and lift up to 30lbs
• Exposure to the outdoors and inclement weather is possible

Other Duties:

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required. Duties, responsibilities and activities may be added or change at any time.

HomeFront, Inc is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome employees and prospective employees without regard to race, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, marital status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation or veteran status.