Welcome Center Advocate

CAREER OPPORTUNITY

Agate is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to end homelessness and relieve hunger through action and advocacy. We provide emergency services, shelter, and housing programs for individuals and families. We encourage applicants with lived experience to apply (anyone who has not received services from Agate within the last two years is welcome to apply). We believe that housing is a basic human right.

Our Values:

• Integrity: Always doing what's right, even when it's not easy or popular.
• Equity: Challenging unfair systems and making changes that better support those most affected by homelessness and hunger.
• Humanity: Recognizing how these issues affect everyone, building trust, and forming strong relationships by understanding people's needs.
• Creativity: Finding new and original ways to meet the community's needs.

Welcome Center Advocate Position Overview:

As the first point of contact for the site, the Welcome Center provides warm hospitality, light-touch support services such as information, referrals, and assistance navigating systems, while also helping maintain a calm, safe, and welcoming environment for all. Working closely with Agate's Street Outreach team, Welcome Center Advocates play a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation of the reception area and maintaining the safety and well-being of visitors, volunteers and staff. This position is ideal for a compassionate, adaptable individual who thrives in a high-volume, fast-paced environment and is committed to trauma-informed care, harm reduction, and housing stability.

Position Responsibilities:

• Serve as the first point of contact for residents, guests, staff, and visitors-offering a warm, professional, and trauma-informed welcome.
• Provide core services, including service and resource navigation, making referrals, assisting with paperwork, and offering material support (including harm reduction supplies).
• Complete accurate case notes, data collection and weekly reporting for assigned participants through online databases including HMIS and ClientTrack.
• Coordinate with Agate housing programs and other service providers to help participants progress towards stability.
• Assist with administrative work by sorting incoming mail, fax and package reception.
• Answer and direct incoming phone calls.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe lobby and front desk area.
• Assist with volunteer and donor check-ins in coordination with the External Relations Team.
• Troubleshoot technical issues with office equipment and phones and reach out to Admin for assistance as needed.
• Identify and address safety or maintenance concerns.
• Use de-escalation and crisis response skills to address behavior issues or conflicts, always maintaining professional boundaries.
• Communicate with teams and first responders as needed to support safety or emergency response.
• Attend team meetings to stay informed about client needs and program updates. Provide coverage and cross-support across programs as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Information and referral experience.
• The ability to set boundaries and manage direct client contact, including defusing and deescalating clients who are in crisis or displaying inappropriate behaviors.
• Willingness to work with participants with diverse barriers, including those who actively use drugs, must register as sex offenders, or exhibit severe mental health symptoms.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office products.
• Proven ability to multi-task.
• Excellent communication skills, courteous manners, and customer service experience are essential.
• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse populations and a diverse workforce.

In addition, successful applicants will embrace the following perspective, skills and abilities:

• Commitment to Agate Housing and Services' values and mission of ending homelessness and relieving hunger through action and advocacy.
• Commitment to working towards an anti-racist culture both within Agate and the community.
• Hold the belief that every household can achieve housing stability.
• Commitment to harm reduction and housing first philosophies.
• Work respectfully with clients, coworkers, and key stakeholders who are diverse with respect to race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and religion.
• Ability to establish rapport quickly with people experiencing a crisis using trauma-informed care, client-centered care, and strengths-based approaches.
• Ability to meet expectations regarding paperwork and documentation through organizational skills, a strong attention to detail, and the ability to work efficiently and accurately
• Competency and comfort using technology and computers.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Two years' experience working with families and/or single adults experiencing homelessness
• Lived experience of homelessness, experience working, interning, or volunteering with people experiencing homelessness
• Experience in customer service
• Experience processing mail or working in mailrooms
• Experience with HMIS and/or ClientTrack
• Fluency in languages used by our clients (Spanish, Amharic, Oromo, Somali, ASL)

This job description is intended to outline the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this role. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, or qualifications required for the position. The organization reserves the right to modify, add, or remove job duties as business needs evolve. 

Union Membership

This position is represented by AFSCME Local 999. As part of this union-represented role, employees benefit from collective bargaining rights, union representation, and other provisions outlined in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

In accordance with the agreement, all employees in union-covered positions are required to contribute through union dues or fair share fees. The current contract does not provide an option to opt out of these contributions.

Applications will be accepted until position is filled. Qualified applicants will be selected for interviews as applications are received.  No phone calls please.

Agate Housing and Services is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and strives to promote an environment that is diverse and inclusive where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect. Agate Housing and Services is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from people of color, indigenous people, persons with disabilities, and LBGTQ+ individuals.