Housing Access Team Lead

Homeward-Trust-Edmonton; Edmonton; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Homeward Trust Edmonton is seeking a Housing Access Team Lead to guide the Coordinated Access team, screen participants, and connect them with housing options and supports.

You will train staff, monitor policy compliance, and coordinate referrals while maintaining collaboration with housing partners and community agencies.

Qualifications

• Diploma or degree in human services, social work or community planning.

Responsibilities

• Lead recruitment, hiring and onboarding of Coordinated Access team members.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Problem solving

Confidentiality

Independent work

Cultural awareness

Data reporting

Microsoft Office

ETO knowledge

Education

Diploma or degree in human services, social work or community planning

Tools

ETO

Job description

10242 105 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 3L5, Canada

Job Description

Posted Tuesday, August 25, 2026 at 6:00 AM

About Us

Homeward Trust Edmonton is a community-based organization working to prevent and end homelessness in Edmonton and across the region. As the Community Entity for the Government of Canada's Reaching Home program, we work alongside Indigenous and community partners, service providers, governments, researchers, and people with lived experience to advance coordinated, evidence-informed solutions to homelessness.

Our work includes community planning and engagement, coordinated access, research and evaluation, data stewardship, housing development, and strategic investment in housing and support programs. We support alignment across organizations, systems, and sectors by providing trusted data, facilitating collaboration, and helping communities make informed decisions about housing and homelessness.

Homeward Trust is proud to be part of a community that is recognized nationally for its commitment to collaboration, innovation, and measurable impact. We believe lasting progress is achieved when communities work together toward shared outcomes, and we are committed to helping make that possible.

The Housing Access Team Lead provides guidance and direction for Homeward Trust’s Coordinated Access Team, ensuring that team members are reaching their goals and achieving expected outcomes. The Team Lead supports the Coordinated Access team in training, and compliance with policies, standards, and procedures. While providing team guidance, the position is also conducting housing access duties, which include screening, determining eligibility for the Housing First program or other appropriate housing/community support programs, and then providing liaison and warm referral services to connect people with housing and related supports.

This position reports to the Senior Director of Programs on an interim basis. The incumbent works closely with Housing Support Teams, other community agencies, as well as members of the Programs department. As workloads and deadlines may dictate, this position will require periodic flexibility to work outside the regular business hours.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Subject to manager approval, lead recruitment, hiring and onboarding of new Coordinated Access team members
• Providing daily coaching, team leadership and guidance to the Coordinated Access team remotely, in-office, and as needed at in-community locations
• As Team Lead, ensuring that Coordinated Access completes the following:
• Assisting participants with establishing their plan for housing, including connecting to resources that will support them to action a housing plan.
• Managing inflow and outflow of Edmonton’s By Name List (BNL). This includes screening participants to determine eligibility for Housing First programs, and providing resources/information to individuals and community partners where appropriate
• Conduct housing searches and build inventory lists of available housing units for participants. Liaise with property managers, landlords, realtors, and other sources to identify and secure vacant properties for participant placement.
• Completing referrals to Housing Support Teams with an appropriate contracted agency based on capacity, expertise, and caseload of the team. Providing referrals to participants who are not appropriate for Housing Supports programs to other community resources which are appropriate for the client’s circumstances.
• Working with Housing Support Teams to assist with assignment of clients to housing worker caseloads.
• Working in an integrated and supportive manner with all other program areas within Homeward Trust, particularly with Housing Options, and Landlord Relations
• Providing resources and referrals to individuals or families that assist with problem solving and address immediate needs regarding housing
• Regular reporting of activity and results
• Attending meetings and events relevant to coordinated access and providing support to the department manager as required.
• Establishing professional working relationships with all Housing Support Programs to appropriately assist in housing their identified participants. Understand each team’s requirements, and proactively provide housing supports as required.
• Working with community partners to increase awareness and understanding of Housing Support Programsand Coordinated Access.
• Establishing relationships with community and government partners to improve access to supports and housing options for participants.
• Assists department manager in preparing written reports on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis on the outcomes of Coordinated Access activities.
• Utilizing data in Efforts to Outcomes (database) to track successful placement of participants referred by Homeward Trust to contracted agencies.As required,develop and interpret reports from ETO, providing regular status reports to management.
• Providing crisis intervention as needed
• Supervision and review of performance for Coordinated Access Team
• Performing other duties related to program support services, as required and as time permits.

Education & Experience

• Diploma or degree in human services, social work or community planning, with an emphasis on meeting the needs of vulnerable populations, which may include such disciplines and fields of study as social work, rehabilitation practitioner, nursing, or native studies.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in case management, community outreach, mental health, addictions or housing programs in a front-line capacity is preferred. One year of team lead or supervisory experience is preferred.
• Exposure to or direct work history with principles of evidence‐based practice, client centered, and harm reduction models.
• Prior experience on meeting the needs of vulnerable populations relative to housing is preferred.
• Prior work with Indigenous cultures is preferred.

Knowledge Skills & Abilities

• Sound understanding of available housing, income support and related agency/government assistance programs in Edmonton.
• Demonstrated ability to perform access, screening and participant referral services.
• Excellent leadership, coaching, and mentoring skills.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills to connect with individuals, funded agencies and other stakeholders in order to meet Homeward Trust reporting requirements and standards. Able to establish and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, clients, and community agencies.
• Able to exercise discretion, compassion, and empathy, and maintain confidentiality.
• Able to work independently and utilize sound judgment to perform all assigned duties with minimal supervision. Independent problem solving using critical thinking is a component of all tasks.
• Results-focused to meet high standards of performance, able to monitor progress towards goals and make adjustments when necessary, including the ability to review and adjust plans as required
• Ability to build organizational trust in his or her own professionalism, integrity, and expertise. A confident self-starter, able to meet challenges, and to overcome obstacles.
• Knowledge and understanding of Indigenous cultures and tradition and ability to work with culturally diverse people. Familiarity with First Nation, Metis and Inuit communities in Alberta and issues and challenges facing those choosing to move to urban centers is an asset.
• Knowledge Microsoft Office software, “Efforts to Outcomes” (ETO) or other related Access and database programs.
• Driver’s license and vehicle is an asset.
• Must pass criminal record check including vulnerable sector clearance.

While all applications are evaluated based on merit, we particularly value and recognize the unique perspectives that come from lived experiences, including homelessness or houselessness. We are deeply committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We strongly encourage everyone interested in joining us to apply.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

10242 105 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 3L5, Canada