Compassionate Shelter Support Specialist

Central Arizona Shelter Services, Inc.; Charlottesville (VA); On-site; USD 31,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS) is seeking two dependable Shelter Support Staff to maintain a safe, welcoming environment for individuals and families overcoming homelessness. You will interact with clients and partners, delivering professional service with dignity and respect across multi-level shelter operations.

Roles include safety walks, hygiene provisioning, client check-in, meal distribution, and data entry into HMIS, with a focus on safety and compassionate support during shifts

Qualifications

• Must be at least 18 years old.
• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Moderate proficiency in data entry, Word and Excel.

Responsibilities

• Conduct hourly safety walks across three floors.
• Provide hygiene products and basic-needs items to clients.
• Check clients in and reserve beds for next 24 hours.
• Assist with meal distribution.
• Respond to client questions and provide assistance within role scope.
• Maintain awareness of shelter activity and report safety/operational concerns.
• Deliver professional, respectful service to clients, coworkers, vendors, visitors and partners.
• Complete other shelter-support duties as assigned.
• Enter relevant data in HMIS and maintain organized intake files.
• Prepare Incident Reports and distribute as needed.

Skills

Data entry

Customer service

Communication

Multilingual (English/Spanish)

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

Job description

Description

Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS) is seeking two dependable, compassionate, and customer-service-focused individuals to join our team as Shelter Support Staff.

This position plays an important role in maintaining a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment for individuals and families who are overcoming homelessness. Shelter Support Staff interact directly with clients, coworkers, vendors, and community partners and are expected to provide professional and respectful service at all times.

Schedule

Candidates must have flexibility to work assigned shifts that may fall between 8:00 PM and 5:00 PM the following day, depending on operational needs.

Typical full shifts include:

• Overnight: 8:00 PM – 6:30 AM
• Day: 6:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Employees may be scheduled up to four shifts per week. This position requires flexibility and availability based on shelter coverage needs.

What You’ll Do

Shelter Support Staff help ensure the shelter remains safe, organized, and welcoming throughout each shift. Responsibilities include:

• Conducting hourly safety walks throughout three floors of the facility, including regularly using stairs, to help ensure the safety of employees and clients and identify potential hazards, including fire or safety concerns.
• Providing hygiene products and other basic-needs items to clients.
• Checking clients into the shelter and accurately completing processes required to ensure their bed is reserved for the next 24 hours.
• Assisting with meal distribution.
• Responding to client questions and providing assistance within the scope of the position.
• Maintaining awareness of activity throughout the shelter and communicating safety or operational concerns to the appropriate team member.
• Providing excellent customer service to clients, coworkers, vendors, visitors, and community partners.
• Treating every individual with professionalism, dignity, compassion, and respect.
• Completing other shelter-support duties as assigned.

Ensure data integrity and accurate reporting:

• Enter relevant data in HMIS accurately and according to Shelter policies and procedures.
• Maintain complete and organized files including shelter intakes.
• Prepare Incident Reports (IR) and other reports and distribute as needed.

What We’re Looking For

Successful candidates will be individuals who:

• Are dependable and able to consistently report for assigned shifts.
• Are comfortable working with individuals from a variety of backgrounds and life circumstances.
• Can remain professional and respectful during challenging interactions.
• Have strong customer service and communication skills.
• Can work both independently and as part of a team.
• Are comfortable walking throughout a multi-level facility and regularly using stairs during their shift.
• Understand the importance of maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.

Professional Boundaries and Conflict of Interest

CASS maintains No Fraternization and Conflict of Interest policies designed to protect our employees, clients, and organization.

Employees are expected to maintain professional relationships with both coworkers and clients. Employees may not be placed in a direct reporting relationship with a family or household member. If an employee or applicant has a pre-existing personal, household, or familial relationship with a current CASS client, the relationship must be disclosed to the Regional Executive Director and Director of Human Resources. CASS will review the circumstances to determine whether a conflict of interest exists and whether employment in the assigned position can continue.

Professional boundaries with clients are an essential requirement of this position.

About CASS

Our Mission: To prevent and end homelessness among individuals and families while advancing compassionate community solutions.

Our Vision: A community where everyone has a home.

Our Values - The ABCs of CASS:

• Accessibility
• Operating low-barrier shelters to ensure services are available to all who need them.
• Bridging
• Partnering with community organizations to create systemic, lasting solutions and navigating gaps in services to achieve the best outcomes for our clients.
• Compassion
• Meeting people where they are with empathy and without judgment.
• Dignity
• Treating every individual with respect and honoring their humanity.
• Equity
• Serving diverse populations, including veterans, seniors, families, and youth.
• First, Housing
• Prioritizing stable housing as the foundation for recovery and long-term success.
• Great Workplace
• Cultivating a great workplace rooted in trust, respect, and shared purpose, where every team member feels empowered, supported, and inspired to contribute meaningfully to our mission of ending homelessness.

Requirements

Requirements

1. Minimum age of 18;
2. High school diploma or equivalent;
3. Possess a moderate level of proficiency in data entry, Microsoft Word and Excel.

Preferred

1. Bilingual in English and Spanish;
2. Experience working with the homeless and / or impoverished;
3. Competent in inter-personal conflict transformation;
4. CPR-First Aid certification within 90 days of employment;
5. Naloxone (Narcan) training within 90 days of employment.