Program Specialist - Housing/Tenancy Preservation Project

Bay Cove Human Services, Inc.•Boston, MA

9d•$25 - $26

About The Position

Bay Cove Human Services’ mission is to partner with people to overcome challenges and realize personal potential. Bay Cove pursues this mission by providing individualized and compassionate services to people facing the challenges associated with developmental disabilities, mental illness, substance use disorders, and homelessness at more than 175 program sites throughout Greater Boston and Southeastern Massachusetts. Job Summary: The Tenancy Preservation Project Program Specialist is responsible for assisting the TPP team in developing and operating innovative and flexible services that preserve tenancy and prevent homelessness for many of Boston's most vulnerable citizens. The TPP Specialist will provide direct services to TPP service beneficiaries and other relevant duties as assigned by the Program Director or designee. The TPP Specialist will assist the TPP team to maintain collaborative relationships across systems to insure coordinated plans that resolve obstacles to quality tenancy. This is a non-exempt position.

Requirements

Degree in social work or a related human service field or equivalent experience. Professional license, Master’s degree, and/bilingual preferred.
Well-developed clinical, assessment, crisis intervention, case management, client advocacy and organizational skills
Demonstrated ability to work effectively with poor and treatment resistant or treatment unresponsive adults and families in a respectful manner that fosters engagement, hope, and tenancy retention.
5 years’ experience working with homeless or formerly homeless individuals or equivalent experience preferred, demonstrated leadership experience preferred.
Excellent computer, writing and oral communication skills.
MA driver’s license and use of personal vehicle for work related tasks and travel.
Ability to work collaboratively as a member of multidisciplinary and cross-functional teams
Ability to function as an effective change agent
Ability to negotiate and resolve differences in a creative and flexible manner with varied stakeholders including TPP participants, housing court personnel, housing management staff and landlords, social service and treatment agencies, etc.
Ability to function under pressure in a fast paced and challenging human service environment
Ability to be flexible, open and responsive to ongoing feedback and complex economic, structural/systemic, and bio-psychosocial problems.
Ability to articulate and communicate the TPP mission in a consistent and enthusiastic manner to all stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

Professional license
Master’s degree
bilingual
5 years’ experience working with homeless or formerly homeless individuals or equivalent experience preferred, demonstrated leadership experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Works directly with clients, referred by Housing Court, Housing Authorities or MassHousing Providers and Legal Services, to establish service plan to prevent eviction
Provides assessment, referral and case management of clients to resolve issues of problem tenancy.
Assist the Program Director and Assistant Program Director in providing assessment, service plan development, and effective crisis intervention for adults and families with disabilities
Facilitates engagement in ongoing community and hospital based services for TPP participants that will enable them to successfully negotiate community tenancy
Provides stabilization services, especially related to the long-term permanence of clients
Works collaboratively with MassHousing housing providers, Legal Services, Housing Court personnel, DMH and other public and private agencies in collaboration and as assigned by the Program Director or Assistant Program Director to establish program services and build professional relationships to sustain and enhance the TPP's capacities
Maintain professional relationships with local area human service providers to develop resource bank for client services to preserve tenancy.
Works on program planning, development, and policy issues as assigned by the Program Director or Assistant Program Director.
Demonstrates the ability to work with people and families who represent a diverse cross section of Boston's poor and working poor including people of all ages, people with complex disabilities, people from differing ethnic, racial, and linguistic communities in a culturally and linguistically responsive manner
Assists with data collection and reporting as assigned by Program Director or Assistant Program Director.
Fills in administrative and related duties in the absence of the Program Director or Assistant Program Director as applicable.
Perform all other duties and projects as assigned by the Program Director or Assistant Program Director.