Job description

Advocate Program, Inc. is a multi-faceted community agency whose mission is to facilitate social change and enhance public safety through leadership, research, education, supervision, and services, utilizing best and evidence-based practices.

Advocate Program, Inc. is a private not-for-profit agency offering structured probation, traditional probation, diversion, and community service programs to the Courts of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit (Miami-Dade County, Florida), both adult and juvenile. Additionally, the Program is funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide Rapid Re-Housing and Prevention services to low-income veterans and their families. Advocate Program is also funded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development through the Miami- Dade Continuum of Care to provide Rapid Re-housing Services to homeless individuals and their families, victims of domestic violence, and veterans.

Responsibilities:

• Work in collaboration with VA HUD VASH Social Worker and SSVF Case Manager in finding appropriate permanent housing solutions for veterans.
• Create a landlord database for quick, real time referrals for participants that will hold at a minimum: Contact information for landlord, location of units, rent ranges, bedroom/ bathroom, accessibility to public transportation, and non-negotiables for landlord (i.e. no criminal records, HH income requirements, etc.)
• Meet and build relationships with private/ public landlords and property managers throughout the community to provide presentations on the SSVF program.
• Keep abreast of local housing resources and the client referral process.
• Perform a comprehensive Housing Needs Assessment for each client.
• Place clients in appropriate housing and accompany clients to housing-related appointments.
• Work with HUD VASH Social Workers and SSVF Case Managers to ensure a smooth transition into permanent housing and maintain a supportive relationship with participants to assist them in sustaining permanent housing.
• Coordinate with SSVF team to ensure that they have access to a full range of community based services, including services provided by the VA as well as any other agencies where they may need services.
• Coordinate care with HUD VASH Social Workers to ensure inspections and rent surveys are completed in a timely manner.
• Advocate with landlords on behalf of clients, as needed.
• Effectively communicate with the participant and his/her landlord about the required documentation needed to process the family’s application for emergency financial assistance/rental assistance through the program.
• Advise client and landlord of amount of funding approved for assistance, and follow up within three days of issuing the check to ensure that the participant’s immediate housing issues are now resolved.
• Develop and maintain effective liaison and interagency referral partnerships with all of the agencies in the community, and continuously identify new community resources that may benefit participants in all categories.
• Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team providing “client centered services” with all staff members, as well as the other case managers participating in the program.
• Report to Program Management on all issues relevant to program’s functioning, including the interagency referral process.
• Participate in in-service training as needed to develop and/or enhance the knowledge, skills and abilities of the Case Manager, including interagency case management team meetings.
• Maintain all required documentation in participants’ confidential case records, and assisting the Program Manager and Director with the preparation of any required program and statistical reports.
• Perform other duties upon request.

Requirements:

Willingness and ability to learn human services skills; knowledge, experience and desire to aid homeless individuals and families. Comprehensive training will be provided to motivated applicant.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty listed above satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the additional knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

OUTREACH/ INTERPERSONAL SKILLS AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS

The ideal candidate for the position of Housing Navigator is an individual with experience working in teams and possessing team leadership skills; someone who is self motivated and able to motivate others, who enjoys social interaction and engagement, who can successfully gain the acceptance and trust of clients, as well as with staff in other agencies that have entered into referral and service coordination agreements with the Advocate Program, and possess strong work ethic and organizational skills.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

Bachelors Degree in Social Services or related field. Extensive knowledge and experience of Miami-Dade County and the local network of community based health and human services organizations providing support services to families at risk of homelessness is preferred but not required. Realtor experience in the state of Florida. Demonstrated ability to learn human services skills and knowledge as well as motivation to aid homeless individuals and their families is required. Comprehensive training will be provided to motivated applicant.

COMMUNICATIONS AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

Must have excellent interpersonal skills coupled with excellent oral and written communication skills. Must possess strong observation and analytical skills; functional knowledge of emergency assistance services in Miami Dade County; strong personal responsibility. Flexible approach to working hours is mandatory, as it impacts ability to attend outreach events, and the ability to meet with participants after normal business hours.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read, analyze and interpret program procedures, outreach protocols and related policies. Ability to write reports, correspondence, and assist team in outreach tools development. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions about the Program from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Must have demonstrated skills in the MS Office 2000 Suite or higher (includes WORD, EXCEL, POWERPOINT, EMAIL OUTLOOK or EMAIL EXCHANGE) and Internet Explorer.

• Ability to use or is familiar with web based social networking tools such as Facebook, Twitter, etc.
• Additional knowledge in the following is ideal, but not required: Adobe Acrobat for PDF creation; Document Scanning.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS
Must possess a valid Florida driver’s license.

Physical Demands & Working Conditions:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. The employee performs work in a normal office setting within a reasonable environment. While performing the duties of this job, the employee will be required to perform local and non-local travel.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $42,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Monday to Friday

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Miami, FL: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Preferred)

Experience:

• Case management: 1 year (Preferred)

Work Location: One location

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