Job Description
Description About Interfaith Community Services: At Interfaith, we empower individuals and families in need by providing essential resources and services with compassion and integrity. Together, we foster a community of hope, accountability, and dignity.
Founded in 1979 in direct response to rising rates of hunger and homelessness in North San Diego County, Interfaith Community Services works to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness by Helping People Help Themselves. Interfaith is the most comprehensive nonprofit social services agency in North County, providing both immediate safety net services and long-term, life-changing programs designed to meet the holistic needs of people in crisis. Together, in partnership with 250+ diverse faith communities, more than 650 recurrent volunteers, and a growing staff of over 200, Interfaith provides a safe haven and pathway towards self-sufficiency for more than 17,000 community members annually.
If you're passionate about making a difference and thrive in a service-driven environment, we invite you to be part of our mission!
What You'll Do In the
Outreach Housing Navigator, a field-based position, you'll support individuals experiencing homelessness—particularly those living in encampments—through every stage of their journey toward permanent housing. Direct services will be defined as street outreach and case management to support participant engagement towards client-centered goals addressing housing and stability. The Housing Navigator will work closely with outreach workers to coordinate caseloads, identify individuals in need of services, and ensure a streamlined, housing-focused approach.
Essential Duties And Responsibilities - Able to maintain a 40-hour work week, with flexibility as needed for weekends/evenings to support ethical management of case load or crisis scenarios. Approximately 80% of the work week will be spent providing services in the field
- Spend 50-75% of weekly working hours re-engaging and providing case management to Participants previously encountered
- May be required to use personal vehicle to meet individuals in the community, with agency reimbursement for mileage available
- Open to engaging with individuals in the community at times with the presence of Law Enforcement. If appropriate, Provider will ride along with Law Enforcement for the best care of the individual need/services
- Work collaboratively with Oceanside City staff, Oceanside HOT Officers, and partners to identify Participants in need of homeless services. Make and receive referrals from City staff and partners. Work collaboratively with encampment grant partners
- Work closely with outreach staff to support field-based engagement, ensure smooth case handoffs, and provide consistent follow-up for housed and unhoused clients
- Participate in coordinated outreach efforts to identify new clients, provide support, and determine housing readiness.
- Support shared caseload assignment models, ensuring each client receives the appropriate level of care, accountability, and housing-focused service
- Co-develop outreach and engagement strategies with the outreach team to connect hard-to-reach populations with essential services and housing pathways
- Provide transportation assistance and help move personal belongings as clients transition to temporary or permanent housing.
- Serve as the lead support for housing navigation, helping clients move through application processes for permanent supportive housing, affordable units, shelters, or shared housing options
- Provide post-housing stabilization services to help clients maintain permanent housing and re-engage with services when needed
- Connect clients to vital resources, including ID restoration, public benefits, legal support, behavioral health, and SUD treatment
- Think creatively to remove barriers to housing (e.g., credit issues, legal problems, lack of documentation, past evictions)
- Ensure compliance with confidentiality, legal, and ethical standards of practice
- Completes accurate and thorough documentation in a timely manner for each program participant, and provides required reports
- Enters all participants into databases as required for documentation and to maintain individuals’ engagement in the CoC information system to support housing placement
- Seeks out and develops knowledge regarding best practices, including homeless outreach standards identified within the San Diego County CoC. Adhere to standards of practice outlined by the Regional Task Force of the Homeless
- Participates in case conferencing meetings, staff meetings, trainings, conferences, collaborative community meetings program evaluation, and program development
- Performs additional duties as assigned
Requirements Who You Are: About You're passionate about making a lasting impact, whether supporting individuals directly or enhancing our organizational effectiveness. To thrive in this role, you'll: - Bachelor’s degree in social services or related field preferred OR equivalent lived/professional experience
- Experience working with individuals experiencing homelessness, SUD, or serious mental illness
- Knowledge of trauma-informed care, harm reduction, motivational interviewing, and housing first practices
- Strong collaboration skills and ability to work with multidisciplinary teams and community partners
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Highly organized, self-motivated, and comfortable working independently in the field
- Must have reliable transportation and a valid driver’s license (mileage reimbursed)
- Bilingual (Spanish/English), preferred
Skillsets / Additional Requirements - Ability to establish and maintain professional boundaries with clients
- Demonstrates a strong working knowledge of resources in North County San Diego
- Ability to identify problems, and research and recommend solutions
- Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Must be highly organized and demonstrate attention to detail
- Demonstrated experience managing multiple deadlines and working effectively under pressure, using independent judgment to produce quality work under time constraints
- Demonstrated experience working with a collaborative team
- Working Knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel, and Outlook)
Work Environment & Physical Requirements - Must be able to perform work in both indoor and outdoor settings
- Must have physical ability to walk outdoors in weather conditions year-round; traveling in the community, parking lots, sidewalks, alleyways and within canyons, freeway underpasses, fence lines along canals and behind private property
- Must have the physical ability to sit for long periods of time, stand, walk, bend, kneel and uses hands, arms, and legs for dexterity and balance on a frequent basis
- May be subjected to adverse conditions, including contact with hostile people
- Low to moderate exposure to contagious diseases (hepatitis, HIV, tuberculosis, etc.)
- Low to moderate exposure to unpleasant and noxious fumes, odors, dust, temperatures, noise and inclement weather
- Periodically lifts, carries, and balances objects weighing up to 30 pounds (personal items during move-ins)
- Pulls and pushes such objects as file drawers, computers, and similar office equipment and supplies
- Prioritizes and multi-tasks work and projects requiring good memory, concentration and analytical thinking
- Occasionally is required to perform the safe operation of a vehicle, office equipment and machines, and recognize and abate safety hazards within the workplace
- Must be able to hear, see, including distinction of colors, read and communicate verbally and in writing frequently with a wide range of people from divergent socio-economic backgrounds and origins
- The noise level in the work environment is usually low
Location: Onsite/Oceanside
Hours: Monday-Friday: 8am-5pm
Hourly Rate: $28-$30
Employment Benefits - Paid Time Off
- Paid Holidays – 13 scheduled
- Flexible Work Schedules
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- AD&D / Group Life Insurance
- Flexible Spending Accounts – Medical and Dependent Care
- Matched 401(k) Retirement Plan
- Early Release Days!
- Work Anniversary Bonuses
- Tuition Reimbursement and Public Service Loan Forgiveness Eligibility
- Employee Assistance Plan (EAP)
- Home Ownership Assistance Program
- Casual Work Environment
- Professional Growth and Career Development Opportunities
Interfaith is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, pregnancy, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, disability, nationality, sex, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, Interfaith will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.
Job Tags
Hourly pay, Permanent employment, Temporary work, Casual work, Local area, Immediate start, Flexible hours, Weekend work, Afternoon shift, Monday to Friday,