Shelter Intake and Referral Specialist

Job Title: Shelter Intake and Referral Specialist (Shelter Staff)

Department: Shelter Services

Reports to: Shelter Manager

Hours: Mon Fri 8am-5pm (40 hrs/week FULL TIME)

Status: Non-Exempt

Compensation: $20.83 - $ 24.23/hour DOE

Location: East Portland & East Multnomah County Gresham Womens Shelter

Duration: Permanent

WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

For over 30 years Our Just Future (formerly Human Solutions) has been working to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty by empowering families and helping them build pathways out of poverty.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Shelter Intake Specialist is the first point of contact for individuals seeking placement at Gresham Womens Shelter. This position maintains the waitlist completes eligibility screenings schedules intake appointments creates electronic participant records and ensures a trauma-informed culturally responsive welcome for all incoming guests. The Intake Specialist works closely with Shelter Managers Engagement Specialists and community partners to coordinate smooth admission and promote rapid connection to services.

Shelter environments can be high-pressure settings where guests may present with acute mental-health crises trauma responses or substance use. The Intake Specialist must exercise excellent judgment maintain calm under stress and model compassionate equitable care.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Essential:

• Answer shelter referral phone line and/or email system consistently throughout the day.
• Maintain and manage Gresham Womens Shelter waitlist: receive inquiries gather preliminary information for assessment into shelter prioritize referrals per county guidelines and document all interactions accurately.
• Conduct eligibility screenings by phone or email using a trauma-informed strengthsbased approach; explain basic Participant Agreements and shelter expectations. Review and confirm referrals are not on exclusion list.
• Communicate participant accessibility or translation needs to staff in advance of scheduling intake appointments to set up supportive resources.
• MSST assessment (get trained to be an assessor for Coordinated Access to be able to complete MSST with incoming shelter participants attend ongoing trainings around coordinated access to stay up to date with best practices changes and advocate for needs.)
• Schedule intake appointments and update internal rosters daily.
• Enter complete participant data into ETO; generate updated intake packets and ensure all electronic and paper files are current legible and secure.
• Provide crisisinformed customer service: deescalate heightened situations with a trauma informed approach and provide alternative resources to callers when warranted.
• Track and report key metrics (referrals received intakes completed diversions noshows exits) to Quality Assurance on required timelines.
• Maintain uptodate knowledge of county shelter policies and Fair Housing/ADA guidance adjusting intake procedures accordingly.

Secondary:

• Assist Engagement Specialists in completing daily bed tracking.
• Submit maintenance or IT work orders related to intake offices phones or database access.
• Assist Engagement Specialists with intake completion when onsite.
• Assist in scheduling and completion of Chestnut transfer questionnaire as well as Chestnut transfer appointments.
• Participate in shelter staff meetings and provide feedback to improve continuity of care.
• Assist in inventory tracking ordering and receipt reconciliation.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge and abilities required.

Knowledge of:

• Barriers faced by people experiencing homelessness poverty and systemic inequity in Multnomah County.
• Community resources and socialservice systems (housing mentalhealth DV/SA substance use culturally specific agencies).
• HIPAA VAWA/DV confidentiality traumainformed and harmreduction principles.
• Basic datamanagement concepts; prior use of HMIS/ServicePoint ETO or similar databases strongly preferred.

Ability to:

• Stay organized selfdirected and attentive to detail while managing a high call volume.
• Communicate in a clear and culturally sensitive manner with diverse client populations (written verbal and digital).
• Deliver compassionate nonjudgmental service under pressure.
• Maintain working knowledge of agency programs and services.
• Work cooperatively and collaboratively with shelter staff and other agency staff.
• Understand and follow complex written and oral instructions guidelines and procedures
• Represent Our Just Future professionally accurately and effectively
• Work independently and at the same time be a vital and contributing part of a team.
• Knowledge of and experience with addressing and supporting an escalated participant through proper trauma-informed de-escalation and engagement techniques. Ability to maintain calm and compassion under pressure.
• Uphold strict confidentiality and professional boundaries.
• Resolve conflicts constructively and propose solutions
• Ability and willingness to engage in OJFs equity inclusion and anti-racist work at the agency program and individual levels.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 1 year experience in social services callcenter housing navigation or related customerservice role.
• Demonstrated experience with crisis deescalation preferred.
• Bilingual/bicultural skills highly valued.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 and cloudbased databases.

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.

The Intake Specialist spends extended periods sitting or standing at a desk using a computer and phone headset. While performing the duties of this job the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand walk sit and stoop kneel crouch and/or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close and distance vision.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This position will work 100% of their time onsite in an emergency shelter environment. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Animals (cats and dogs) are present in our shelters

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU:

We offer a comprehensive array of benefits in support of your physical emotional and financial well-being. A few highlights:

• Employer paid premiums for employee health insurance.
• Generous paid time off 13 paid holidays a floating birthday holiday and the ability to maintain a great work/life balance.
• Employer paid premiums for short-term and long-term disability insurance and life insurance.
• Access to an employee assistance program.
• Flexible spending accounts for health and for dependent care.
• Professional development opportunities including employee driven committees and monthly optional staff workshops.
• Access to wellness initiatives and resources including things such as walking groups yoga classes at two office locations and workshops on stress management self-care and healthy living.

TO APPLY

Please send a cover letter resume and contact information for three professional references to the Shelter Manager Erika Schnidrig