Guest Service Specialist Swing Shift-AWPDI

Community Forward SF; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 28,929 - 38,572; Full time

Job summary

Community Forward SF is seeking a Guest Services Specialist to support guests at A Woman’s Place Shelter and Drop‑In Center. You will assist with health, safety, and wellbeing, providing counseling, outreach, and advocacy in a trauma‑informed, culturally competent environment.

The role requires sensitivity to homelessness, trauma, and recovery, with an emphasis on de‑escalation, respectful service, and teamwork with diverse staff. Training and union guidelines apply.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or G.E.D. required.
• Previous experience with the homeless population.
• Ability to work independently and cooperatively.
• Ability to effectively de‑escalate conflict.
• Knowledge of homelessness, trauma, domestic/intimate partner violence, substance use disorder and recovery, HIV/AIDS, harm reduction, mental health disorders, neurodiversity, LGBTQIA+ communities, and systems of oppression.
• Ability to work with diverse cultures, languages, abilities, backgrounds, and identities.
• Ability to write and speak English effectively.
• CPR and first aid certification required within 90 days of hire.

Responsibilities

• Support mission to promote stabilization, hope, and healing for women experiencing homelessness in San Francisco.
• Collaborate with clinicians, case managers, security, and janitorial contractors to meet goals.
• Ensure clients are treated with dignity and have their physical, emotional, and psychological needs met.
• Provide supportive individual peer counseling as needed.
• Monitor health and safety issues; complete incident reports and safety documentation.
• Provide de-escalation and conflict resolution to guests as needed.
• Monitor guests to maintain privacy and security.

Skills

De-escalation

Counseling

Trauma-informed care

Communication

Cultural competency

Team collaboration

English proficiency

Education

High School Diploma or G.E.D.

Job description

Job Title: Guest Services Specialist

Location: A Woman’s Place Drop-In Center, 211 13th St.

Reports to: Assistant Manager

Status: Non-exempt, Union

Hourly Wage: $24.41/hour

Hours: Thursday-Monday 3pm-11pm

Community Forward SF is a collection of vital programs that ensures our neighbors experiencing homelessness have effective services designed for their unique needs. Whether one needs housing, medical shelter, a safe place to become sober, or calm in the face of domestic violence - we care for those most vulnerable in our community.

We are not just one program. We are a network of programs designed to work together to meet every stage of need. We focus on the hardest to reach, most vulnerable people: Women, Medical Crisis, Substance Use Disorder, and Older Adults.

Our programs meet the needs of people, rather than demanding that people meet the needs of our programs.

Job Summary

Guest Services Specialists provide culturally appropriate, trauma-informed, supportive services to guests of A Woman’s Place Shelter and A Woman’s Place Drop‑In Center. GSSes are frontline responders and are responsible for the daily operations of the site. They support guests’ health, safety, and wellbeing, provide supportive counseling, resources, information, outreach, and individual and systemic advocacy. The nature of work requires sustained physical effort involving considerable standing, walking, bending, and stooping.

Essential Job Functions

• Support our mission to promote stabilization, hope, and healing for women experiencing homelessness in San Francisco.
• Work collaboratively with clinicians, case managers, security and janitorial contractors, and other employees in an integrated team to meet shared goals.
• Ensure that clients are treated with dignity and respect, and that their physical, emotional, and psychological needs are adequately met while residing at the facility.
• Provide supportive individual peer counseling for guests as needed.
• Monitor and report on health & safety issues (including behavioral health issues) within the building; complete incident reports, safety exit documentation, and other paperwork as needed.
• Provide de‑escalation and conflict resolution to guests as needed.
• Monitor all guests in the building to provide privacy and security.
• Respond effectively and in the moment to guest needs and requests.
• Assist guests with laundry, storage of belongings, hygiene supplies, donations, and other needs.
• In conjunction with site management, solicit, receive, and respond to guest input and feedback to improve program services.
• Assist in maintaining the cleanliness of the facility.
• Adhere to established policies and procedures.
• Attend trainings and meetings as needed.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Background & Experience

• High School Diploma or G.E.D.
• Previous experience with the homeless population.
• Ability to work both independently and cooperatively.
• Ability to effectively de‑escalate conflict
• Knowledge of homelessness, trauma, domestic/intimate partner violence, substance use disorder and recovery, HIV/AIDS, harm reduction, mental health disorders, neurodiversity, LGBTQIA+ communities, and systems of oppression.
• Ability to work sensitively with individuals from diverse cultures, languages, abilities, backgrounds, and identities.
• Ability to write and speak English effectively.
• CPR and first aid certification required within 90 days of hire.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bicultural, bilingual in Spanish or other San Francisco threshold languages
• Knowledge of San Francisco community resources.
• Experience working with at‑risk client populations.
• Lived experience with homelessness and/or recovery.
• Peer Specialist certification or equivalent.

Community Forward SF (CFSF) reserves the right to revise job descriptions or work hours as required.The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the person assigned to this position. Essential job duties are intended to describe those functions that are primary to the performance of this job. Other job duties include those that are considered secondary to the overall purpose of this position. This position description does not state or imply that the above are the only duties and responsibilities assigned to this position. Employees holding this position will be required to perform any other job-related duties as requested by the supervisor and management. All requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with a disability. All jobs are subject to contract funding availability.

CFSF will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if CFSF is concerned about a conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting the Civil Rights Department Fair Chance Act webpage.