Seeking an experienced
Housing Navigator
to join the HOST team!
A survey of N.C. State students in 2017 indicated that almost 10% of students experienced homelessness in the prior year. That rate of homelessness climbed to 15% during the pandemic, a rate consistent with other U.S. campuses. Sleeping outside, in cars and in campers, in unstable and sometimes dangerous circumstances – this is a harsh reality for students within our own community.
HOST (Housing Options for Students Today) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that operates community-engaged strategies to support local college students experiencing housing insecurity. Our vision is clear - we believe every college student deserves an opportunity to thrive and every graduate is an asset to our community.
We are seeking an experienced Housing Navigator to serve as the primary client-facing member of the HOST team and be responsible for providing client-centered services to students and performing relationship-focused community outreach activities to ensure ongoing engagement with the community.
The Housing Navigator is situated within the organization’s primary program - the Host Home Program (HHP) - and is the sole case manager for all HOST clients. The HN provides wrap-around supportive services to students throughout their lifecycle in HOST programs via case management and concurrently works directly with other staff to execute outreach activities and engage in host home recruitment as needed.
Priorities
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Case Management/Housing Navigation: act as the primary contact for college students who are enrolled in Wake County college programs and who reside in Wake County
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Community Outreach: build and maintain existing relationships to ensure college students across Wake County know about HOST services and to help recruit and maintain the target number of host homes in collaboration with staff, interns, volunteers, and board members
Primary Responsibilities
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Promote the organizational values of social justice, anti-racism, and cultural responsiveness in all aspects of HOST’s operations and its programs.
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Provide case management to college students who are a fit for HOST’s services
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Collaborate with community partners to ensure holistic service needs of students are met
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Provide financial assistance to students per grant guidelines and as funding is available
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Execute outreach activities for the organization, the HHP, and in an effort to help recruit and maintain the target number of volunteer host homes in collaboration with staff, interns, volunteers, and board members
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Provide input on and participate in the effective stewardship of program budgets, including anticipating needs and expenses
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Participate in evaluation of HOST programs with a focus on continuous improvement and positive outcomes
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Be a visible presence in the community as an advocate for the organization and the students we serve, including:
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Participating in community outreach, public presentations, events, and other opportunities to engage with the community
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Collaborating with higher education partners to share information about HOST (i.e., host home availability, financial assistance availability, program data, funding needs, etc.) and actively pursue new contacts to spread the word about HOST and the HHP
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Attending community meetings as a representative the HHP and the students we serve and represent the organization, its programs, and its clients with integrity
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The ideal candidate will have these qualifications:
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Demonstrated experience and commitment to working with college students, individuals and communities of color, LGBTQIA2S+ communities, disabled communities, immigrant and undocumented communities, and other underserved communities, and a strong commitment to integrating student voices and cultural responsiveness into all components of HOST programs
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Case management experience required
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Program coordination and/or project management experience required
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Financial Aid experience with NC colleges is highly desired
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Community outreach experience and strong public speaking and interpersonal skills required
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Strong collaboration skills with experience coordinating a group towards a common goal
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Demonstrated ability to work independently (and occasionally outside of standard working hours) without day-to-day supervision
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Professional and/or lived experiences in related areas will be considered as equivalent to a degree. A degree is not required but highly desired for this position.
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Experience working with housing and homeless services systems is required
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HMIS experience is a plus
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Access to a vehicle and ability to travel locally are necessary for this position
Location/Hours
Hybrid: This position will primarily work out of the HOST office and meeting space in Raleigh, NC, but many job duties can also be performed remotely. The person in this role will spend considerable time in the community providing case management/housing navigation to students, conducting community outreach, and supporting host homes as needed.
Compensation and Benefits
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Salary range: $50,000 - $55,000, commensurate with experience
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Benefits package includes generous paid time off and an employer-match retirement plan
To Apply
We are no longer accepting new applications for this position. Check back later for more information!​
The organization is an equal opportunity employer committed to workforce diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Qualified applicants will receive full consideration without regard to age, race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, health status and/or national origin.