Housing Case Manager (Day Shift)

Lifelong Health For All; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 48,000 - 74,000; Full time

Job summary

Lifelong is seeking a Housing Case Manager to support clients in securing and maintaining housing, using harm reduction and Housing First principles. The role involves engagement, goal setting for housing and health stability, and connecting clients to essential health and social services.

The position is on-site in Seattle, requires working with diverse populations, and emphasizes compassionate, client-centered care in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a social services field with experience in direct social services is required.
• Two years of direct social service or advocacy work and experience with marginalized populations are expected.
• Experience with housing stabilization, harm reduction, and trauma-informed care is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Engage clients and build rapport to support housing stability and personal growth.
• Assist clients with housing applications and program paperwork.
• Provide resources for health, mental health, and substance use services.

Skills

Harm Reduction

Housing First

Crisis management

Client rapport building

Interpersonal communication

Time management

Microsoft Office

HMIS experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a social services field

Two years of direct social service or advocacy experience

Experience with marginalized populations

Tools

Excel

Access

Word

HMIS

Job description

Job Details

Job Location: Union - 20 - Seattle, WA 98122

Position Type: Full Time

Salary Range: $23.46 - $35.79 Hourly

Travel Percentage: Negligible

Job Shift: Day

Job Category: Nonprofit - Social Services

Lifelong is a community health organization on a mission to make health and food accessible. We remove barriers to health with relentless compassion so that no one faces illness and injustice alone.

We lead with heart. Our respect for people drives our mission. For 40 years, Lifelong has fought health inequities so that everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Our comprehensive services include food and nutrition, healthcare navigation, aging and disability support, and connection to housing and other vital resources.

Position Overview

The Housing Case Manager will assume a caseload of clients who are currently receiving housing assistance from KCRHA. The Housing Case Manager will assist and provide supportive services to help ensure the clients remain stable within their housing placements, while addressing any issues or potential issues that could jeopardise their housing placement. They will perform the duties associated with case management services, including but not limited to: engagement and rapport building, goal setting focused on housing stability, financial stability, overall health stability, and client personal goals related to growth and wellbeing.

The Housing Case Manager must have acceptance and experience in supporting, assisting, and interacting with clients who present with varying degrees of independence, mental stability, and/or are in current active substance use. This position utilizes harm reduction and Housing First principles for low barrier access to housing and services.

The Housing Case Manager will assist clients in securing additional resources for household items, personal needs, and re-establishing connections to health, financial, and employment services. This support aims to improve overall health outcomes and foster personal self-sufficiency.

This is a regular, full-time, non-exempt, union position that is 100% on-site in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle from 06:30AM - 3PM Tuesday - Saturday.

Qualifications & Essential Duties

• Build rapport with clients, identify strengths, and foster growth in self-sufficiency and resiliency to acquire the most stable housing possible.
• Have a working knowledge and understanding of the impact of the current housing crisis in this region, and its significance on the client’s overall health and well-being. Working knowledge or training related to the Landlord/Tenant Laws of the City of Seattle/King County is a plus.
• Support and assist clients from diverse backgrounds with housing placement opportunities, including completing applications and various paperwork.
• Provide ongoing support and assistance for formerly chronically unhoused clients who are in transition from housing instability to housing stabilization.
• Provide needed advocacy and support with housing integration and retention issues that may arise, addressing ongoing issues that have the potential to hinder the client’s overall health and well-being or housing stabilization. This may include case consultations, property and care team conferences, client behavioral agreements, and navigating housing exits as successfully as possible.
• Advocate for client with property management in order to ensure a successful housing placement, including responding to property complaints, enquiries, and questions.
• Provide resource connections for physical health, mental health, substance use, and other supportive service needs.
• Ensure the highest quality service in a culturally appropriate manner by maintaining quality client service standards and expectations.
• Collect needed documentation for program compliance and to measure health & housing outcomes, while keeping client information secure and confidential.
• Participate in individual supervision, team meetings, and departmental activities.
• Participate in agency meetings, required agency activities, and have a willingness to promote the overall mission of the agency through support and/or participation in agency initiatives and priorities committees.
• Other duties as assigned.

