About

• Please submit a resume, cover letter, and three professional references.

• Job Title:                                Community Resource Navigator (Shelter Staff)

• Department:                          Shelter Services

• Reports to:                            Shelter Managers

• Hours:                                    Mon – Fri 8am-5pm (40 hrs/week FULL TIME)  

• Schedule:                              Mon, Wed and Fri: Chestnut Tree inn, Tues-Thurs: Gresham Women’s Shelter 

• Status:                                   Non-Exempt 

• Compensation:                     $20.62 - $ 23.98/hour, DOE

• Location:                               East Portland & East Multnomah County – Gresham Women’s Shelter and Chestnut Tree Inn motel shelter 

• Duration:                               Permanent 

• WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

• For over 30 years, Our Just Future (formerly Human Solutions), has been working to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty by empowering families and helping them build pathways out of poverty. 

• POSITION OVERVIEW

• The Community Resource Navigator supports shelter participants in increasing stability by connecting them to housing pathways, community services, and essential resources. This role focuses on navigation rather than financial assistance, helping participants understand available housing options, complete required documentation, and engage with the appropriate housing providers and systems.

• Working closely with shelter staff, participants, and partner agencies, the Navigator identifies individual needs, provides light case support, and coordinates referrals to housing programs, social services, healthcare, employment supports, benefits, and other community-based resources. This position strengthens collaboration between agencies, improves access to services, and helps reduce the barriers participants face when navigating complex housing and social service systems.

• While the role does not include direct financial assistance or dedicated housing case management, the Navigator plays a key part in resource coordination, housing readiness support, and connecting participants to external housing providers and programs. The position also assists with developing new resource partnerships and service pathways that enhance participant stability and community integration. In collaboration with the Grant Coordinator, the Navigator identifies resource gaps and supports the exploration of funding opportunities that expand services and meet emerging participant needs.

• DUTIES & RESPONSBILITIES

• Essential

• * Participant Support & Navigation
• 1. Collaborate with participants to identify needs, strengths, and goals, and support them in developing flexible, participant-directed action steps.
• 2. Provide housing navigation support by helping participants understand available housing pathways, complete required documentation, and connect with external housing providers and county systems.
• 3. Assist participants in accessing essential community resources, including healthcare, benefits, behavioral health services, employment supports, and basic-needs programs.
• 4. Build supportive, trusting relationships with participants using Trauma-Informed Care, Assertive Engagement, Motivational Interviewing, and culturally responsive practices.
• 5. Provide grounding, de-escalation, and crisis support to participants who may be experiencing acute stress or instability.

• * Coordination & Community Partnership
• 1. Develop and maintain relationships with partner agencies, service providers, and community programs to enhance referral pathways and reduce service gaps.
• 2. Coordinate with internal shelter staff to share information, align support strategies, and ensure consistent, collaborative service delivery.
• 3. Bring in community resources, informational materials, and service providers based on expressed participant needs.

• * Housing Readiness & System Navigation
• * Assist participants in gathering and organizing documents required for housing programs (e.g., IDs, income verification, disability documentation).
• * Complete the Multnomah Shelter Screening Tool (MSST) with participants as part of Coordinated Access vulnerability assessments, following county guidelines, confidentiality standards, and data entry requirements.
• * Support access to Coordinated Entry, Diversion programs, Rapid Re-Housing partners, Permanent Supportive Housing pathways, and other external housing resources.

• * Documentation, Data, & Reporting
• * Maintain accurate, timely, and complete documentation of participant interactions, referrals, and service activities in accordance with Our Just Future procedures and funder requirements.
• * Complete required data entry in HMIS, internal databases, and tracking systems.
• * Ensure participant files are compliant with internal standards, including updated case notes, action steps, and service records.

• * Program Support & Resource Development
• * Collaborate with the Grant Coordinator to identify emerging funding opportunities that align with shelter programs and participant needs.
• * Assist with gathering participant stories, service data, and program examples needed for grant applications and reporting.
• * Track resource gaps identified through participant work and communicate them to leadership to support grant development strategies.
• * Maintain basic awareness of current grants supporting shelter programs to ensure services align with intended outcomes.
• * Assist with implementation of new resource pathways, workshops, partnerships, and service initiatives that enhance participant access to supports. 

