Certification Specialist II

Seattle Housing Authority•Central Office - Seattle, WA

7h•Onsite

About The Position

The Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) is a mission-driven leader in affordable housing, headquartered on Elliott Avenue West with sweeping views of Elliott Bay and the Puget Sound. With additional field offices across Seattle, we’re committed to expanding housing opportunities, strengthening communities, and supporting a workplace where people grow and thrive. We are looking for a Certification Specialist II to join our team! This role is perfect for someone who can support applicants and participants in successfully navigating program rules and regulations of the housing program to obtain and retain housing resources.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent
Two years of college-level course work in social services, bookkeeping, business, or a related field
May substitute two years of relevant work experience for the college-level course work
Four years related work experience in a related field such as social services, data entry, government administration, or housing.
OR one year of experience as a Certification Specialist I at SHA
OR eighteen months experience in a position similar to a Certification Specialist I outside of SHA.

Responsibilities

Administer, interpret, apply, and explain rules, regulations, policies, and procedures needed for eligibility and continuing assistance
Calculate various types of incomes from unearned and earned income sources, assets and allowable deductions
Meet high customer service standards, including completion of annual reviews within 45 days, prompt return of phone calls and meeting with walk-in clients
Maintain various spreadsheets and import required documents daily into electronic file database
Partner with all interested parties, including family members, landlords, caseworkers, and SHA staff to ensure completeness, accuracy, and timeliness of responses during the housing program process
Evaluate program eligibility and guide applicants through the voucher application process
Issue vouchers to eligible program applicants and transfers.
Conduct voucher issuance briefings and counsel about subsidy calculations and unit affordability
Assist participants in navigating the leasing and move-in process according to program rules
Partner with other housing authorities to assist families when moving between jurisdictions
Educate participants about reporting and documentation requirements for income
Ensure accurate payment is made to landlords in a timely manner
Maintain recordkeeping and file completeness and accuracy for all processes to meet program and audit standards
Review and process contract rent increase requests in accordance with Housing and Urban Development regulations and agency policy
Evaluate rent reasonableness using approved comparables and market analysis tools
Demonstrate concise presentation abilities to explain complex technical details