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Director-Street Outreach

Reports to Job Role: Division Director of Homeless Services

FLSA: Exempt

Level: Management Team Member 

Descriptive Summary

The Director of Street Outreach is a specialized professional position that is responsible for providing overall direction and supervision of the Steet Outreach team at the Embry Rucker Community Shelter (ERCS) providing services to the Homeless Healthcare Program (HHP), Hypothermia Prevention Program, Street Outreach program, and Drop-In. The Director must have strong clinical, interpersonal, and motivational skills. The Director must possess a patient, trauma-informed approach to service delivery using an equity lens. The Director ensures that services are equitable and delivered with integrity in accordance with the Agency Mission, Vision, and Values. The Director is responsible for utilizing a Housing First approach to move unsheltered individuals into permanent housing and will be held responsible for meeting or exceeding outcomes as well as other contractual obligations. The Director must be comfortable meeting unsheltered individuals in places not meant for human habitation such as campsites in the woods and parked cars. All duties are performed in a professional and timely manner, in a fast-paced, high-demand environment. The Director serves as a part of the leadership team of the Housing and Community Services Division. A candidate that is bilingual in English/Spanish and has the ability to use one's lived personal experience of housing instability to help assess system barriers is strongly preferred.      

Key Performance Indicators

• Provides direct supervision for Street Outreach staff, overseeing the provision of street outreach services for unsheltered single adults served at Cornerstones. Carries a small caseload as needed.
• Oversees the outreach schedule of the Street Outreach team which engages people living in the community in places not meant for human habitation.
• Accompanies Street Outreach team to places not meant for human habitation, such as campsites in the woods and parked cars, to engage individuals in services.
• Supervises the Coordinator of the Hypothermia Prevention Program and oversees service provision at the Hypothermia Prevention Program and drop-in day services at the Embry Rucker Community Shelter (ERCS).
• Serves as liaison with community groups, governmental agencies, and elected officials to support local and regional strategies to improve strategies for individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness.
• Provides a rapid response to reports of unsheltered individuals sighted in the community by elected officials, community members, and partner agencies.
• Works collaboratively with other street outreach teams in the community.
• Advocates for and actively assists individuals in obtaining services (e.g. benefits, medical, mental health, substance abuse, housing referrals, financial assistance).

• Assesses housing barriers of single adults who are experiencing homelessness to determine housing and service needs.

• Develops housing procurement, financial, and self-sufficiency case management plans with unsheltered individuals.
• Provides mediation and advocacy with landlords on the household's behalf to develop a workable plan to obtain housing.
• Manages state and county direct assistance funding streams.
• Creates and maintains consistent communication channels, both verbal and written, between several parties (i.e. tenant, landlord, referral source, collaborating agencies, debtors, and creditors)
• Applies knowledge of residential lease contracts to educate individuals of their rights and responsibilities.
• Makes referrals for credit counseling and other services necessary to assist clients with critical skills related to budgeting, managing money, accessing a free personal credit report, and resolving personal credit problems.
• Documents all services identified and provided, referrals made, and transportation provided.

• Assists in the development of programs and evaluation of all services provided, ensuring the services meet predetermined local, state, federal and agency outcomes.
• Solves difficult problems with effective solutions. Thinks logically and practically before making decisions. Defines problem areas and develops innovative solutions.
• Monitors staff allocation of time across program cost centers.
• Maintains effective partnerships with Fairfax County Office to Prevention and End Homelessness (OPEH), the Fairfax County Health Department, the Fairfax County Community Services Board (CSB), Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH), Department of Family Services (DFS), and the Fairfax County Department of Adult and Aging, to ensure clients receive holistic, integrated care management across Cornerstones.
• Maintains case and Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) files that meet agency and contractual standards.
• Serves as HMIS Super User, generating reports and monitoring HMIS data for completeness and accuracy.
• Participates in multi-disciplinary meetings, case staffing, as well as community-wide trainings and meetings.
• Provides intern / volunteer supervision (as appropriate).
• Participates in agency events, drives as needed.
• Performs other related duties and responsibilities as required.

Leadership Competencies

• Develops and motivates others: (Motivates others and supports their development through strong coaching and mentoring)
• External representation and collaboration: (Represents the organization among external stakeholders and communicates in a sophisticated way about the organization's vision and work. Seeks innovative ways to collaborate.)
• Manages uncertainty (Identifies and manages risks. Demonstrates openness to change and new perspectives; can manage and adapt to ambiguity)
• Manages with data (Understands data; analyzes data and identifies insights and implications)
• Organization and systems thinking (Has a robust understanding of the community served and the landscape in which the organization operates, and actively applies that knowledge)
• Personnel Management (Effectively manages and develops others)
• Team-building (Builds strong relationships with teams and colleagues; fosters effective teams and collaborative interactions)

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• Bachelor's degree in an applicable human services field or commensurate experience with homeless and/or at-risk populations to include supervisory/management experience.
• A Master's Degree in social services field or equivalent combination of education and direct work experience strongly preferred.
• Bilingual in English/Spanish strongly preferred.

• Three years of experience in homeless services, residential services, and/or housing is required.
• Prior experience supervising and managing homeless services programs (homeless outreach, rapid rehousing, hypothermia prevention, emergency shelter, etc.) is required.
• Must be comfortable meeting unsheltered individuals in places not meant for human habitation such as campsites in the woods and parked cars.
• Experience working with vulnerable individuals and families including people with mental health and/or substance abuse disabilities is required.
• Requires knowledge and belief in "Housing First" and "Rapid Re-Housing" philosophy and strategies.
• Knowledge of current social service, homeless, and housing issues and methods/approaches to address issues.
• Knowledge or understanding of tenant's rights and responsibilities, "strengths based" case management, trauma-informed care, and racial equity.
• Lived personal experience of housing instability to help assess system barriers a plus.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to engage and work collaboratively with others.
• Ability to use HMIS to establish and maintain case records and to facilitate data collection.
• Ability to schedule and manage workload sufficiently to meet deadlines.
• Ability to learn, process information, prioritize competing priorities and make sound and reasoned decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to complete tasks while navigating frequent interruptions.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule including nights and weekends.
• Candidate must be able to lift items weighing 10-20 pounds.
• Candidate must possess a valid driver's license, reliable transportation, and good driving record.
• Candidate must be able to drive 15-passenger van.

Attitude

• Attentive to constraints of time and funds in setting stretch goals
• Respectful of staff, volunteers, funders and clients
• Forward thinker, considering not just today but what are the implications for tomorrow
• Collaborative leader, working with others individually and in teams

Work Environment

• The office of the Director of Street Outreach is located at the Embry Rucker Community Shelter.
• Participant meetings take place at the shelter, in places not meant for human habitation, and other areas in the community frequented by unsheltered individuals.
• Travel to other Cornerstones' sites and to local and regional meetings is required.
• Some work is performed outdoors in both the winter and summer.
• Occasional driving of personal or Cornerstones' vehicle.
• Occasional bike riding for street outreach.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.

• Prolonged sitting and a desk and working on a computer.
• Regular in person interaction with the public, clients, and stakeholders.
• Handle or feel objects, tools, or controls.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 15 pounds
• Occasional navigation of stairs, ramps, ladders.
• Nosie level in the work environment is usually low to moderate
• Must be able to safely operate a company vehicle.