Operations Manager - Emergency Housing

Champlain Housing Trust; Shelburne (VT); On-site; USD 74,000 - 82,000; Full time

Job summary

Champlain Housing Trust seeks an Operations Manager for Harbor Place, a hotel shelter serving guests experiencing homelessness. You will oversee facilities, safety, and guest services while leading a diverse team and coordinating with community partners.

The role requires trauma-informed practice experience, budget oversight, and evening/on-call responsibilities to ensure safe, welcoming operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree or equivalent in related field.
• Five years of relevant operational leadership experience required.
• Minimum of three years supervisory experience required.
• Experience providing direct service to vulnerable populations.
• Demonstrated ability to manage operational budget and vendor relationships.
• Strong crisis management skills and calm under pressure.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day operations of Harbor Place, a shelter hotel.
• Lead recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, and staff development.
• Ensure guest services, occupancy management, and partnerships with community agencies.
• Develop and monitor annual operating budgets with leadership and accounting teams.
• Coordinate vendors, contractors, and internal departments; manage facilities and safety systems.

Skills

Operational leadership

Budget management

Crisis management

Supervisory experience

Direct service to vulnerable

Trauma-informed practices

Vendor management

Facilities management

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

Hiring Range: $74,000 to $82,000 annually, paid bi-weekly

Department: Resident Services
Status: Full-Time, Exempt
Reports to: Associate Director of Homelessness Prevention Initiatives
Supervises: Assistant Manager, Site Staff, Contractors, and Vendors
Schedule: Evening and weekend hours are required. Participation in an on-call rotation is required.

The Operations Manager provides leadership for the day-to-day operations at Harbor Place, a hotel run as a shelter for guests who are primarily individuals and families experiencing homelessness. The Operations Manager ensures a safe, welcoming, efficient, and well-maintained environment for all guests, staff, and community partners. This role integrates social services, hospitality, facilities management, guest relations, and team leadership to support high-quality service delivery while maintaining operational excellence.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Operations & Facilities Management

• Oversee building operations, maintenance, custodial functions, technology systems, security systems, and contracted services.
• Coordinate vendors, contractors, service providers, and internal departments.
• Implement preventive maintenance, safety, security, and sustainability initiatives.
• Conduct and/or oversee property and room inspections.
• Oversee purchasing, inventory, linen services, and operational resources.
• Respond to emergencies and coordinate with first responders.

Staff Leadership & Team Development

• Lead recruitment, onboarding, training, scheduling, and retention efforts in accordance with CHT (Champlain Housing Trust) policies to promote sustainable operations.
• Provide coaching, supervision, and performance management in accordance with CHT policies.
• Ensure cross-training and continuity of essential operations.
• Build a positive, collaborative and safety-conscious staff culture.

Guest Services & Community Relations

• Ensure exceptional guest service and occupancy management.
• Build partnerships with healthcare, housing, and social service agencies.
• Utilize trauma-informed practices and de-escalation techniques.
• Enforce guest agreements and operational policies respectfully and consistently.
• Assist Associate Director of Homelessness Prevention Initiatives in creating and implementing site programming to support guests.

Financial & Administrative Management

• Develop and monitor annual operating budgets in collaboration and consultation with the Associate Director and accounting team.
• Approve invoices and monitor expenditures.
• Support billing, reporting, compliance, and confidentiality requirements.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor degree or equivalent experience in social work, human services, hospitality, business, property management, or a related field.
• Five years of relevant operational leadership experience is required. Shelter operations experience and application of trauma informed practices is strongly preferred.
• A minimum of three years supervisory experience required.
• Experience providing direct service to vulnerable populations required.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively create and manage an operational budget, manage vendor relationships, anticipate and mitigate operational challenges.
• Must demonstrate a solution-oriented approach to crisis management and ability to remain calm and exhibit good judgment under pressure.
• A commitment to providing excellent service to staff and guests is essential.

COMPETENCIES

• Leadership and team development.
• Operations and facilities management including ability to read basic financial statements, monitor operational budget, apply basic knowledge of building systems to anticipate and address needs.
• Customer service and relationship management.
• Crisis management and de-escalation.
• Planning, organization, and technology proficiency.

Physical and Mental Abilities:

Must be able to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation. This role requires regular movement throughout the facility, including standing, walking, climbing stairs, bending, reaching, and occasionally lifting or carrying items weighing up to 50 pounds. The position may require responding to resident, staff, or facility emergencies, including during evenings, nights, weekends, or inclement weather conditions. The employee must be able to operate standard office equipment, use a computer for extended periods, and communicate effectively in person, by telephone, and electronically. The role also requires the ability to observe facility conditions and resident activities to maintain a safe and secure environment.

Champlain Housing Trust is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to perform the essential functions of the position.

WORK ATMOSPHERE

Mission-driven nonprofit emergency housing environment requiring interaction with guests, partners, and community stakeholders, regularly engaging in crisis intervention, and including occasional evening, weekend hours and regular on-call responsibilities.

EMPLOYER RIGHTS AND DISCLAIMERS

This job description is not a contract for employment. It is a list of duties and expectations. However, it should not be considered a complete list of expected duties. Duties may be added, dropped, or changed at any time.

The job qualifications may change at any time. Champlain Housing Trust may add, drop, or change any qualifications for the position in order to fit changes in the organization. This job description should not be interpreted as a complete list of job qualifications.

This document does not extend an offer for permanent or continuous employment. Champlain Housing Trust is an at-will employer.

Equal Opportunity Employer

- Champlain Housing Trust is committed to a diverse workplace and highly encourages women, persons with disabilities, Section 3 low income residents, and people from diverse racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds to apply.