Guest Services Lead (Pathways to Permanent Housing)

Guest House of Milwaukee, Inc.; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Guest House of Milwaukee, Inc. seeks a Guest Services Lead to provide hands-on leadership across our 24/7 shelter operations, coaching staff and ensuring trauma-informed service.

You will partner with the Director of Guest Services to reinforce expectations, coordinate staffing, and elevate guest outcomes through consistent communication, documentation, and crisis support. This role is a great step in leadership while staying connected to day-to-day work serving guests, with opportunities to

Qualifications

• 2 years of experience in direct service or related human services environment.
• Associate degree in human services or comparable mix of education and experience.
• Proficiency in Guest Services II and Shift Lead–level responsibilities.
• Experience providing trauma-informed care, peer support, de-escalation, and crisis intervention.
• Experience in recovery-oriented, low-barrier, or Housing First service models.
• Experience supporting individuals experiencing homelessness, mental health conditions, and/or substance use disorders.
• Ability to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, coaching, and day-to-day guidance to Guest Services staff.
• Promote consistent, trauma-informed guest services across shifts.
• Support staff in navigating complex guest situations, de-escalation, crises, and service needs.
• Reinforce agency values, professional expectations, residence rules, and established procedures.
• Review documentation for accuracy, timeliness, and quality and coach staff when improvements are needed.
• Monitor safety practices, identify concerns, and partner with the Director to address risks.
• Train and onboard new team members and support ongoing staff development.
• Help coordinate staffing assignments, short-term coverage needs, and communication across shifts.
• Identify operational gaps and work with the Director to improve processes and service delivery.
• Support the coordination and effectiveness of specialized assignments and services, including Food Services, Pathways, and Elder Justice support.
• Provide staff with constructive feedback and elevate significant performance or employee concerns to the Director.
• Participate in a rotating on-call schedule to support continuous facility operations.

Skills

Communication skills

Leadership

Coaching staff

Crisis management

Problem-solving

Time management

Education

Associate degree in human services

Tools

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel)

Job description

Guest Services Lead (Pathways to Permanent Housing)

Are you an experienced human services professional who enjoys supporting others, solving problems, and helping a team deliver consistent, high-quality service?

Guest House of Milwaukee is seeking a Guest Services Lead to provide hands-on leadership and support across our 24/7 shelter operations. This role works closely with the Director of Guest Services to coach staff, reinforce expectations, strengthen communication across shifts, and help ensure guests receive consistent, trauma-informed support.

The Guest Services Lead is a great opportunity for someone who is ready to take the next step in leadership while remaining connected to the day-to-day work of serving guests.

What You'll Do

In this role, you will:

• Provide leadership, coaching, and day-to-day guidance to Guest Services staff.
• Promote consistent, trauma-informed guest services across shifts.
• Support staff in navigating complex guest situations, de-escalation, crises, and service needs.
• Reinforce agency values, professional expectations, residence rules, and established procedures.
• Review documentation for accuracy, timeliness, and quality and coach staff when improvements are needed.
• Monitor safety practices, identify concerns, and partner with the Director to address risks.
• Train and onboard new team members and support ongoing staff development.
• Help coordinate staffing assignments, short-term coverage needs, and communication across shifts.
• Identify operational gaps and work with the Director to improve processes and service delivery.
• Support the coordination and effectiveness of specialized assignments and services, including Food Services, Pathways, and Elder Justice support.
• Provide staff with constructive feedback and elevate significant performance or employee concerns to the Director.
• Participate in a rotating on-call schedule to support continuous facility operations. This includes responding to staffing needs and arranging coverage. If coverage cannot be secured, the on-call team member may be required to report to the facility and cover the shift.

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• 2 years of experience in direct service, residential services, shelter services, or a related human services environment.
• Associate degree in human services or a related field and/or a comparable combination of education and relevant experience.
• Demonstrated proficiency in Guest Services II and Shift Lead–level responsibilities.
• Experience providing trauma-informed care, peer support, de-escalation, and crisis intervention.
• Experience working within recovery-oriented, low-barrier, or Housing First service models.
• Experience supporting individuals experiencing homelessness, mental health conditions, and/or substance use disorders.
• Ability to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation.

Required Skills & Abilities

• Strong communication skills, including the ability to relay expectations clearly and support consistent staff performance.
• Proficiency in documentation practices, recordkeeping systems, and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel).
• Strong critical thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving abilities.
• Time management and organizational skills with the ability to prioritize multiple tasks.
• Ability to guide crisis response, support de-escalation, and model trauma-informed practices.
• Ability to multitask while maintaining attention to detail and service quality.
• Leadership skills including coaching, motivation, accountability, and promoting a positive team environment.
• Ability to maintain professionalism, emotional regulation, and appropriate boundaries in stressful situations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience coaching or mentoring staff in a human services environment.
• Experience working in multi-shift or 24/7 program operations.
• Experience supporting staff performance or providing constructive feedback.

What Success Looks Like

The Guest Services Lead helps move the department forward—not just manage what happens during a single shift.

Success in this role means you:

• Create consistency across teams and shifts.
• Coach staff rather than simply stepping in and solving problems for them.
• Hold others accountable while maintaining respect and professionalism.
• Communicate clearly and ensure important information reaches the right people.
• Recognize patterns, identify gaps, and take initiative to improve operations.
• Remain steady and solutions-focused during crises and challenging situations.
• Model Guest House's values and help others do the same.
  

Work Environment

This position works in a homeless shelter environment that can be fast-paced and unpredictable. Employees may encounter individuals experiencing medical, behavioral health, substance-use-related, or mental health crises; exposure to bodily fluids, infectious diseases, or other biohazards; pests associated with congregate care environments; varying noise and activity levels; and occasional disruptive behaviors.

The role requires regular movement throughout the facility and may involve standing or walking for extended periods and lifting, pushing, or pulling up to 25 pounds. Reasonable accommodations will be considered for qualified individuals with disabilities.