Welcome Center Guest Advocate

Particular Council of St. Vincent de Paul of Baton Rouge, Louisiana•Baton Rouge, LA

About The Position

St. Vincent de Paul of Baton Rouge is seeking a warm, patient, and organized Guest Advocate to serve as the first point of contact at its Welcome Center for neighbors, staff, volunteers, visitors, and community partners. The role focuses on welcoming each person with dignity, explaining available services, and connecting people with the appropriate staff member, program, or partner. The Guest Advocate helps maintain a safe, calm, and organized flow through the Welcome Center and supports the organization's mission with dignity, compassion, and excellence. The position reports to the Welcome Center Program Manager. It is full-time, non-exempt, and scheduled Monday through Friday, with hours that may vary based on operational needs, including opening or closing the Welcome Center. Work is performed primarily at the Welcome Center front desk and reception area, with occasional exposure to weather conditions and a moderate noise level.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Clear, courteous communication skills in person and by phone, including the ability to explain services to people with different needs and levels of understanding.
Working knowledge of computer applications and accuracy and attention to detail with logs, data entry, and documentation.
Sound judgment and problem-solving skills, including the ability to recognize and promptly report safety concerns.
Flexibility to adjust to changing priorities in a fast-paced front-desk environment.
Initiative to identify and complete work without ongoing direction.
Ability to maintain neighbor confidentiality and professional boundaries.
Ability to stand, walk, and sit frequently; climb stairs; balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
Ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with individuals experiencing homelessness or other vulnerable populations; strongly preferred.
One to three years of experience in customer service, human services, reception, resource navigation, office administration, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Serve as the first point of contact, greeting and assisting neighbors, visitors, volunteers, and community partners.
Open and/or close the Welcome Center day shelter according to established procedures.
Assist with guest sign-in and maintain accurate visitor and service logs.
Ask appropriate questions to understand why each neighbor is visiting and route them to the appropriate service, staff member, or partner.
Make warm handoffs when neighbors need additional help and notify staff when a need is outside the role's scope.
Maintain current knowledge of services, provider availability, intake hours, eligibility requirements, and service locations, and explain them clearly.
Monitor the reception area, promptly report safety concerns or emergencies, and use de-escalation and conflict-resolution techniques in coordination with security staff.
Report concerns and incidents to the supervisor and complete required documentation.
Answer phones, direct inquiries, distribute supplies and forms, schedule meeting rooms, and coordinate reception coverage when away from the desk.
Provide clerical support, including filing, copying, data entry, and preparing mailings.
Receive and distribute mail, packages, and deliveries.
Keep reception and shared areas organized and stocked.
Assist with donations, neighbor activities, and special projects as assigned.