Community Resource Specialist

CHICAGO, IL—TCB has invested substantial corporate and philanthropic resources in a year-long innovation process to design how to make its larger mixed income communities into platforms for the success of the majority working poor families living there. With the help of IDEO, the premier innovation consultant, and Bridgespan, the premier nonprofit management consultant, it has developed a new practice to enable working poor families to significantly increase their upward mobility. The practice, called Ways & Means, will initially be implemented in seven of TCB's communities with a thousand or more residents each. It puts in place infrastructure – physical environments, technology, non-predatory financial products, and incentives – that gives families access to the same possibilities that middle- and upper-income families take for granted. Families will develop relationships with each other and the broader community to unearth and nurture existing assets and connect on pathways to achieving common goals. As well, the program aims to provide access to services – workforce programs and supports, financial asset-building programs, and after-school activities for youth – that enable residents to overcome critical barriers to advancement. Finally, the program promotes a good neighbor mindset – supporting existing neighborhood networks and providing tangible benefits to the broader community, with the goal of re-knitting families and the sites into their surrounding areas.

This practice is focused on enabling neighborhood residents to double their earned income on average within ten years and on halving the drop out rate with increases in high school graduations over the same period.

FSLA Status: Exempt

Position:

Reporting to the Specialist Manager, the Community Resource Specialist (CRS) will be responsible for the day-to-day interactions and interfacing with residents of Oakwood Shores Community. The Community Resource Specialist will serve as the main liaison to residents. The CSR will guide clients throughout the entire "life cycle" of living at Oakwood Shores, including verification of information for move-in, rent collection, and renewable processes, as well as engaging residents in the appropriate community resources.

Responsibilities:

Client Portfolio Management:

Create professional relationships with clients that engender open communication, mutual respect and trust.
Work in tandem with Compliance Analysts to integrate client portfolio and compliance goals and objectives.
Complete client assessments and develop Individual Action Plans (IAP) for each client in their respective portfolio.
Work with client to assist in personal, neighbor and other areas of potential conflict.
Conduct operational screenings for lease renewals, program support and engagement, and other housing operational processes pertaining to the living experience of the client.
Ensure each client participates in new resident orientation.
Ensure clients are accessing all eligible resource benefits.
Access all appropriate community resources for clients.
Participate in a variety of training and staff development workshops that will assist in meeting portfolio benchmarks.
Actively participate in all-staff meetings.
Work with Maintenance Team to ensure constant communication.
Attend community meetings as needed or assigned.
Represent organization in a professional and ethical manner.
Maintain required system for tracking client progress.
All other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Minimum of 3 years in affordable housing field.
Minimum high school diploma with 3 years work experience.
Excellent communication, organizational, writing and proofreading skills.
Ability to make decisions individually and/or within a team and take necessary actions.
Ability to prioritize, handle a variety of tasks and be self-directed; strong organizational skills.
Must be able to follow directions and maintain composure during stressful situations.
Demonstrate knowledge of computer environments, i.e. Windows, MS Word, MS Publisher, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
Knowledge of Yardi, MRI, MOR, Boston Post are a plus.
Commitment to and experience with people from diverse ethnic, cultural and social economical backgrounds.
Ability to quickly build and maintain positive relationships with a wide variety of people including but not limited to: clients, senior management, staff, volunteers, interns, community partners, organizational donors, media.

Compensation: Salary will be commensurate with experience and knowledge.

Please e-mail your resume to resumes@tcbinc.org .

The Community Builders, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and strongly encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply for this position.