Operations Coordinator

DESC (Downtown Emergency Service Center); Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 94,881 - 107,350; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Dental

Life

Long-term Disability

Medical (no premiums/payroll shalt be

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

ORCA card subsidy

Paid Time Off (34 days per year)

Retirement Plan

Job summary

DESC (Downtown Emergency Service Center) in Seattle is seeking an Operations Coordinator to oversee renovations at The Morrison Hotel, DESC’s largest PSH site with 190 units. You will coordinate contractors, update stakeholders, and protect client safety.

The role requires strong collaboration, de-escalation skills, and experience in housing programs or maintenance management. Hours are 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., in-person, with a focus on safety, compliance, and quality in a dynamic PSH environment.

Qualifications

• 1 year of supervisory experience.
• 2-3 years in maintenance, property management or related work in large residential buildings.
• At least 1 year in human services, preferably with homelessness or behavioral health needs.
• Commitment to harm reduction and de-escalation abilities.
• Basic understanding of construction activities or the ability to learn.
• Proficiency with computers and/or electronic work order systems.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and oversee vendor and contractor activities daily.
• Prepare client notifications and coordinate access for scheduled work.
• Safeguard keys and ensure security during renovations.
• Provide safe access to units for repair work and coordinate timelines.
• Summarize construction activity and report to project management.
• Lead communication with Housing team and stakeholders.
• Engage with clients using trauma-informed approaches.

Skills

Supervisory experience

Maintenance experience

Human services experience

De-escalation

Construction knowledge

Communication skills

Tools

Electronic work order systems

Job description

Job Type

Full-time

Description

Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8am - 4pm

Days Off: Saturday, Sunday

Location: On-site at DESC's The Morrison

Insurance Benefits

• Dental
• Life
• Long-term Disability
• Medical (no premiums/payroll deductions for employee coverage)

Other Benefits

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• ORCA card subsidy
• Paid Time Off (34 days per year)
• Retirement Plan

About DESC

Recognized nationally as an innovator and leader in developing solutions to homelessness, DESC is a social services organization, supportive housing operator, and licensed behavioral health treatment provider focused on meeting the needs of people experiencing long‑term homelessness and living with complex behavioral health and other medical conditions. Approximately 3,000 people are actively receiving services from DESC at any given point in time. Our vision is a community where all people are shown compassion, treated with dignity, and everyone has a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home.

DESC operates five shelter/emergency housing programs,19 permanent supportive housing facilities with over 1,750 units, several hundred additional scattered site apartments, and a range of behavioral health services including outpatient mental health and substance use disorder treatment, residential crisis stabilization, street outreach, mobile crisis response, and treatment for opioid use disorder.

Job Overview

The Operations Coordinator oversees and coordinates the renovations and construction improvement from planning through completion to The Historical Morrison Hotel. The Morrison Hotel is DESC’s largest Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) site with a total of 190 units. This role serves as the primary liaison between property management, contractors, vendors, facilities, clinical (care team), site staff, SFD, SPD, EMS internal and external to DESC in relation to renovation project activities. Position hours are 8 am to 4 pm and required to be fully in‑person to align with construction working hours.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist with coordination and walkthrough of vendors and contractors throughout the building. Oversee building construction activities daily.
• Assist Housing staff with proper client notifications in relation to construction activities, such as posted notices. Coordinate with appropriate DESC Housing Team staff on permission to enter (PTE) for units. Using trauma informed approaches directly engaging with clients to ensure entry/access for scheduled work, directing clients to care teams when therapeutic interventions are necessary.
• Safeguard building and unit keys, never giving anyone access to occupied tenant units without authorization.
• Provide safe access to units and various areas of the building for repair work.
• Prepare daily and weekly summaries of construction activities to include planning for future and upcoming construction activities. Report summaries directly to the UCRT Project Manager and relevant stakeholders.
• Take a lead role in coordinating and communicating construction activities and /or timelines to the Housing team, including participating in the daily briefs and weekly team meetings.
• Initiate and maintain appropriate social interactions with clients.
• Think and act collaboratively with staff and clients to improve safety and cleanliness around DESC projects.
• Perform unit clean outs. Removing unnecessary debris, boxing/ labeling, and transporting items to identified locations for duration of repair work. Returning items to designated areas upon completion of contracted work.
• Enforce the DESC Good Neighbor policy with DESC clients using a collaborative, harm‑reduction approach.
• Actively participate in staff meetings and trainings as assigned.
• Respond to custodial demands and building cleanliness.
• Oversee documentation standards related to quality and frequency.
• A willingness to be flexible and work cooperatively with coworkers to accomplish all team responsibilities.
• Handle high volume of workload, with the understanding that PSH may have simultaneous site‑based operation demands and varied working environments.
• Respond to emergencies, initiating emergency actions, cleaning up debris, water, etc., and contacting supervisors. Coordinate with and direct emergency first responders to developments that require immediate attention.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• 1 year of supervisory experience.
• 2-3 years of experience in maintenance, property management or highly relevant comparative work in residential buildings with 100 units or more.
• 1 year of janitorial/maintenance experience or one year in an operations role in DESC PSH (Permanent Supportive Housing) or shelter program or similar non-DESC site.
• At least 1 year of experience in human services (paid or volunteer), preferably working with adults challenged by homelessness, mental illness and/or substance use disorder.
• Basic understanding of homelessness and various characteristics of homeless adult populations; experience with mental illness and/or substance use disorder preferred.
• Commitment to the Harm Reduction model and incorporating it into all aspects of the position.
• Demonstrated de‑escalation skills in unique settings.
• Basic understanding of construction activities or the ability to learn.
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with staff from various backgrounds and disciplines.
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with people of diverse backgrounds and identities.
• Ability to work effectively with clients displaying a wide range of unpleasant and/or bizarre behavior.
• Subscribe to philosophy of cooperation and continuity across programs, and of consideration and respect for clients.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully coordinate and organize multiple stakeholders to complete complex tasks.
• Proficiency with using computers and/or electronic work order systems.
• Be able to pass a Washington State Criminal background check.
• Current Washington State Driver’s License, insurable driving record, ability to drive agency van/vehicle.
• Ability to organize workload and complete duties with minimum direct supervision.
• Commitment to the philosophy and mission of DESC’s Permanent Supportive Housing and to the principles of equity. Subscription to a philosophy of cooperation and continuity across programs and of consideration and respect for clients.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 2+ years’ supervisory experience in settings serving people with histories of homelessness and/or behavioral health conditions.
• 2+ years’ experience as a maintenance technician and/or providing in‑unit repairs, cleaning services/mitigation.
• 2+ years of experience with occupied rehabs in a professional construction firm
• Strong understanding of construction activities or the ability to strengthen current knowledge.
• Bilingual

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required to stand for long periods, climb stairs, sit, communicate with other employees, required to lift and carry items weighing up to 40 pounds, and to operate computer hardware systems. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

DESC is committed to diversity in the workplace and promotes equal employment opportunities for all staff members and applicants. The Agency will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, caste, marital status, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability in any employment practice, unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification. Minorities and veterans are encouraged to apply.

Salary Description

$94,881.36 - $107,349.60 annually