CAREER OPPORTUNITY

Agate is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to end homelessness and relieve hunger through action and advocacy. We provide emergency services shelter and housing programs for individuals and families. We encourage applicants with lived experience to apply (anyone who has not received services from Agate within the last two years is welcome to apply). We believe that housing is a basic human right.

Why Our Team Chooses Us:

• I work here because I believe in our mission and it actually guides our work. The people who work here are incredibly passionate smart fierce and advocate for the people we serve.
  • Sam Program Manager 5 years

• I work at Agate to give strength to people who might not believe in themselves now. To help build confidence and to help establish a community for our clients. After that housing can begin which Im thankful I can help with.
  • Jackson Welcome Center Advocate 2 years

• I work at Agate Housing and Services because I care about helping people get back on their feet. We focus on person-centered care which means really listening to each persons needs and supporting them in a way that makes sense for Im proud to be part of a team thats working to end homelessness with compassion and respect for everyone.
  • Evie Housing Program Manager 3 years

Our Values:

• Integrity: Always doing whats right even when its not easy or popular.
• Equity: Challenging unfair systems and making changes that better support those most affected by homelessness and hunger.
• Humanity: Recognizing how these issues affect everyone building trust and forming strong relationships by understanding peoples needs.
• Creativity: Finding new and original ways to meet the communitys needs.

Benefits of working with us include:

• 6.15 hours of PTO accrued each pay period (160 hours of PTO your first year)
• 11 Floating holidays per year (Prorated based on hire date)
• Medica/Kavira insurance
  • $0 cost plans available
• Employer-paid Dental and Life Insurance
• Flex Spending and Health Savings Account
• Free Employee Assistance Program
• Retirement plan
• Referral Bonus Program

Shelter Advocate

Title: Shelter Advocate (formerly Shelter Worker) - Multiple Openings

Reports To: Shelter Program Manager

Schedule: Available shifts vary. Day shift is 8:00a-4:00p Evening shift is 3:00p-11:00p Overnight shift is 10:30p-8:30a. Occasional on-call shifts

Union Representation by the AFSCME Local 999

Job Classification: Fulltime Non-Exempt

Compensation: $23.07/hour

The Outreach and Shelter Department serves single adults through our emergency response programs. Our programs include Shelter Street Outreach and the Welcome Center. Through these programs we often encounter individuals along the broad spectrum of homelessness from recently homeless to chronically homeless individuals. The goal in each of these programs is to build rapport and assist in connecting individuals to stabilize their housing and achieving self-sufficiency.

The Shelter Advocate is a member of a team responsible for daily operations at one of Agates two housing-focused shelter program sites. One shelter is in downtown Minneapolis and primarily serves single adults experiencing homelessness with a focus on partnered adults of all genders. The other shelter is an innovative new building in the Longfellow neighborhood of Minneapolis that will open in November 2025 serving single adults based on community needs.

The Shelter Advocate works closely with other shelter employees in a team atmosphere to ensure consistent affirming safe operation of the shelter for all guests and volunteers. Primary responsibilities include answering phones and performing intakes for new shelter guests monitoring guest behavior light housekeeping meal preparation meal service administrative work documentation and data entry. As part of our housing-focused program Shelter Advocate also provides core services to shelter guests including offering information making referrals and assisting with paperwork or services navigation. Additional responsibilities include regularly attending staff meetings keeping rosters updated using HMIS and representing Agates shelters at community meetings and trainings.

Position Responsibilities:

General Responsibilities & Safety

• Ensure the shelter operates safely for all guests staff and volunteers.
• Build and maintain professional rapport with guests.
• Enforce shelter policy in a consistent fair manner with a positive and respectful demeanor.
• Answer and direct calls to the shelter and monitor entrances to allow guests to access the shelter.
• Make regular rounds inside the shelter to ensure guest safety and maintain a calm and peaceful atmosphere for sleeping guests; call emergency services when appropriate and manage guest behavior throughout the shift.
• Use de-escalation and crisis response skills to address behavior issues or conflicts always maintaining professional boundaries.
• Monitor and review security camera footage throughout the shift; document and report incidents accurately.
• Work collaboratively with program staff property management and facilities teams to support overall site operations.

Operational Duties & Hospitality

• Serve as the first point of contact for guests staff and visitors-offering a warm professional and trauma-informed welcome.
• Respond to voicemails emails and other communication promptly.
• Assist with volunteer and donor check-ins in coordination with the External Relations Team.
• Engage with volunteers to make sure their experience is positive.
• Ensure daily program routines and procedures including meal service occur at scheduled times.
• Perform housekeeping and light maintenance tasks as needed and appropriate. Make sure the office and program spaces are kept tidy.
• Support food service including putting meals out coordinating the delivery of meals and supporting volunteers who come onsite to provide food or meals.

Program Responsibilities

• Respond to incoming inquiries for assistance and make appropriate referrals.
• Demonstrate appropriate professional boundaries with guests and colleagues.
• Conduct shelter guest intakes.
• Assist and encourage guests to make progress on self-identified goals using the housing first/harm reduction model.
• Demonstrate appropriate professional boundaries with guests and colleagues.

Administrative Duties & Documentation

• Facilitate collection and maintenance of required daily shelter documentation including intakes bed assignments data collection and input into online databases and logbook entries.
• Create and maintain guest files case notes and other supporting documentation following agency policies and procedures.
• Troubleshoot technical issues with office equipment and phones and reach out to Admin for assistance as needed.
• Actively participate in regularly scheduled staff meetings and supervisory one-to-one meetings.
• Understand and adhere to mandated reporting responsibilities.
• Other job duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

Successful applicants will embrace the following perspective skills and abilities:

• Commitment to Agates values and mission to end homelessness.
• Commitment to working towards an anti-racist culture within Agate and the community.
• Hold the belief that every household can achieve housing stability.
• Understand that homelessness is primarily the result of policy decisions beyond the control of the people we serve.
• Commitment to harm reduction and housing first philosophies.
• Work respectfully with guests coworkers and key stakeholders who are diverse with respect to race ethnicity gender identity sexual orientation socio-economic status and religion.
• The ability to establish rapport quickly with people experiencing a crisis through the use of trauma-informed care client-centered care and strengths-based approaches.
• Ability to meet expectations regarding paperwork and documentation through organizational skills a strong attention to detail and the ability to work efficiently and accurately competency and comfort using technology and computers.

In addition applicants must:

• Lift up to 50 pounds occasionally and 20 pounds routinely.
• Have experience with Microsoft Office products; and
• Pass background check.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with Coordinated Entry systems.
• Experience with HMIS.
• Bilingual skills relevant to the individuals we serve (Spanish Hmong Oromo Somali Amharic).
• Experience working in settings with all genders.

We encourage applicants with lived experience to apply however those that have received services from Agate Housing and Services within the last two years are ineligible for employment.

Union Membership

This position is represented by AFSCME Local 999. As part of this union-represented role employees benefit from collective bargaining rights union representation and other provisions outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

In accordance with the agreement all employees in union-covered positions are required to contribute through union dues or fair share fees. The current contract does not provide an option to opt out of these contributions.

How to apply

Visit and select the opening for which you wish to apply. Submit your information under Apply Now and you will be directed to the full application where you can upload your resume and cover letter. If you have previously created an account to apply for a position at Agate Housing and Services log in to your account before attempting to apply for another position.

Applications will be accepted until position is filled. Qualified applicants will be selected for interviews as applications are received. No phone calls please.

Agate Housing and Services is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and strives to promote an environment that is diverse and inclusive where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect. Agate Housing and Services is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from people of color indigenous people persons with disabilities and LBGTQ individuals.