Residential Counselor Supervisor - Birch Grove

DESC; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

DESC seeks a Residential Counselor Supervisor to lead a team providing 24/7 building operations and tenant support. The role collaborates with the Project Manager and other supervisors on operational needs while performing all duties of Residential Counselors.

The position requires de-escalation skills, leadership, and experience in human services, with a focus on serving adults facing homelessness and related conditions. A strong commitment to dignity and compassionate care is essential.

Qualifications

• 2 years of work experience in human service or social services - preferably working with adults experiencing homelessness or related challenges.
• Personal lived experience may substitute for some of the work experience requirements.
• Demonstrated de-escalation ability.
• Demonstrated leadership qualities.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and oversee Residential Counselors.
• Support counselors in milieu therapy, crisis management, and daily building operations.
• Coordinate on-site activities for residents and liaise with clinical staff.
• Assist with room turnovers, leasing, orientation, and inspections.
• Respond to resident complaints and maintain safety and security.

Skills

De-escalation

Leadership

Supervisory experience

Job description

Description

Days Off:

Saturday & Sunday

Shift:

Office Day (9am - 5pm) - please note, this position supervises staff working swing and night shifts, so some overnight shifts should be expected

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 DEFINITION:

The Residential Counselor Supervisor directly supervises Residential Counselors, the team providing 24/7 building operations and tenant support. In addition, the Residential Counselor Supervisor works with the Project Manager and other supervisors on overall project and agency operational needs. The supervisor also performs all duties of Residential Counselors.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Supervise and oversee Residential Counselors.
• Support Residential Counselors in their roles as providers of milieu therapy, crisis management, and handling of daily building operations.
• Provide on-site coordination for residents’ activity.
• Assist clinical staff in the coordination of services to residents; contact residents' outside service providers as necessary.
• Assist clinical staff in engaging residents through creative, resourceful strategies that build trust and confidence.
• Assist clinical staff in the initiation, facilitation and promotion of on-site activities, therapeutic support groups, outings and community meetings.
• Manage all building operations in the absence of Project Manager and clinical staff as assigned.
• Operate all functions in lobby office, including checking visitors in and out, answering telephones and monitoring security systems.
• Maintain safety and security by monitoring all general access areas and enforcing project rules.
• Intervene in crises, respond to emergencies, and initiate action as required, including contact with emergency response systems.
• Write significant events involving residents and building operations activities in a daily log; read log daily.
• Assist with room turnovers, new resident leasing and orientation; rent collection and facilities inspections.
• Respond to resident complaints.
• Work cooperatively with clinical and maintenance staff and with visiting providers; refer residents to clinical staff and other staff as necessary.
• Initiate appropriate response to maintenance requests.
• Participate in staff meetings and trainings.
• Assist with other property management functions as assigned.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• 2 years of work experience in human service or social services - preferably working with adults challenged by homelessness, economic disadvantages, mental illness and/or substance use disorder - OR 1 year of highly relevant experience, which included, but is not limited to, DESC work experience.
• Personal lived experience may substitute for some of the work experience requirements.
• Demonstrated de-escalation ability.
• Demonstrated leadership qualities.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• One year of supervisory experience.
• One year work experience in a DESC setting.

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 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.