Housing Program Manager - Church World Service

About CWS:

Imagine waking up every morning with the chance to change someone's life. Imagine knowing your efforts will benefit both your career and our neighbors around the world. At CWS, our team knows they are making a difference every day. Whether you're in our U.S.-based offices supporting refugees, asylees or unaccompanied children...implementing hygiene initiatives in Cambodia or rebuilding projects in Central America...or even connecting remotely from your home on fundraising campaigns, grant reports, or critical communications - you have the opportunity to work towards a world where everyone has food, a voice and a safe place to call home.

Purpose:

Under the supervision of the Associate Director of Welcome, the Housing Program Manager is responsible for procuring safe, secure and affordable temporary and permanent housing for newly arriving refugees and arranging unit’s set-up with furniture and other household goods according to the Cooperative Agreement with the Department of State/Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. The Housing Program Manager is responsible for overseeing the Housing Program and developing and implementing bold and innovative approaches to cultivating and strengthening housing partnerships and increasing the profile of CWS Lancaster. Duties include developing and implementing strategies to recruit new housing partners, securing housing for arriving refugees as well as extended housing support for selected populations, ensuring compliance with federal programs, supervising the housing team, and representing CWS Lancaster and participating in housing-related community events.

Responsibilities:

• Under the guidance of the Associate Director of Welcome, oversees housing operations in the Lancaster office and is responsible for securing appropriate housing to refugees, asylees, and parolees serviced by CWS Lancaster through its supporting programs.
• Conducts outreach for new relationships with potential landlords and property managers both in Lancaster and in surrounding Counties, maintains positive relationships with local landlords, owners and property management companies.
• Builds and consistently updates lists of CWS landlords and available housing opportunities, both in Lancaster and in surrounding counties. 
• Educates landlords and property managers on CWS resettlement program.
• Liaises with landlords throughout housing negotiations, lease signing, and initial move-in. Responsible for obtaining W-9s from all landlords.
• Answer landlords’ questions and concerns related to refugee tenants placed by CWS prior to their arrival to the leased property.
• Ensures refugee tenants are educated on tenants’ rights and responsibilities in the US, including by teaching C.O. classes to clients. Coordinates ongoing housing navigation to CWS clients, both during and after the 90-day service period.
• Responsible for reviewing lease contracts with clients in their native language, for the timely signing of lease contracts and for their proper storage in clients’ files.  
• Liaise with landlords to ensure tenants’ maintenance requests during the resettlement period are met and advocates for tenants’ housing rights during and after the initial 90 days.
• Collaborates and provides presentations to Tenfold, City of Lancaster, HDC, and other public housing providers and stakeholders on housing needs and challenges in the refugee population.
• Assists the Associate Director of Refugee Welcome in ensuring that housing services are compliant with R&P, MG, PC and other supporting program funding housing services to CWS clients. 
• Supervises CWS Lancaster’s housing staff, including the Housing Specialist and the Housing Navigator and guides them in locating housing, coordinating housing set up for newly arriving clients, and providing extended housing support to CWS clients. Ensures teamwork and coordinates housing staff workloads.
• In coordination with the Associate Director of Welcome, recruits new housing staff, orients/trains new staff on current and new program policies and procedures, conducts housing staff periodic assessments and annual evaluations.
• Coordinates regular meetings with Resettlement Supervisor and Community Sponsorship Supervisor to discuss housing services provided, housing issues, and challenges. After consulting with Associate Director of Welcome, addresses emergency housing situations as they arise and reports to Associate Director of Welcome for the resolution of conflict as necessary.
• Supervises interns, including but not limited to coordination with Operations Manager for intern recruitment, interns’ orientation/training, periodic meetings with school instructors/field liaisons, and periodic assessments.
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• Keeps informed of refugee and immigrant issues, using current information to educate the broader community and raise awareness.
• Works varied hours, including some nights and weekends.
• Attends trainings and conferences as requested by supervisor.

Qualifications:

Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent of 2 years housing services experience required.

 

Experience:  At least 2+ years experience in housing services is required. Demonstrated ability to work independently and with teams. Ability to provide culturally sensitive case management and to work in a multicultural environment is required.

Benefits :CWS offers a competitive benefits package that includes:    - 403 (b) Retirement Plan                                               - Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance                                                  - Generous Paid Time Off (18 Paid Days Off; 24 Days after 2 Years)  - 14 Official Holidays  - 12 Sick Days Off (Accrued monthly)                                      - Life Insurance and AD&D                                             - Long Term and Short-Term Disability                                                  - Employee Assistance Program (EAP)                                                 - Health Savings Account                                               - Flexible Spending Accounts      - Commuter Benefits