Housing Services Specialist

Department: Housing
Reports to: Housing Program Manager
Employment Type: In-Person, Full-Time, Hourly, Non-Exempt
Schedule: 9:30am-6:30pm Monday-Friday

About Our House

Our House empowers homeless and near-homeless families and individuals to succeed in the workforce, in school, and in life through hard work, wise decision-making, and active participation in the community. The Our House team has defined a set of seven Guiding Principles that characterize our culture and that we intentionally seek to uphold: Hard Work, Wise Decision-Making, Community, Initiative, Integrity, Safety, and Heart.

About the Role

You will provide comprehensive support of the Housing Program, including oversight of the Shelter kitchen, food donation management, and help preparing meals. You will also support administrative functions of the program and provide direct service support to ensure residents of the Shelter and Family House have their needs met.

What You'll Do

• Provide leadership and oversight of Shelter kitchen operations to ensure that residents receive three meals a day that meet food safety standards and nutritional guidelines
• Support the volunteer meal service program by maintaining a tidy, well-stocked kitchen, and make sure that volunteers are supported and appreciated during meal times
• Maintain inventory of food supplies: receive, sort, and properly store all food donations; communicate needs to the Development team and community partners
• Organize cookware, utensils, and any other items needed for kitchen operations
• Assist in preparing meals in the Shelter, rotate food stock, and minimize waste
• Supervise and mentor Our House Job Trainees to maintain kitchen cleanliness, follow proper sanitation, and develop culinary skills
• Complete regular food pick-ups from community food donors, and maintain strong and mutually-beneficial relationships with partners like the Arkansas Food Bank and Potluck Food Rescue
• Complete accurate reporting of food donations required by community partners
• Assist with operations of the Shelter Intake Desk when needed, including answering the phone, processing intakes, medication calls, and answering resident questions. This may require working an occasional weekend or evening shift
• Support all record keeping functions of the Housing Program, including processing client intake packets, performing online sex-offender checks, entering client information in the Our House database, checking quality of client files, and tracking client outcomes
• Help celebrate client successes as they relate to savings, employment, sobriety, or housing stability, and contribute to an overall positive and safe living environment in the Housing Program
• Assist in keeping up to date financial records for the Our House savings program
• Enter data on written rule infractions into resident records
• Provide excellent customer service to residents, volunteers, donors, and partners
• Attend required team meetings and training
• Serve as a strong ambassador for Our House's mission and Guiding Principles
• Conduct other duties as assigned to fulfill Our House's mission

What You'll Bring

• A passion for serving others through food and hospitality, and a belief in the dignity of every resident and volunteer

• Proven experience in large-scale meal preparation, kitchen management, or food service operations
• Knowledge of food safety standards and the ability to maintain compliance with ServSafe
• Strong leadership and mentoring skills, with the ability to train, motivate, and supervise job trainees
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail in managing inventory, donations, and food ordering systems
• Clear and compassionate communication style, capable of balancing accountability with empathy
• Proficiency in basic computer programs (Google Workspace and data entry)
• Dependable, flexible, and able to adapt to the needs of a dynamic housing environment
• Commitment to Our House's mission and Guiding Principles: Hard Work, Wise Decision-Making, Community, Initiative, Integrity, Safety, and Heart
• A positive, team-oriented attitude with the ability to collaborate across departments and support organizational goals

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent required; culinary training and ServSafe certification preferred
• Minimum of three years of professional work experience
• At least two years of professional cooking or large scale cooking experience preferred
• Experience supervising staff, volunteers or trainees
• Must possess a valid driver's license and vehicle to use in performance of job. The position requires some travel within Central Arkansas.
• Must be able to pass criminal background checks, child and adult maltreatment registry checks, sex offender registry checks, and a pre-employment drug screen

Benefits & Perks

• Visit our careers page for more information on benefits and perks

Our House is a drug-free workplace.

Our House is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all team members. People of color and members of the LGBTQ community are encouraged to apply.

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