Residential Counselor, Swing Shift #58852 $20.74+ DOE

Volunteers of America Oregon • Portland, OR

11h • $21 - $28 • Onsite

About The Position

The Residential Counselor provides support to clients in a therapeutic residential setting, helping maintain a safe, structured, and recovery-focused environment. Working directly in the milieu, this position promotes positive interactions, models healthy behaviors, supports daily routines and activities, and responds to crises using trauma-informed strategies. Residential Counselors build rapport with clients through everyday interactions, such as conversations, recreational activities, and shared routines to strengthen engagement and trust. Additionally, Residential Counselors play a key role in fostering accountability, stability, and participation in treatment both on-site and during community activities.

Requirements

• A high school diploma or GED is required for this role.
• Must complete a criminal history background check and receive authorization from the State of Oregon’s Background Check Unit.
• Must not be excluded from participation in federal healthcare programs, including but not limited to listings on the Office of Inspector General (OIG) List of Excluded Individuals/Entities and the System for Award Management (SAM) exclusion list.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.
• If driving is required for the position, the individual must have an active driver’s license, current insurance, reliable transportation and ability to meet VOA Oregon’s and VOA Oregon’s insurer’s driver standards.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working or volunteering in a residential, behavioral health, or substance use treatment setting is preferred.
• Candidates should be comfortable working in a fast-paced, client-centered environment with frequent interactions with individuals experiencing substance use and co-occurring mental health challenges.
• Completion of coursework in addiction studies, psychology, social work, or a related field of human services is preferred.
• Completion of peer support or similar livedexperience training relevant to behavioral health is also beneficial.
• An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be used to satisfy these requirements.

Responsibilities

• Provides supervision and daily support to clients in the residential setting, including building rapport through everyday interactions such as conversations, recreational activities, and shared routines to maintain a safe, recovery-focused, and structured environment that fosters engagement in treatment.
• Conducts regular headcounts, walkthroughs, and location checks to ensure client accountability, support safety protocols, and reinforce program expectations.
• Monitors and documents client behaviors, medication compliance, recovery progress, and critical incidents using accurate and timely written communication to inform individualized treatment planning and maintain clinical and regulatory standards.
• Supports client participation in recovery and daily living by guiding and modeling healthy routines, life skills, coping strategies, and time management.
• Coordinates and assists with medication management, including logging, administering per protocol, counting, tracking, helping to reorder, and collaborating with counselors and prescribers to ensure safe and consistent delivery of medications.
• Welcomes and orients new clients, including conducting belongings searches, explaining house routines and expectations, and helping them acclimate to the treatment community.
• Facilitates and documents client drug and alcohol testing (e.g., UAs, oral swabs, and breathalyzers) in line with chain-of-custody procedures and agency policy to support program compliance and client accountability.
• Provides calm and respectful support during moments of emotional escalation or behavioral distress, using deescalation and redirection strategies to help clients regulate.
• Responds to emergent situations, including contacting emergency medical or safety personnel, and provides support until clinical or first responder support is available.
• Maintains a clean, safe, and orderly facility by completing and supporting clients with household tasks and participating in shared chores.
• Monitors and guides client engagement in structured program elements, such as classes, study halls, walks, and support meetings, and redirects clients as needed to maintain adherence to the daily schedule.
• Supports client transportation needs, including to meetings and appointments in alignment with agency policies.
• Applies and upholds program rules and behavioral expectations using trauma-informed, consistent communication to promote a fair, safe, respectful shared living environment.
• Answers phones professionally, assists callers, and relays important information related to calls to team members when necessary.
• Collaborates with team members to coordinate curfews, passes, appointments, and other logistics related to client activities, and provides updates that support team communication and client progress.
• Conducts personnel and room searches when assigned, follows agency policy to detect and manage contraband, reinforces safety protocols, and promotes a sober living environment.
• Serves as a consistent and dependable frontline presence, and helps maintain daily operations while navigating the challenges of a dynamic residential environment.
• Participates in ongoing supervision, training, and professional development activities to improve service delivery.
• Manages administrative responsibilities such as checking email, responding to phone calls, managing appointment schedules, and maintaining timely documentation.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health coverage – medical, dental, and vision insurance, with an employee medical premium starting at just $12.50 per paycheck
• Financial protection – life insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance
• Retirement security – 403(b) with an automatic 5.5% employer contribution after 18 months, regardless of employee participation
• Work-life balance – a generous paid time off (PTO) plan, starting with accruals that earn 15 days in the first year, 23 days in the second, and 26 days in the third
• Upfront sick leave – 80 hours of front-loaded sick time (prorated in the first year), which resets annually on January 1
• Paid holidays – 10 paid holidays each year, plus three personal holidays (prorated in the first year) for employees to take time off to celebrate holidays, events, or milestones that matter most to them
• Student loan forgiveness – As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, VOA Oregon is a qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, which can help employees reduce or eliminate their federal student loan debt after 10 years of qualifying payments.
• Additional perks – flexible spending accounts, an employee assistance program, and other voluntary benefits and discounts

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees