Housing Specialist

John Howard Society of Ottawa; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 54,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefit plan

4 weeks vacation annually

Defined Contribution Pension Plan

Continual learning and development

Job summary

John Howard Society of Ottawa is seeking a Housing Specialist to support housing searches, landlord relations, and housing retention for clients. You will develop strong working relationships with landlords, city services, and support programs, coordinating with Housing Case Based Managers to ensure client success.

Based in Ottawa, you will help clients access housing, navigate subsidies, and arrange move-ins, while maintaining a trauma‑informed, client‑centered approach in a collaborative team

Qualifications

• Three to five years of experience in homelessness and supportive housing
• University Degree/College Diploma in social sciences or related field or equivalent experience
• Ability to review rental ledgers and liaise with landlords and income support providers (OW/ODSP)
• Knowledge of Housing First, Ontario Landlord Tenant Act, SPDAT, and HIFIS
• Assist in resolving tenancy issues including Landlord and Tenant Board processes
• Arrange viewings, negotiate with landlords, and assist with move-in arrangements and housing allowances
• Familiarity with housing issues affecting low-income individuals, youth, and those in the criminal justice system
• Clear Criminal Record Check for working with vulnerable populations
• Collaborative team player with strong motivation and relationship-building skills
• Coordinate on-site program functions with a gender- and trauma-responsive approach
• Excellent people skills for clients, colleagues, landlords, and agencies
• Willingness to collaborate with community partners and emergency services
• Ability to work with Housing Based Case Managers from JHS Ottawa and The Elizabeth Fry Society

Responsibilities

• Assist with housing searches and placement for clients
• Develop and maintain relationships with landlords and service providers
• Support housing retention and prevent housing loss
• Coordinate viewings and move-in arrangements
• Assist with housing allowance applications and renewals
• Work as part of a team with Housing Case Based Managers
• Engage with clients across diverse backgrounds in a trauma-informed manner

Skills

Housing searches

Landlord relations

Housing retention

Team collaboration

Communication

Problem solving

Mediation skills

Criminal justice knowledge

Education

University Degree/College Diploma in social sciences or related field

Job description

Salary Range: $53,633.18 To $60,705.12 Annually

Job Posting: Housing Specialist

TITLE: Housing Specialist

SALARY:$53,633.18 - $60,705.12 per annum **based on work experience

HOURS: 40-hour work week (35 working hours plus 5 hours allocated to daily half hour paid lunches and unpaid breaks).

EMPLOYER:John Howard Society of Ottawa

CLOSING DATE: Friday, October 30th, 2026

About the environment: Employees at JHS Ottawa say the organizational culture is supportive, innovative, and focused on creating a caring environment for both clients, and staff. At JHS Ottawa, you will find an employer that celebrates the uniqueness of each of its staff members and is committed to promoting an engaging working culture where all employees are encouraged to live their strengths and realize their potential. JHS Ottawa will provide permanent new employees access to a benefit plan, four weeks vacation annually, a Defined Contribution Pension Plan after eligibility waiting period, and opportunities for continual learning and development.

About who we support: Our employees are supporting a diverse client group including youth and adults, all genders, from a wide cross section of social, ethnic, linguistic and cultural backgrounds who are representative of our broader community. We are accountable to the people we serve by providing the highest quality of service with integrity through the delivery of responsive, innovative and evidence-informed approaches.

About diversity at JHS Ottawa: The John Howard Society of Ottawa is committed to reflecting and responding to the diversity of the people and communities we serve and is seeking that diversity in applicants for this position. We welcome candidates from racialized persons/persons of colour, Indigenous People, women, persons with disabilities, persons who identify as 2SLGBTQ+, and all candidates who contribute to furthering the diversity of ideas. We also recognize that people from diverse groups have different needs and require different solutions to gain equal opportunity for success in the hiring process. If you require any accommodation during the interview process, please let us know.

About the role: You will assist with housing searches and placement along with leveraging supportive services that will assist clients with housing retention and housing loss prevention. You will develop and maintain strong working relationships with landlords, The City of Ottawa and OW/ODSP/CAS, addressing any concerns promptly and professionally. You will also work directly with the Housing Case Based Managers from the John Howard Society and The Elizabeth Fry Ottawa. Using a team-based approach, you as the Housing Specialist will work supporting clients and the other members of the team.

As the successful candidate, you have:

• Three (3) to five (5) years of experience in the homelessness and supportive housing sector
• Successful completion of University Degree/College Diploma in the social sciences or related field or equivalent experience
• Ability to review rental ledgers, investigate late or missing rent payments, and liaise with landlords and income support providers, including Ontario Works (OW) and the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), to resolve payment discrepancies and support clients in addressing rental arrears.
• Knowledge of the Housing First approach to homelessness, Ontario Land-Lord Tenant Act, SPDAT Assessment, and HIFIS
• Assist in resolving issues that put the tenancy at risk, including mediating with neighbouring tenants, and supporting clients through any Landlord and Tenant Board process.
• Assist the client by arranging viewings, contacting, and negotiating with landlords, choosing housing, assisting with move-in arrangements including by completing housing allowance applications and renewals, furniture procurement, tenant insurance and completing forms pertinent to the Landlord Damage Fund
• Familiarity with the housing‑related issues and obstacles of moderate and low‑income individuals, youth and individuals involved in the criminal justice
• Have an updated clear Criminal Record Check working with vulnerable population
• Collaborative team player with superior motivating skills, who builds relationships easily with clients, team members, landlords and other agencies
• Ability to coordinate all on‑site program related functions through a gender- and trauma-responsive framework
• Excellent people skills to facilitate relationships with clients, colleagues, supervisors, program partners and community members
• A willingness to work in collaboration with a wide variety of community partners, agencies and emergency services
• Demonstrate they can work effectively with the challenges that Housing Based Case Managers face from the John Howard Society of Ottawa and The Elizabeth Fry Society

You’ll also be prepared to

• Work primarily out of our main office at 401 Bell Street South.
• Have ownership of a vehicle and/or ability to be extremely mobile to accommodate meetings in the community and internally at JHS sites
• Exercise extreme flexibility to accommodate fluctuating and varied program needs, on rare occasions evenings and weekends

You’re a fit with our organizational culture, if you mirror our values in the way you work:

• You are committed to providing the highest quality of care for your clients, through responsive, innovative, and evidence informed approaches.
• Driven by curiosity, you adapt to achieve the best results for clients/communities you serve.
• Celebrating the uniqueness and lived experience of every person is part of your nature, and this conviction creates a sense of belonging, safety, and better outcomes for all.
• You work in a way that helps employees and clients live their strengths and reach their potential
• Work with compassion and care for others, and help JHS build a culture of listening, mutual support, and meaningful connections.

You’re a fit with our organizational culture if you believe:

• In building meaningful connections across our programs, partners, and neighbourhoods in order to foster inclusion and empowerment.
• In a person-centred approach, recognizing the value, expertise, and capacity of each individual to make choices that lead to their best self.
• That systemic inequalities exist, and that all people have the right to be treated with dignity, to live free from discrimination, to have a home, and to access employment, education, health promotion and other supports.
• In reducing harm to individuals and communities through a non-judgmental approach that builds resiliency and accountability.
• In the capacity of individuals and communities to adapt, change, and grow while promoting the conditions to inspire positive transformation.

We sincerely thank all applicants who express interest in JHS and this position- only those selected for an interview will be contacted.