WINTER SHELTER & HOUSING NAVIGATOR

SELF ENHANCEMENT INC•Portland, OR

5d•$23 - $26

About The Position

The Winter Shelter & Housing Navigator serves a dual-function role within SEI’s Housing Programs. During the winter and severe weather season, this position provides focused, time-sensitive support to families placed in motel-based winter shelter through the Multnomah County Homeless Family System of Care (HFSOC). This includes referral coordination, motel check-in logistics, day-to-day stabilization support, and preparation for longer-term housing plans. After the severe weather season concludes, this position transitions into SEI’s standard Housing Navigator role — managing participant transitions from Coordinated Access referrals through program handoff, maintaining timelines for warm handoffs, implementing SEI’s structured housing workflows, and contributing to participant journey mapping. As part of SEI’s broader Housing System, this role supports rapid rehousing pathways, contributes to system alignment and coordination, and implements internal SOPs and workflows with consistency, clarity, and partnership. The Navigator functions as a core connection point between families experiencing homelessness, SEI’s housing programs, and partner agencies. This position requires strong coordination skills, the ability to operate within emergency-response environments, a deep understanding of housing-first principles, and comfort navigating structured housing systems.

Requirements

Minimum of 2 years of experience in participant-facing roles such as housing navigation, case management, social services, outreach, or similar fields
Proven ability to build trust, engage participants, and maintain professional boundaries in a supportive services setting
Experience working within structured systems, workflows, or service delivery models (e.g., housing programs, coordinated care, school-based supports)
Familiarity with tools and databases such as HMIS or other case management platforms; willingness and ability to learn agency-specific systems
Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and culturally responsive practices
Ability to apply trauma-informed and assertive engagement strategies in fast-paced or evolving situations
Strong communication, organization, and problem-solving skills
Comfort working within shared systems and contributing to collaborative, cross-functional teams
Flexibility and adaptability in response to changing program needs, community conditions, or agency structures
Valid driver’s license and insurability under SEI’s vehicle policy

Responsibilities

Receive winter shelter referrals from Housing Navigators and FSWLN, monitor HSD approval, and support smooth motel check-ins for households.
Coordinate day-to-day support for families staying in motel shelter, working closely with the referring Housing Navigator to address immediate needs and housing preparation.
Maintain communication with HSD and update the Winter/Severe Weather Motel Shelter Tracker (including room numbers and placement details) within required timelines.
Provide stabilization, resource connections, crisis response, and early housing-readiness support during a household’s shelter stay.
Ensure timely and accurate documentation in HMIS and SEI systems, following winter shelter workflows and expectations.
Provide short-term, housing-focused case management (rolling caseload of approximately 20 households) using trauma-informed, culturally grounded, and assertive engagement practices.
Guide participants through structured transitions into SEI or partner housing programs, ensuring alignment with program expectations and completion of required assessments.
Support early-stage housing goals, barrier identification, resource referrals, and preparation for permanent housing.
Coordinate warm handoffs with Coordinators, Resource Specialists, Case Managers, landlords, and partner agencies.
Maintain accurate and timely documentation across SEI systems and HMIS while following structured workflows and SOPs.
Participate in collaborative problem-solving, system coordination, and continuous improvement activities within SEI’s housing model.
Performs other related duties as assigned.