Displacement Prevention Navigator (Independent Contractor (Non-Employee)

El Buen Samaritano•Austin, TX

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

El Buen Samaritano (El Buen) is seeking a community-based Independent Contractor to serve as a Displacement Prevention Navigator. This role provides frontline housing stabilization support to households at risk of displacement through proactive engagement, culturally responsive intake and assessment, navigation to resources, documentation, timely triage and escalation of urgent housing risk, and structured follow-up. This is a flexible, community-facing contract ideal for individuals with strong neighborhood ties, lived experience, or established trust in communities experiencing high displacement risk. The Displacement Prevention Navigator functions as a housing-focused Community Health Worker (CHW) within El Buen’s Community Health Worker model and provides culturally and linguistically appropriate navigation, outreach, assessment, referral, and follow-up grounded in trauma-informed, person-centered practice. The Navigator provides housing stabilization navigation and referrals while connecting participants to El Buen and partner resources (health, food access, education, and economic supports). The Navigator works collaboratively with staff and community partners to strengthen participant outcomes and contributes to data collection and reporting aligned with program requirements.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent required
At least one (1) year of experience supporting families or community members in accessing resources, navigating systems, or resolving barriers related to housing stability, essential needs, healthcare, education, or economic wellbeing
Certification as a Community Health Worker (CHW) OR must obtain CHW certification within six (6) months of contract start
Demonstrated ability to engage participants with empathy and cultural responsiveness and to provide trauma-informed, person-centered support
Experience may be gained through formal employment, community-based work, mutual aid, grassroots leadership, promotora or CHW activities, school or church-based support, caregiving coordination, or other lived and applied community experience
Strong organizational and time-management skills; able to manage multiple cases, follow-up timelines, and documentation deadlines
Strong documentation and organizational skills including ability to use data collection systems to track assessments, encounters, referrals, and outcomes
Comfort learning and using data systems (e.g., Apricot, Salesforce, or similar) to track assessments, referrals, and outcomes; prior experience is helpful but not required
Ability to work under pressure and maintain professionalism when assisting participants in crisis
Ability to work flexible hours, including occasional evenings/weekends
Reliable transportation to conduct outreach and attend meetings/events in priority neighborhoods
Ability to meet program requirements related to transportation and outreach travel
Background check and Safeguarding certification are required.

Nice To Haves

Motivational interviewing or client-centered counseling experience
Experience organizing or supporting community outreach events (resource fairs, tabling, canvassing, or neighborhood activations)
Experience coordinating referrals with multiple partner agencies and documenting follow-up to resolution
Experience in nonprofit, public health, or community-based settings
Experience with housing stabilization, displacement prevention, eviction prevention, rental assistance, and/or benefits navigation
Strong ties to East or Southeast Austin communities, especially Dove Springs, Montopolis, Colony Park, and nearby Project Connect corridor neighborhoods
Experience serving diverse communities, low-income, or displacement-impacted households
Spanish-English bilingual applicants with deep neighborhood trust, lived experience, and strong relational skills are encouraged to apply even if they do not meet every preferred qualification

Responsibilities

Conduct culturally responsive housing stability assessments and displacement risk screening
Provide trauma-informed, person-centered navigation that recognizes the impact of trauma and supports participant choice, dignity, and self-determination
Provide cultural mediation and language access support, including interpretation/translation as needed, to reduce barriers and support successful system navigation
Connect households to rental assistance, utilities assistance, home repair programs, legal aid, benefits, food access, health services, education, and workforce resources
Provide warm referrals and structured follow-up until the case is resolved, the participant declines further contact, or the household becomes unreachable after documented attempts
Track workflow status of applications and referrals and support households through completion whenever possible
Document client encounters and outcomes in designated data systems
Follow same-day escalation protocols to the Contract Manager (or designee) for urgent housing risks, including eviction notice or filing, imminent lockout, utility disconnect notice with imminent shutoff, unsafe housing conditions posing immediate health or safety risk, domestic violence or safety concerns impacting housing stability, and heightened vulnerability requiring immediate stabilization
Support workflow processes and escalate urgent or complex cases consistent with program protocols and supervisor guidance
Within 24 hours of identifying urgent risk, document the risk indicator, actions taken, and recommended next steps in the designated system and notify the Contract Manager through the agreed communication channel
Maintain organized case records consistent with program documentation standards to support compliance and audit readiness
Lead at least one Community Resource Fair during the contract term
Participate in outreach events in priority neighborhoods
Build awareness of displacement prevention resources through proactive community engagement
Represent El Buen with professionalism in community settings and support culturally grounded outreach that builds trust and reduces barriers to access
Participate in at least two (2) outreach activities per month (event, tabling, partner meeting, canvass, or neighborhood activation), unless an alternate plan is approved by the Contract Manager based on program needs
Maintain accurate and timely documentation to support program reporting and audit readiness
Submit monthly activity summaries (# of households/individuals served, intakes/assessments, closed-loop referrals, trends, barriers, and follow-up needs)
Accurately collect and enter data aligned to program measures to demonstrate effectiveness and support continuous improvement
Participate in evaluation and quality improvement activities as requested, including data integrity checks and process improvements
Protect client confidentiality and use only El Buen-approved tools and systems
Complete required onboarding and program orientation within two weeks of contractual agreement signature
Complete Community Health Worker (CHW) certification training if not already certified; El Buen will pay for certification
Maintain CHW certification in good standing, including continuing education/CEUs as required by the certifying body and applicable to the contractor’s certification timeline
Engage in CHW learning that strengthens trauma-informed, culturally grounded, and equity-based practice and supports consistent navigation quality
Participate in ongoing learning opportunities