Director of Supportive Housing

Director of Supportive Housing

Reports to Job Role: Executive Vice President-Housing and Community Programs

FLSA: Exempt

R/S/T/O/I: Regular

Level:Team Member

Descriptive Summary

The Director of Supportive Housing is a specialized professional position that is responsible for providing overall direction of case management and housing stabilization services to individuals and families exiting emergency shelter into permanent housing owned by Cornerstones Housing Corporation (CHC). Focusing on the 5 primary outcome areas: 1) transitioning to permanent housing after experiencing homelessness 2) community connectedness and integrated care management 3) increase in income and savings 4) reduction in debt / improvement in credit score 5) reducing recidivism and returns to homelessness the Director works collaboratively with the household and their assigned Case Manager to increase their self-sufficiency and housing stability. The Director works closely with Cornerstones Housing Corporation staff to ensure units are safe and habitable and that rent payments are timely. The Director of Supportive Housing will assist with service planning for future CHC projects in the pre-development phase of planning and design including Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) for chronically homeless individuals. The Director will ensure that the supportive housing program is meeting Quality Standards including services that are: tenant-centered accessible coordinated integrated and sustainable.The Director must have strong clinical interpersonal and motivational skills. The Director must possess a patient trauma-informed approach to service delivery using an equity lens. The Director is responsible for meeting or exceeding outcomes and contractual obligations.The Director ensures that supportive housing services are equitable and delivered with integrity in accordance with the Agency Mission Vision and Values.All duties are performed in a professional and timely manner.The Director serves as a part of the leadership team of the Housing and Community Services Division. A candidate with an MSW and ability to supervise and manage the social work internship program is strongly preferred. A candidate that has the ability to use ones lived personal experience of housing instability to help assess system barriers is a plus.

The successful candidate will have a minimum of 5 years of experience directing and managing supportive housing programs including: project based vouchers and Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH); prior success implementing low-barrier housing and homeless services to vulnerable single adults and families; prior success managing federal state and local funding sources for preventing and ending homelessness; strong understanding of the root causes of homelessness and housing instability including racism and housing discrimination and ability to implement racial equity strategies; strong understanding of person-centered and trauma-informed services and ability to successfully implement these approaches in supportive housing; strong leadership skills both internally and externally including membership on system-wide task groups and committees; strong public speaking skills including giving presentations or trainings to large groups and speaking to various media outlets including newspapers and television; and strong skills and comfort level with regularly communicating and interacting with elected officials and community members.

Key Performance Indicators

• Oversees service delivery for vulnerable individuals and families in the Cornerstones Affordable Housing Plus Program.
• Provides creative and innovative direction tocoordinate services on behalf of people who require assistance to maintain permanent housing including those that may be disabled or chronically homeless.
• Provides direct supervision to Supportive Housing Case Managers and manages caseload assignments.
• Works closely with Cornerstones Housing Corporation staff and property managers to ensure that rental payments are made on time and rental units are clean and safe.
• Assists in facilitating Supportive Housing team meetings and provides guidance and direction to support the tenant/landlord relationship between program participants and Cornerstones Housing Corporation.
• Serves as an ongoing liaison between property managers and participants as well as between participants and neighbors.
• Assists with annual re-certification as indicated by specific program guidelines.
• Works closely with the Child Services Specialist to ensure that the childrens service needs are being met.
• Maintains effective partnerships with Cornerstones Housing Corporation (CHC) the Embry Rucker Community Shelter (ERCS) Assistance Services and Pantry Program (ASAPP) Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) the Fairfax County Health Department Health Works the Fairfax County Community Services Board (CSB) Department of Family Services (DFS) the Fairfax County Department of Adult and Aging Veterans Administration (VA) and Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) to ensure program participants receive holistic integrated care management across Cornerstones.
• Assists in the development of programs and evaluation of all services provided ensuring the services meet predetermined local state federal and agency outcomes.
• Conducts home visits and housing inspections to ensure that units are safe and habitable.
• Solves difficult problems with effective solutions. Thinks logically and practically before making decisions. Defines problem areas and develops innovative solutions.
• Monitors staff allocation of time across program cost centers.
• Manages the HMIS data outcomes and case files ensuring that performance measures and outcomes meet contractual obligations.
• Serves as HMIS Super User generating reports and monitoring HMIS data for completeness and accuracy.
• Participates in multi-disciplinary meetings case staffings as well as community-wide trainings and meetings.
• Provides intern / volunteer supervision (as appropriate.)
• Participates in agency events drives as needed.
• Works a flexible schedule that may include evenings and weekends as needed.

• Performs any other duties deemed necessary to support the agency.

Leadership Competencies

• Develops and motivates others: (Motivates others and supports their development through strong coaching and mentoring)
• External representation and collaboration:(Represents the organization among external stakeholders and communicates in a sophisticated way about the organizations vision and work. Seeks innovative ways to collaborate.)
• Manages uncertainty (Identifies and manages risks. Demonstrates openness to change and new perspectives; can manage and adapt to ambiguity)
• Manages with data (Understands data; analyzes data and identifies insights and implications)
• Organization and systems thinking (Has a robust understanding of the community served and the landscape in which the organization operates and actively applies that knowledge)
• Personnel Management (Effectively manages and develops others)
• Team-building (Builds strong relationships with teams and colleagues; fosters effective teams and collaborative interactions)

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge Skills and Abilities)

• Bachelors degree in an applicable human services field or commensurate experience with homeless and/or at-risk populationswith 5 years of experience directing and managing housing or homeless services programs.
• Masters Degree preferred.
• MSW and ability to supervise and manage social work internship program strongly preferred.

• Five years of experience in housing homeless services and/or residential services is required.
• Prior experience supervising and managing residential programs is required.
• Experience working with vulnerable individuals and families including people with mental health and/or substance abuse disabilities is required.
• Requires knowledge and belief in Housing First and Rapid Re-Housing philosophy and strategies.
• Knowledge of current social service homeless and housing issues and methods/approaches to address issues.
• Knowledge or understanding of tenants rights and responsibilities strengths based case management trauma-informed care and racial equity.
• Ability to use ones lived personal experience of housing instability to help assess system barriers is a plus.
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely both orally and in writing.
• Ability to engage and work collaboratively with others.
• Ability to use HMIS to establish and maintain case records and to facilitate data collection.
• Ability to schedule and manage workload sufficiently to meet deadlines.
• Ability to learn process information prioritize competing priorities and make sound and reasoned decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule including nights and weekends.
• Must be able to lift items weighing 10-20 pounds.
• Must possess a valid drivers license reliable transportation and good driving record.
• Must be able to drive 15-passenger van.

• Bilingual in English/Spanish or English/Arabic a plus.

Attitude

• Actively interested in learning about new and evidence-based methods for improving operations
• Attentive to constraints of time and funds in setting stretch goals
• Respectful of staff volunteers funders and clients
• Forward thinker considering not just today but what are the implications for tomorrow
• Collaborative leader working with others individually and in teams.

Work Environment:

• This position is performed in a traditional office environment and in the community.

• Some work is performed outdoors in both the winter and summer.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.

• Prolonged sitting and a desk and working on a computer.
• Regular in person interaction with the public clients and stakeholders.
• Handle or feel objects tools or controls.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 15-20 pounds
• Occasional navigation of stairs ramps ladders.
• Noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate