Case Manager
Harbor Hope Center | Purdy / Gig Harbor, WA | Full time | Afternoon and evening schedule
About us
Harbor Hope Center runs emergency shelter and transitional housing for young adults ages 18 to 24 experiencing homelessness in Pierce County. We serve up to twelve people at a time in our overnight shelters. Our staff knows every client by name and knows what each one is working toward.
We are hiring a Case Manager for our Purdy locations.
The role
You would help young adults get into housing and stay there. The work is a mix of relationship and logistics: housing applications, benefits enrollment, employment and school planning, Coordinated Entry appointments, court dates, transportation, and steady follow through.
Our case managers share a caseload rather than each holding a separate list. With up to twelve young people in the program at a time, that means you would know every client, not only the ones assigned to you, and no young person is left waiting because one staff member is out.
We schedule case management time deliberately rather than relying on staff being generally available. You meet with clients at set times, with a plan, and you both know what the session is for. Clients get better outcomes and staff get a workable job.
Day to day
- Meet regularly and consistently with the young people you are working with
- Build and revise housing stability plans alongside the client
- Connect clients to benefits, employment, education, healthcare, treatment, and legal resources, and follow through to completion
- Transport clients to appointments, which may include use of your personal vehicle. Mileage is reimbursed.
- Coordinate with Coordinated Entry, county partners, landlords, employers, and schools
- Maintain accurate, current documentation in our data management system, including HMIS (Homeless Management Information System) reporting
- Participate in case conferencing and team meetings
- Assess and respond to crisis situations, and know when to bring in additional support
- Help keep the shelter and shared spaces clean and orderly, which from time to time includes light housekeeping
- Practice Housing First (an evidence-based approach to ending homelessness that provides permanent, affordable housing as quickly as possible without any preconditions, such as sobriety, mental health treatment, or employment harm reduction, and trauma informed care).
Work Requirements
We want you to have a clear picture of the role before you apply.
Progress is measured in months, not weeks. Housing waitlists, benefits determinations, and Coordinated Entry all move on their own timelines. A large part of this job is steady follow through on things that may take a while to resolve. Some young adults hit setbacks along the way, and you might not always be there to see how the story ends. The role requires patience and a long-term view of progress.
Documentation is a significant part of the job. We have government contracts which require detailed records, deadlines, and accurate data. Good documentation is what keeps a client’s housing funded and is imperative.
The schedule follows the clients. Most case management hours fall in the afternoon and evening, because that is when young adults are back from work, school, and appointments and can meet with intention. Exact hours will be finalized with the person we hire.
A small team means broad scope. You would have real influence over how this program runs, and a good idea from you can be in place quickly. You may also wear more than one hat, and on a full day there are fewer people to hand something off to.
This is emotionally demanding work and we treat it that way. Our clients are young and many of them have survived a great deal. We do not expect anyone to absorb that alone. We want you to use your time off, we want to hear from you before you are running on empty, and we build the schedule so that the job is sustainable rather than heroic.
The work environment
Our shelters are split level homes. Staff move between floors throughout the day, and the job involves time on your feet, driving, and hands on tasks around the houses.
We are describing the setting plainly so that you can reach your own conclusions about whether it works for you. If you have questions about accessibility or would like to talk through a reasonable accommodation, please ask. We are glad to have that conversation.
Who we are looking for
Case management experience is what we would most like to see. We are equally interested in someone currently in an MSW program (Master of Social Work) or BSW (Bachelor of Social Work) who wants a placement with responsibility, and we will work around a student’s schedule where we can.
Lived experience with homelessness, housing instability, foster care, or these systems is welcome. It is not required, and we will not ask you about it. Share it only if you want to.
Beyond the resume, what matters to us:
- You do what you said you would do, on the day you said you would do it
- You can set a clear boundary
- You keep your documentation current
- You can support a client’s decision that you would not have made yourself
- You can get told “no” by an agency four times and make the fifth call
Requirements
- Experience in case management, social services, housing, behavioral health, youth work, or a closely related field, OR current enrollment in an MSW, BSW or comparable social work program
- Valid Washington driver’s license, acceptable driving record, and reliable transportation. Transporting clients may involve the use of your personal vehicle. Mileage is reimbursed.
- Ability to pass a background check
- Comfort with computers and documentation systems
- Availability to work afternoons and evenings
Preferred
- MSW, BSW, or related degree
- HMIS (Homeless Management Information System) knowledge or experience with a comparable client data system
- Experience with young adults ages 18 to 24
- Familiarity with Housing First, harm reduction, and trauma informed care
- Knowledge of Pierce County resources and Coordinated Entry
- Bilingual
Schedule
Full time, primarily afternoon and evening. Exact hours to be finalized with the person we hire.
Compensation and benefits
$24.00 per hour, full time. At 40 hours per week that comes to roughly $49,920 per year.
- Health insurance stipend of $400 per month for full time staff
- Paid time off
- Paid holidays
- Mileage reimbursement for use of your personal vehicle
How to apply
Send a resume and a few sentences about why this work interests you. A formal cover letter is not necessary.
Harbor Hope Center is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applicants with lived experience, applicants with criminal histories, and applicants from communities most affected by homelessness are encouraged to apply.
Pay: $24.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
Work Location: In person
