Homeless Outreach Specialist (Grant-Funded)

City of San Bernardino; San Bernardino (CA); Sur place; USD 50 000 - 70 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

City of San Bernardino is seeking three Homeless Outreach Specialists to engage with individuals experiencing homelessness, connect them with housing and essential services, and build community partnerships. These grant-funded roles focus on field outreach, housing linkage, and case management to promote stability and self-sufficiency.

The ideal candidate will balance fieldwork with collaboration, maintain accurate records, and work closely with service providers to ensure coordinated care for

Qualifications

• Requires an associate degree and 1 year of relevant outreach experience; bachelor’s preferred.
• Experience with homelessness resources, mental health, and vulnerable populations is desirable.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to document cases accurately.

Responsabilités

• Visit parks, neighborhoods, or encampments to engage individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Assess immediate needs and connect clients to housing, healthcare, and services.
• Transport clients to appointments and coordinate with partners.

Connaissances

Compassion

Empathy

Communication

Fieldwork

Relationship-building

Formation

Associate Degree in public relations/communications

Bachelor's degree desirable

Outils

HMIS

Excel

Description du poste

Make a Direct Impact in Your Community! Are you passionate about helping individuals experiencing homelessness? Join the City as a Homeless Outreach Specialist and help connect individuals to housing, resources, and essential services while making a meaningful impact in the community.

About the City:

As a future member of our team, you’ll be joining a city with deep roots, cultural diversity, and exciting momentum. Located in the heart of Southern California’s Inland Empire, San Bernardino is the county seat and largest city in San Bernardino County, home to more than 222,000 residents. Its rich history — shaped by Native American, Mexican, and Spanish influences — continues to inspire the city’s evolving identity.

San Bernardino offers access to major transit corridors, natural beauty, and a wide range of housing and lifestyle options. It’s a place where public service careers are supported by a strong sense of community and purpose — and where motivated professionals can grow, contribute, and be part of something meaningful.

About the Position:

The City is seeking three (3) dedicated Homeless Outreach Specialists to join our team! These grant-funded positions offer a opportunity to engage directly with individuals experiencing homelessness, connect them with housing and essential support services, and strengthen partnerships with community organizations. If you’re looking for work that truly changes lives, this is your chance to make a difference!

The Homeless Outreach Specialist is a grant-funded role dedicated to engaging and supporting individuals experiencing homelessness within our community. Working under general supervision, this position focuses on street outreach, housing linkage, and case management services to connect individuals with vital resources that promote stability and self-sufficiency.

This role requires a balance of fieldwork and collaboration, including canvassing areas to locate unsheltered individuals, building trust and rapport, assessing immediate needs, and connecting clients to housing, healthcare, and social service programs. The Homeless Outreach Specialist also works closely with community organizations, service providers, and government agencies to ensure individuals receive coordinated and compassionate care.

This is a meaningful opportunity for someone who is passionate about public service and eager to make a direct impact on the lives of vulnerable community members.

Grant-Funded Positions: This position is supported through external grant funding. Employment in a grant-funded role is contingent upon the availability and continuation of grant funds. The duration of the position is directly tied to the grant period, and the position may be modified or eliminated if funding is reduced or discontinued. Grant-funded positions do not carry a guarantee of long-term or permanent employment with the City.

The Ideal Candidate:

The ideal candidate for this position is compassionate, resourceful, and adaptable. They have experience working directly with vulnerable populations, understand the challenges faced by individuals experiencing homelessness, and are skilled at building trust in a respectful and professional manner. The ideal candidate is comfortable working in the field, can navigate difficult conversations with empathy, and collaborates effectively with community partners to connect clients with housing, healthcare, and support services. Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to maintain accurate records are also key to success in this role.

A Day in the Life:

• Visiting local parks, neighborhoods, or encampments to engage with individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Conducting assessments to identify immediate needs such as shelter, food, or medical care.
• Transporting a client to an appointment with a housing provider or social service agency.
• Meeting with service partners to coordinate care and share resources.
• Assisting clients with completing paperwork for housing programs or benefits.
• Entering case notes and service data into the County’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS).
• Participating in team meetings, community workshops, or collaborative outreach events.

Each day can be different, but the work consistently focuses on connecting individuals to resources, fostering stability, and supporting the City’s efforts to reduce homelessness.

Education and Experience:

Possession of an Associate Degree with major coursework in public relations, communications, or a closely related field; AND one (1) year of responsible experience in community outreach, community engagement, community relations, organizational communications or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience. A bachelor’s degree is highly desirable.

Licenses, Certifications, and Equipment:

A valid California Class C driver’s license is required

Desirable Qualification:

• One (1) year of recent responsible experience in community outreach, community engagement, community relations, organizational communications or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Experience working with local homeless resources, mental health, and substance use disorders.
• Experience working with vulnerable populations, including people experiencing literal homelessness, untreated mental health, and families with children.

Knowledge of:

• Local, federal, and state housing programs and requirements.
• Health, safety, licenses, laws, and compliance mandates for insurance and liability coverage.
• Research methods and statistical techniques and applications.
• Practices in the field of homelessness and community outreach and engagement.
• Fair Housing and Affiliated Marketing.
• Microsoft Excel
• Customer service and etiquette.

Skill in:

• Reviewing, monitoring, inspecting, and reporting in accordance with appropriate local, state, and federal guidelines and laws.
• Collecting, evaluating, and interpreting appropriate and applicable data.
• Providing specialized housing, outreach, and engagement information.
• Preparing clear, concise, and comprehensive correspondence, reports, studies, and other written materials.
• Understanding, interpreting, and responding to internal and external customer needs.
• Presenting conclusions and recommendations clearly, logically, and persuasively to both internal and external audiences.
• Organizing, setting priorities, and making sound independent judgment in complex, difficult inspection work within areas of responsibility.
• Exercising tact and diplomacy in dealing with sensitive and complex issues and situations.
• Communicating clearly and concisely
• Establishing and maintaining effective relationships.
• Providing customer service.

Recruitment Timeline

This recruitment will close on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 11:59pm, or until a sufficient number of applications have been received.

Applications review: Week of Monday, November 2, 2026

1st Interview: Week of November 9, 2026, or agreed upon date by both HR recruiter & Dept (TENTATIVE)

2nd Interview: Week of November 16, 2026, or agreed upon date by both HR recruiter & Dept (TENTATIVE)

All dates are subject to change at the discretion of the personnel officer

Successful candidates shall be required to:

• Pass a reference and background verification. References will not be contacted until mutual interest has been established.
• Degree verification
• Pass a pre-employment medical exam, which includes a Drug screen.
• Starting salary based on education and/or experience and internal equity.

E-Verify Participation

The City of San Bernardino participates in the E-Verify program. In compliance with federal law, all employers are required to verify the identity and employment eligibility of individuals hired to work in the United States.

Accordingly, the City will provide information from each new employee’s Form I-9 to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to confirm authorization to work in the United States.

For more information about E-Verify, please visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website at www.uscis.gov

Disclaimers

The City of San Bernardino is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The City follows a nepotism policy, which may impact hiring decisions if an applicant has relatives currently employed by the City.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the City provides reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Each request is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. To request an accommodation, please contact the Human Resources Department directly at [phone].

This bulletin is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract, expressed or implied. Its contents may be modified or withdrawn without prior notice.

For questions regarding this recruitment, contact Human Resources at [phone] or email [e-mail]. Additional information is available at www.sbcity.org.