Shelter Attendant Lead

Bayaud Enterprises, Inc.•Quinte West, ON

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Shelter Lead is responsible for providing on-shift leadership for safe, consistent, and trauma-informed shelter operations at Tamarac Family Shelter, a 24/7 non-congregate family shelter serving households with minor children. This role supports the Project Manager by supervising Shelter Attendants, coordinating daily shift assignments, monitoring guest services and safety procedures, supporting incident response, and ensuring required documentation is completed accurately and on time. The Shelter Lead helps maintain clear communication across shifts, supports compliance with HOST requirements and Bayaud Works policies, and promotes a family-focused, housing-centered shelter environment rooted in dignity, confidentiality, accessibility, and respect.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.
Minimum one year of supervisory, lead, or comparable team coordination experience required.
Must be able to pass a background check for work with vulnerable populations.
Must complete required organizational, contractual, and site-specific trainings, which may include trauma-informed care, de-escalation, emergency response, CPR/First Aid, Narcan administration, harm reduction, confidentiality, mandated reporting, ADA/accessibility, shelter operations, documentation, and other trainings required by Bayaud Works, HOST, or site leadership.

Nice To Haves

Minimum one year of shelter, housing, human services, emergency response, hospitality, or residential program experience preferred.
Experience working with families, children, people experiencing homelessness, or vulnerable populations is strongly preferred.
Bilingual Spanish/English preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide direct supervision, direction, and support to Shelter Attendants during assigned shifts.
Assign, delegate, and monitor daily tasks for Shelter Attendants, including guest services, front desk support, safety monitoring, cleaning, laundry coordination, meal support, room/unit checks, and other operational needs.
Ensure shelter operations remain safe, orderly, trauma-informed, family-focused, and aligned with HOST requirements, Bayaud Works policies, and Tamarac site procedures.
Support the Project Manager with real-time problem solving, staffing coverage, shift coordination, task completion, and communication of urgent operational concerns.
Maintain accurate awareness of guests, partners, visitors, and staff on site and ensure visitor, check-in, check-out, and occupancy procedures are followed consistently.
Monitor guest interactions to ensure services are provided with dignity, cultural humility, equity, accessibility, and respect for families experiencing homelessness.
Respond to conflicts, behavioral concerns, medical concerns, safety issues, and emergencies using approved de-escalation, emergency response, and escalation procedures.
Complete and review required documentation, including incident reports, shift notes, daily activity records, attendance or welfare check documentation, intervention strategies, HMIS service notes when applicable, and other records required by contract or site procedure.
Review documentation submitted by Shelter Attendants for completeness, accuracy, professionalism, and timely submission before shift handoff or escalation.
Ensure strong shift handoffs by communicating incidents, unresolved concerns, safety issues, supply needs, staffing updates, and follow-up items to incoming staff and leadership.
Conduct or ensure completion of routine safety checks inside and outside the shelter, including common areas, guest-facing spaces, entrances, exits, and other assigned areas.
Ensure the facility is clean, stocked, organized, and prepared for incoming shifts, including coordination with janitorial, laundry, facilities, and other site staff as needed.
Support intake, orientation, room/unit assignment checks, resident engagement, and discharge-related processes as assigned and within the role’s scope.
Protect resident confidentiality and privacy at all times, including following Tamarac’s requirement that staff may not confirm or deny whether any individual is staying at the shelter unless an approved exception applies.
Follow record management and information security procedures, including safeguarding physical and electronic guest information and sharing information only on a need-to-know basis.
Maintain professional boundaries with residents, families, volunteers, partners, and staff, and immediately elevate boundary concerns, conflicts of interest, or ethical concerns through the appropriate chain of command.
Uphold standards for working with children and vulnerable adults, including maintaining observable interactions, avoiding isolated one-on-one contact, and following mandated reporting requirements for suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or endangerment.
Support ADA accessibility and reasonable accommodation practices by identifying barriers, communicating needs through the appropriate process, and ensuring services are delivered in an inclusive and accessible manner.
Assist with attendance verification and staffing communication for Shelter Attendants and report information directly to the Project Manager
Support onboarding, coaching, and ongoing training of Shelter Attendants to ensure consistent understanding of shelter expectations, documentation standards, safety procedures, and professional conduct.
Attend required meetings, briefings, trainings, and debriefs, and support implementation of updates to policies, procedures, and site expectations.
Perform other job-related duties as assigned by the Project Manager, Site Director, or designated leadership.