Housing Services Counselor II (Grant/FT/Benefits)

Friendsofkerhonkson; Bel Air (MD); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Dental & Vision insurance

Flexible Spending Accounts

State Retirement Plan

Long Term Disability

Life Insurance

Generous Leave & Paid Holidays

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

Harford County Government seeks a Housing Services Counselor II to provide comprehensive housing counseling across homeownership, rental, and foreclosure areas. The role includes eligibility interviews, recertifications, and coordination of workshops, with supervision of Counselor I staff.

The position requires a HUD Housing Certified Counselor, a Bachelor's degree in a related field, and strong interpersonal, public speaking, and budgeting skills to serve diverse stakeholders effectively.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Sociology, Behavior Science, or related field.
• HUD Housing Certified Counselor is required.
• Experience in housing counseling and Section 8 program knowledge.
• Strong interpersonal and public speaking skills.
• Ability to lead, teach, and coach others in acquiring new skills.
• Ability to manage budgets and data entry in client management systems.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive housing counseling including homebuyer education, financial literacy, rental counseling, foreclosure counseling, and eviction prevention.
• Conduct initial eligibility interviews and annual recertifications.
• Maintain client files and perform data entry in web-based client data management system.
• Coordinate monthly workshops and outreach events; assist with housing fairs.
• Consult with service agencies, tenants, and owners as part of Program Eligibility Analyst duties.
• Supervise Housing Services Counselor I employees.

Skills

HUD Housing Certified Counselor

Interpersonal skills

Public speaking

Active listening

Communication skills

Budgeting

Credit knowledge

Data entry

Leadership/coaching

Education

Bachelor's Degree - Sociology, Behavior Science, or related field

Job description

Job Description Summary:The current Housing Services Counselor II position is a hybrid position that includes duties and responsibilities associated with a Program Eligibility Analyst I. This position is responsible for providing comprehensive individual and group housing counseling services in the areas of financial capability, rental counseling, home ownership, foreclosure counseling, fair housing, and eviction prevention. The team member shall also perform a level of services required by HUD and Harford County. Supervision shall be under the Housing Services Coordinator. Additional responsibilities include but may not be limited to performing initial eligibility interviews and annual recertification of participating families, handling family moves, HCV terminations, interim changes, correspondence, telephone inquiries, and scheduling, as well as file maintenance, file scanning, front desk coverage, telephone coverage, and other duties as assigned. This staff person will consult with service agencies, tenants, and owners under the guise of a Program Eligibility Analyst.Harford County Government Core Values are essential to successful job performance and this position, as with all positions at Harford County, is accountable for integrating Core Values in the execution of responsibilities. Housing Services Counselor II supervises Housing Services Counselor I employees.Job Description:BUDGETED SALARY: $70,000.00 - $82,000.00Essential Duties:Provides comprehensive housing counseling services in the areas of, but not limited to, homebuyer education, financial literacy, rental counseling, home ownership, foreclosure counseling, home improvement and rehabilitation, energy conservation, fair housing and eviction preventionMaintains client files and performs data entry on web-based client data management systemResearches and prepares Federal, State and local housing counseling grantsParticipates in public meetings, provides outreach to the public and participates in educational programs regarding housing issuesKeeps abreast of all Federal, State, and local housing regulationsPrepares monthly, quarterly or annual reports as requiredCoordinates monthly first-time home buyer workshops and annual housing fairYears of Experience:5 years of related experienceYears of Supervisory Experience:1 year experience supervising or managing teamsEducation:Bachelor's Degree - Sociology, Behavior Science, or related fieldCertifications, Licensures, and Examinations:Must be a HUD Housing Certified Counselor - RequiredKnowledge, Skills, and Abilities:Knowledge of Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Program policies and proceduresKnowledge of the federal rental housing programStrong interpersonal skills and ability to build relationships with a diverse range of stakeholdersAbility to lead, teach and coach others in acquiring new skills;Skilled listener, ability to practice actively listeningPublic speaking and presentation skills; Knowledge of standards of confidentiality and ethical practiceKnowledge of the home buying process, foreclosure laws and special mortgage programsKnowledge and understanding of credit, budgeting and financial capability case managementAbility to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing;Ability to facilitate and lead meetingsAbility to work independently with minimal supervisionKnowledge of budgetary practices and ability to manage budgetsAbility to provide internal and external customer service in a courteous manorData entryKnowledge of Fair Housing lawsKnowledge of rental laws and eviction preventionAbility to bend, stoop, kneel and sit for prolonged periods of timeAbility to drive a County vehicle to attend meetings and act as a representative of the AgencySAFETY:Must comply with all Federal (OSHA), State of Maryland (MOSH), safety regulations and applicable Harford County safety policies, procedures, or manual as required for this position.COMPENSATION:Other compensation may include but is not limited to:OvertimeCompensatory timeShift DifferentialsBENEFITS:Harford County offers an exceptional benefits package that includes:Health, Dental & Vision insuranceFlexible Spending AccountsState Retirement Plan and Deferred CompensationLong Term Disability, and Life Insurance for Employee, Spouse, and ChildrenGenerous Leave Package & Paid HolidaysTuition ReimbursementHarford County Government is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local law.