Position Title: Shelter Worker

Our Saviour’s Community Services (OSCS) provides dignified shelter and housing for single adults, and basic education classes to adult English language learners in the Phillips Community of South Minneapolis. OSCS takes its name from Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, which founded our programs in the early 1980s. In 2004, we became a legally and financially independent nonprofit. We are not a religious organization. Find more about OSCS at http://oscs-mn.org/.

Our Saviour’s Housing operates a 21-bed emergency shelter and permanent supportive housing program for single adults over 18. The shelter provides a bed, three meals a day, and supportive resources to 10 men and 11 women every night of the year. However, people of all genders are welcome. The shelter is currently open to residents 24/7. The program will transition to a medical respite shelter. Our cohesive team works together to provide services that offer dignity and hope. Our Saviour’s Housing is a program of Our Saviour’s Community Services.

We offer employees the ability to make a meaningful contribution to the community. We offer a flexible, hybrid working environment. We also provide excellent benefits to full-time and part-time (20+hours) employees, including generous Paid Time Off and Sick Time; Paid Holidays; Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage Employer contributions toward premiums; Employer-paid Short and Long Term Disability and Life Insurance; professional development opportunities; voluntary benefit options including HSA; and participation in 401(k) retirement plan.

This Role: The Shelter Worker provides basic direct services to adult emergency shelter guests of Our Saviour's Housing and works to ensure that the shelter is clean, safe, and welcoming for all guests, volunteers, and community members. This position is non-exempt, hourly, full-time/part-time, regularly scheduled 8-16 hours to work weekly, and reports to the Emergency Shelter Manager. The employee would also be “on-call” one week per month. The employee would receive an on-call stipend and pay for any hours worked.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Follows OSCS mission and vision, policies, and procedures.
• Perform shelter guests, volunteers, and internal customer support.
• Performs front desk service, keeping track of people who go in and out of the shelter and monitors the security camera system.
• Perform housekeeping duties, such as maintaining cleanliness, washing dishes, and doing laundry. Occasionally, this may include cleaning up bodily fluids and hazardous materials.
• Create and maintain a positive, safe, and non-threatening atmosphere for all shelter guests, staff, and volunteers.
• Ensures the shelter’s operating policies and procedures are communicated and implemented with the shelter guests, visitors, and volunteers.
• Set and maintain professional boundaries for guests, staff, and volunteers.
• Use good conflict management and crisis intervention techniques to diffuse difficult situations.
• Provide guest services, including orientation to shelter guests, making a wake-up call, serving meals, and attending to other needs of the shelter.
• Welcomes and supports volunteers and collaborates with the Volunteer Coordinator about the volunteer experience.
• Collaborates and keeps open communication between the staff and management by tracking events and important information in the logbook, email, and other methods.
• Attends and participates in team activities, training, and staff meetings.
• Other duties as requested and time permits.

Required Skills and Abilities

• Ability to use standard office equipment, including computer, monitor, keyboard, and software programs
• Ability to lift and carry up to 30 pounds
• Ability to walk, bend, twist, stoop, reach, grip, push and pull equipment, and climb stairs as needed to perform essential job duties
• Ability to read and write English
• Ability to speak, read, write, and understand people using one or more of Spanish, Somali, Arabic, Ukrainian, Russian, and Farsi/Persian languages (preferred but not required).

Qualifications

• Demonstrated cultural fluency and commitment to diversity.
• Demonstrated team player and winning attitude.
• Takes initiative and works well independently and collaboratively.
• Comfortable working with people from marginalized groups and people with disabilities.
• Comfortable working with people from medical respite and people recovering from drug addiction.
• Shelter and non-profit experience is a plus.

Job Type: Full-time or part-time, non-exempt

Pay rate: $18 to $19 hourly

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

OSCS is committed to providing a supportive, inclusive work environment. We are an EEO/AA employer and will not discriminate against any applicant or employee because of race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, or status with regard to public assistance. We acknowledge that experience is gained through various settings and value informal experience in addition to formal education and work history.

Disclaimer. This job description only summarizes the typical job functions, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible responsibilities, tasks, and duties of this position. The organization has the sole discretion to amend this job description at any time.