Housing Access Team Lead

Homeward Trust Edmonton • Edmonton, AB

7d • Hybrid

About The Position

Homeward Trust Edmonton is a community-based organization dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness in Edmonton and the surrounding region. As the Community Entity for the Government of Canada's Reaching Home program, they collaborate with Indigenous and community partners, service providers, governments, researchers, and individuals with lived experience to implement coordinated, evidence-informed solutions to homelessness. Their work encompasses community planning, engagement, coordinated access, research, evaluation, data stewardship, housing development, and strategic investment in housing and support programs. Homeward Trust aims to foster alignment across organizations and systems by providing reliable data, facilitating collaboration, and enabling informed decision-making regarding housing and homelessness. The organization is recognized nationally for its collaborative approach, innovation, and measurable impact, believing that collective effort is key to lasting progress.

The Housing Access Team Lead will guide and direct Homeward Trust’s Coordinated Access Team, ensuring team members achieve their goals and expected outcomes. This role involves supporting the team in training and adherence to policies, standards, and procedures. In addition to leadership duties, the Team Lead will perform housing access functions, including screening, determining eligibility for the Housing First program or other suitable housing/community support programs, and providing liaison and warm referral services to connect individuals with housing and related supports. This position reports to the Senior Director of Programs on an interim basis and collaborates closely with Housing Support Teams, other community agencies, and the Programs department. The role may require flexibility to work outside regular business hours due to fluctuating workloads and deadlines.

Requirements

• Diploma or degree in human services, social work or community planning, with an emphasis on meeting the needs of vulnerable populations, which may include such disciplines and fields of study as social work, rehabilitation practitioner, nursing, or native studies.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in case management, community outreach, mental health, addictions or housing programs in a front-line capacity is preferred.
• One year of team lead or supervisory experience is preferred.
• Exposure to or direct work history with principles of evidence‐based practice, client centered, and harm reduction models.
• Prior experience on meeting the needs of vulnerable populations relative to housing is preferred.
• Prior work with Indigenous cultures is preferred.
• Sound understanding of available housing, income support and related agency/government assistance programs in Edmonton.
• Demonstrated ability to perform access, screening and participant referral services.
• Excellent leadership, coaching, and mentoring skills.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills to connect with individuals, funded agencies and other stakeholders in order to meet Homeward Trust reporting requirements and standards. Able to establish and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, clients, and community agencies.
• Able to exercise discretion, compassion, and empathy, and maintain confidentiality.
• Able to work independently and utilize sound judgment to perform all assigned duties with minimal supervision. Independent problem solving using critical thinking is a component of all tasks.
• Results-focused to meet high standards of performance, able to monitor progress towards goals and make adjustments when necessary, including the ability to review and adjust plans as required
• Ability to build organizational trust in his or her own professionalism, integrity, and expertise. A confident self-starter, able to meet challenges, and to overcome obstacles.
• Knowledge and understanding of Indigenous cultures and tradition and ability to work with culturally diverse people. Familiarity with First Nation, Metis and Inuit communities in Alberta and issues and challenges facing those choosing to move to urban centers is an asset.
• Knowledge Microsoft Office software, “Efforts to Outcomes” (ETO) or other related Access and database programs.
• Driver’s license and vehicle is an asset.
• Must pass criminal record check including vulnerable sector clearance.

Nice To Haves

• Minimum 2 years of experience in case management, community outreach, mental health, addictions or housing programs in a front-line capacity
• One year of team lead or supervisory experience
• Prior experience on meeting the needs of vulnerable populations relative to housing
• Prior work with Indigenous cultures
• Familiarity with First Nation, Metis and Inuit communities in Alberta and issues and challenges facing those choosing to move to urban centers
• Driver’s license and vehicle

Responsibilities

• Subject to manager approval, lead recruitment, hiring and onboarding of new Coordinated Access team members
• Providing daily coaching, team leadership and guidance to the Coordinated Access team remotely, in-office, and as needed at in-community locations
• Assisting participants with establishing their plan for housing, including connecting to resources that will support them to action a housing plan.
• Managing inflow and outflow of Edmonton’s By Name List (BNL). This includes screening participants to determine eligibility for Housing First programs, and providing resources/information to individuals and community partners where appropriate
• Conduct housing searches and build inventory lists of available housing units for participants. Liaise with property managers, landlords, realtors, and other sources to identify and secure vacant properties for participant placement.
• Completing referrals to Housing Support Teams with an appropriate contracted agency based on capacity, expertise, and caseload of the team. Providing referrals to participants who are not appropriate for Housing Supports programs to other community resources which are appropriate for the client’s circumstances.
• Working with Housing Support Teams to assist with assignment of clients to housing worker caseloads.
• Working in an integrated and supportive manner with all other program areas within Homeward Trust, particularly with Housing Options, and Landlord Relations
• Providing resources and referrals to individuals or families that assist with problem solving and address immediate needs regarding housing
• Regular reporting of activity and results
• Attending meetings and events relevant to coordinated access and providing support to the department manager as required.
• Establishing professional working relationships with all Housing Support Programs to appropriately assist in housing their identified participants. Understand each team’s requirements, and proactively provide housing supports as required.
• Working with community partners to increase awareness and understanding of Housing Support Programs and Coordinated Access.
• Establishing relationships with community and government partners to improve access to supports and housing options for participants.
• Assists department manager in preparing written reports on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis on the outcomes of Coordinated Access activities.
• Utilizing data in Efforts to Outcomes (database) to track successful placement of participants referred by Homeward Trust to contracted agencies. As required, develop and interpret reports from ETO, providing regular status reports to management.
• Providing crisis intervention as needed
• Supervision and review of performance for Coordinated Access Team
• Performing other duties related to program support services, as required and as time permits.

Benefits

• While all applications are evaluated based on merit, we particularly value and recognize the unique perspectives that come from lived experiences, including homelessness or houselessness. We are deeply committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We strongly encourage everyone interested in joining us to apply.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree