Lead Shelter and Hotline Advocate (Sun-Thu 4pm-12am)

Sojourner Family Peace Center•Milwaukee, WI

25d•$21•Onsite

About The Position

Under the direction of the Director of Shelter and Hotline Services, the Lead Shelter and Hotline Advocate provides support to the Supervisor, Shelter Program Coordinator, Shelter and Hotline Advocates, and guests as well as callers/ texters to the crisis hotline. They will complete administrative tasks, carry out programming, provide training and support to Shelter and Hotline Advocates as well as interns and volunteers while enforcing rules, providing guidance, and monitoring needed tasks to ensure compliance, safety, and customer service. In accordance with the mission of Sojourner Family Peace Center, this role is critical to ensuring best-case outcomes in crisis circumstances and situations. This role requires a high level of communication, critical thinking, problem solving, and de- escalation skills, while requiring minimal supervision. This position is part of the on-call rotation.

Requirements

Associate’s degree or equivalent in human services, social work, criminal justice, psychology or relevant field.
Experience working with clients in crisis and/or who have experienced trauma.
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, logs, and procedure manuals.
Ability to prepare safety plans, intake information, charts and logs, and correspondence.
Ability to communicate effectively with distressed callers, residents, and other employees of the organization.
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
Requires the ability to operate a variety of standard business machines, such as a computer and the job related software, a keyboard, calculator, telephone, FAX, photocopier, etc.
The employee is regularly required to sit and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee frequently is required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 20 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 30 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree is preferred.
Experience with the issue of domestic violence and/or on a crisis hotline preferred.
Minimum two years professional experience in advocacy, case management, food service, or related field; or a combination of education and experience.
CPR certified.

Responsibilities

Programming: Assist onsite with daily needs of shelter residents. Create and facilitate life skills curriculum for residents.
Onboarding: Assist with onboarding of new staff.
Policies and Procedures: Assist with training and onboarding of employees’ review of policies and procedures. Assist with enforcement of policies and procedures.
Operations: Daily inspect shelter facility conditions and housekeeping standards. Recombobulate or assign recombobulation after an outtake and coordinate cleaning. Assign chores and hold clients accountable. Report hazards per procedures. Assist with roll call, curfew, and compliance by clients.
Client Grievances: Assist with issue resolution for grievances and escalate per the procedures.
Compliance: Complete required statistical recordkeeping, data gathering, and reports. Ensure staff records are completed in an accurate, clear, timely manner, and are stored according to compliance procedures.
Communication: Assures effective communication between guests, case management, and other departments and documents guest needs, events, incidents, and concerns.
Data and Statistics: Ensure data integrity within database(s). Assist in compiling statistics.
Community Resources: Maintain positive relationships and coordinate services with existing outside providers, resources, and collaborating community agencies.
Partners: Maintain positive relationships with partners. Escalate grievances and concerns to Supervisor as needed.
Organizational Capability: Assist with recommendations and updates of training manuals. Assist with annual training of volunteers and staff.
Communication: Assist with effective communication within Shelter and Hotline to meet individual and organization needs.
Leadership: Provide new Shelter and Hotline employees, volunteers, and interns with proper Hotline and Shelter training, support, and mentoring.
Culture: Role model Sojourner's values and be a coach and resource to the organization. Identify and escalate barriers and challenges within the Shelter and Hotline organization. Provide input to overall delivery of trauma informed care.
On-Call: Provide on-call support 24 hours a day for emergencies and staff support and guidance during assigned on-call coverage rotation. Serve as the liaison to on-call staff in the event of a crisis situation.
Safety: Possess full knowledge of emergency and safety procedures. Complete bed checks each evening/night when during work shift. Complete weekly environmental checks of client rooms.
Documentation: Complete and ensure documentation is properly and accurately being entered into data system. Assist in compiling statistics.
Facilities: Complete formal safety checks of the Shelter and formal Shelter spaces such courtyard, hub, community rooms, bathrooms and other spaces. Monitor facilities to ensure that the shelter is clean, presentable and properly stocked at all times. Complete laundry as needed.
Community Living: Verify and record assigned chores. Assist residents with cleaning common areas as needed. Monitor the ongoing activity throughout the shelter. Provide support and interpret house rules and procedures for the new and current residents.
Meals: Assist and give orientation to Peace Dinner volunteers. Maintain an organized, clean kitchen while maintaining ServSafe Food Handler Certification. Assist with meal set ups, clean ups, other kitchen procedures, and meal preparations. Maintain grocery inventory, assist with food order, assist with menu creation.
Support: Complete additional tasks requested by the Shelter and Hotline Leadership team. Support Shelter Program Coordinators in updating and completion of resident’s tasks. Know current referral sources. Actively listen and provide a non-judgmental environment for residents.
Intakes/Outtakes: Interview and complete the Intake process for new residents and facilitate the Outtake process for departing residents. Enter data for all residents who move in and move out immediately into database.
Hotline: Receive, disseminate, and record crisis, information/referral, jail release calls, and law enforcement calls. Review, complete and/or correct client forms and enter into the computerized data system.
Ability to work a regular schedule and have regular attendance at the workplace.
Practice agency polices and safety in the workplace.
Attend all mandatory meetings and trainings.
Uphold and exhibit the agency’s Core Values.
All other work-related duties and projects as assigned.

Benefits

Competitive Pay, $21.00/hour (an additional $1.50/hour for bilingual English/Spanish)
Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
Short-Term Disability Insurance
Group Life Insurance
403B Retirement Plan with Generous Match
Comprehensive Wellness Program
Flexible Spending Accounts
Generous PTO Policy
5 Wellness Days per year
10 Paid Holidays
Therapy Dog on site twice a month
Employee Assistance Program
Voluntary Benefits through Colonial Life Insurance
Professional Development Opportunities