• Secondary

• * Support shelter operations by maintaining a welcoming, organized, and resource-rich environment, including restocking informational materials and updating resource boards. 
• * Assist with coordinating on-site workshops and resource fairs. 
• * Provide occasional support during participant intakes or transitions to ensure immediate needs are identified and initial resource options are communicated.
• * Collaborate with shelter staff to identify participants who may benefit from resource navigation or housing readiness support.
• * Assist with transportation coordination tasks such as distributing bus tickets (when available), helping participants understand transit routes, or supporting travel planning for appointments.
• * Participate in agency and community meetings, trainings, case consultation, and workgroups relevant to resource coordination and housing navigation.
• * Support data quality efforts by identifying discrepancies, suggesting improvements, and maintaining accuracy across internal trackers.
• * Assist with light administrative or program tasks such as copying forms, organizing files, and helping maintain program supplies.
• * Perform other duties as assigned that support participant stability, shelter operations, or program enhancement, consistent with the scope of the role. 

• QUALIFICATIONS

• The successful candidate must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge and abilities required.

Knowledge of

• * Barriers faced by people experiencing homelessness, poverty, and systemic inequity in Multnomah County.
• * Community resources and social‑service systems (housing, mental‑health, DV/SA, substance use, culturally specific agencies).
• * HIPAA, VAWA/DV confidentiality, trauma‑informed and harm‑reduction principles.
• * Basic data‑management concepts; prior use of HMIS, ETO, or similar databases strongly preferred.

Ability to

• * Work independently and as a vital and contributing part of a team.
• * Partner with participants to identify their strengths, needs, options, and effective solutions.
• * Non-judgmentally elicit information and help problem solve around sensitive issues including, but not limited to, alcohol and drug use, domestic violence, child abuse and mental health, and criminal activity.
• * Plan and coordinate delivery of services and follow-up.
• * Empower and support individuals in life choices and change.
• * Provide leadership in small groups, facilitate group processes (such as workshops or resource sessions), and relate and work cooperatively with volunteers and staff.
• * Develop and maintain productive working relationships within Our Just Future and with property managers, public and private agencies, the general public, and program participants.
• * Provide culturally responsive services to a broad diversity of people experiencing homelessness and housing instability.
• * Prepare and maintain clear, accurate, complete, and timely records and reports.
• * Understand and follow complex written and oral instructions, rules, and procedures.
• * Represent Our Just Future at inter-agency and funder meetings as requested by supervisor.
• * Maintain professional boundaries with all participants served.
• * Maintain professional conduct within the agency, with community partners, and the public in the performance of work

• EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE 

• * Bachelor’s degree in a social service/social sciences field with at least six (6) months experience in case management, housing navigation, or resource coordination with individuals or families; or any combination of education and work experience in social services and case management totaling two (2) years.
• * Experience with crisis intervention, community networking, and resource development.
• * Experience delivering services using Assertive Engagement techniques such as strength-based case management and motivational interviewing.
• * Bi-lingual, bi-cultural preferred but not required.
• * General computer and word processing skills and willingness to learn other computer skills.
• * Rent Well Instructor certification preferred, but not required. 

• TRANSPORTATION 

• If the employee uses a personal car during work hours, they must have a current Driver’s License and current automobile insurance carrying 100/300 limits of liability.

• PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; sit; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and distance vision.

• WORK ENVIRONMENT 

• This position will be full time onsite in an emergency congregate shelter environment. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Animals (cats and dogs) are present in our shelters. 

• WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

We offer comprehensive benefits in support of your physical, emotional and financial well-being. A few highlights

• * Employer paid premiums for employee health insurance. 
• * Generous paid time off, 13 paid holidays, a floating birthday holiday and the ability to maintain a great work/life balance.
• * Employer paid premiums for short-term and long-term disability insurance and life insurance.
• * Access to an employee assistance program.
• * Flexible spending accounts for health and for dependent care.
• * Professional development opportunities, including employee-driven committees.