Core Competencies

• Working understanding of Harm Reduction and Housing First principles within a Trauma Informed framework.
• Able to organize, prioritize multiple projects, and meet deadlines in a time-sensitive environment.
• Detail oriented with a high level of accuracy.
• Demonstrated flexibility and adaptability.
• Possess an understanding of professional boundaries.
• Demonstrated skills and working knowledge of Microsoft Office suite of applications, including Excel, Access, and Word.
• Experience working in electronic case noting within a database and electronic document collection and storage. Homelessness Management Information System (HMIS) experience helpful.
• Ability to communicate clearly and professionally in both verbal and written form.
• Professional phone skills.
• Proven ability to work independently and in a collaborative team environment.
• Ability to respond quickly to change.
• Ability to develop good working relationships with internal and external providers and partner agencies.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively under stressful conditions, exercising crisis management and de-escalation skills.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in a social services field and:
• Two years of experience in direct social service or advocacy work, including assessing client needs and/or determining client benefit eligibility
• Two years of proven experience and an understanding of the difficulties that come from working with marginalized populations that may include issues with chronic homelessness, past or current substance use, and ongoing mental health instability.
• Or combination of related education & work experience.

Work Environment

This position is primarily located in leased apartment buildings and extended stay motels with some participants being served in scattered sites (scattered sites are hybrid and/or outreach) throughout the King County Region. Housing Case Manager positions require staff to be available to meet clients in the office setting or within the clients’ homes (as required by specific programs) and fieldwork.

This position requires regular work at a desk and on a computer, combined with frequent interaction with clients both on-site and in the community. The role may involve travel to client homes, partner agencies, or community locations, which can include exposure to a variety of environmental conditions. Employees must be able to sit, stand, walk, bend, and reach as needed, and occasionally lift up to 20 pounds to transport materials or supplies. Work may occur in office, residential, or community settings, and may occasionally involve outdoor conditions or environments with moderate noise.

All positions that involve in person work with clients are required to undergo a TB test within 30 days of starting employment and annually, or as required by program.

Any offer of employment is contingent upon passing a criminal background check. Some programs may require additional background checks or frequency.

About Lifelong

Lifelong is a community health organization committed to removing barriers to health with relentless compassion so that no one faces illness and injustice alone.

We lead with heart. Our respect for people drives our mission. For 40 years, Lifelong has fought health inequities so that everyone can have the opportunity to thrive. Our comprehensive services include food and nutrition, healthcare navigation, aging and disability support, and connection to housing and other vital resources.

We are looking for passionate, dedicated people to join our talented team and make real, meaningful changes in the daily lives of those living with chronic and life-threatening illnesses in their community. Lifelong offers exceptional benefits, including paid time off, medical and dental coverage in addition to a balanced work-life integration.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Lifelong, we are dedicated to building a diverse, equitable, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

EEO Statement

Lifelong is committed to creating an accessible, supportive environment and experience that recognizes diversity and cultural competence as integral components of what we do.

We are an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and as such, we do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

DISCLAIMER: INTENT AND FUNCTION OF JOB DESCRIPTIONS

Job descriptions are not intended as and do not create employment contracts. The organization maintains its status as an at-will employer. Employees can be terminated for any reason not prohibited by law.

Job descriptions assist organizations in ensuring that the hiring process is fairly administered and and that qualified employees are selected. They are an integral part of a compensation system, effective performance review system, relative promotion, transfer, layoff, etc. decisions.

All descriptions have been reviewed to illustrate the job functions and basic duties, in addition to peripheral tasks or that could generally be considered as other duties as assigned.

In no instance, however, should the duties, responsibilities and requirements be interpreted as all-inclusive. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by supervisors as deemed appropriate. Requirements, skills and abilities included have been determined to illustrate the minimal standards required to successfully perform the positions.