Director of Housing Counseling

Lutheran Social Services of Southern California began in December 1944 when a group of Lutheran congregations in San Diego came together to discuss how to better assist families in need. They began discussing how to form a Welfare Commission. Their vision expanded when they came together with another group of Lutheran congregations in Los Angeles having the very same conversation. Lutheran Social Services of Southern California was officially incorporated in 1946 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit social service agency. The mission has stayed true to its earliest beginnings, to be a servant to those in need. Today LSSSC serves thousands of individuals and families throughout Southern California with over 40 different programs/services at 13 distinct locations. We are part of the Lutheran Services in America (LSA) network and strive to serve those in need with dignity and respect.

Lutheran Social Services of Southern California’s Mission: Ignited by faith, we live out God’s love by embracing, equipping, and empowering vulnerable people in Southern California.

Job Summary:

The Director of Housing Counseling oversees all operational activities of the Department, including program innovation, development, execution, analysis, evaluation, and cultivation of partnerships. They will oversee the expansion of services throughout the Southern California counties LSSSC serves. This position, with support from the Supervisor of Housing Counseling, supervises housing counseling staff, hires, and trains new staff as needed, and ensures that housing counseling services provided from intake to file closure meet or exceed the National Industry Standards. They will collaborate across departments to apply for program funding, manage budgets, and comply with all funding and regulatory requirements.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

PROGRAM LEADERSHIP

Program Innovation: Develop, implement, and expand the Housing Counseling program, ensuring the LSSSC Wellness Model is integrated into program strategy and learning tools and utilized in one- on-one counseling sessions and in community workshops.

Strategic Partnerships: Cultivate and strengthen internal and external partnerships that help meet client needs and align with priorities in the strategic plan to enhance services and resources to embrace, equip, and empower clients. Participate in program committee meetings, community collaboratives, and other events that support the activities of the Housing Counseling Program. Provide updates as appropriate.

Guidance and Direction: Oversee the hiring and training of staff with the support of the Housing Counseling Supervisor in the duties required to perform functions of department. Conduct performance evaluations, provide coaching, training, and professional development opportunities. Assign schedules and tasks commensurate with department needs.

Team Culture: Set high standards/goals and delineate clear plans to achieve them. Encourage team engagement. Lead by example. Provide accountability for activities and performance. Ensure appropriate training and reference materials are available and cross-training is implemented. Support effective time management, coordination, and efficiency.

Communication and People Skills: Develop trust and confidence within team. Resolve problems and engage in conflict resolution that results in a productive, goal-oriented work group. Encourage team to be proactive learners, take initiative and be engaged in the work. Ensure frequent, collaborative, and professional communication among team members, staff in other programs, management, and partners.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

Contracts & Reporting: Provide full complement of grant, contract and award management and delivery. Ensure compliance is met, goals are met, reports are completed in full and on time, and both internal and external audits are successfully completed. Ensure monthly reporting and/or billing is accurate, and deadlines are met.

Quality Control: Ensure services are aligned with LSSSC mission and funder requirements through internal auditing processes and procedures. Perform random client file and report reviews for quality assurance. Perform survey/customer service follow up calls for quality control as required by HUD. Support the LSSSC goal of providing exceptional customer service through the collection and analysis of client satisfaction survey data.

Continuous Improvement: Engage in program and service continuous improvement processes through the collection, analysis, and reporting of program data. Ensure data on all services required is entered into databases to track program statistics. Foster opportunities for clients to participate in program development and enhancement processes

OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES

Goal Setting, Planning, and Organizing: Establish and communicate team vision. Create goals through the development of operational plans. Commit to strategies for long-term, sustainable funding. Work with Chief Financial Officer to develop and maintain an accurate budget.

Fiscal Management: Assist with departmental funding applications for various programs as compatible with the annual budget and ongoing activities. Identify new sources of funding that are relevant to the housing counseling field. Be apprised of best practices for diversified funding. Keep abreast of changes to funding climate or priority shifts.

Evaluation and Analysis: Evaluate and examine processes or procedures and decide on the best choice to produce an outcome and/or adjust accordingly. Track progress of program activities and effectiveness, review and offer feedback and counseling. Ensure quality of services provided, client satisfaction, and staff engagement and satisfaction in providing services.

Trauma-Informed Services: Provide oversight of all housing counseling services. Employ intake and assessment strategies that are trauma- informed and allow for development of meaningful case plans for each participant. Develop plan for ongoing staff training.

Department Collaboration: Partner with the Chief Program Officer (CPRO) to explore opportunities for expansion consistent with LSSSC’s Strategic Plan. Partner with HR to recruit, hire, and retain a diverse and engaged staff team.

Marketing: Develop outreach strategies for populations of focus, community collaborations, and key partnerships in delivering services. Work with the Development & Marketing Department to market the housing counseling programs to the communities served to promote the goals of the program.

Tasks and duties for this position include but are not limited to:

• Committed to LSSSC’s vision, mission, and values.
• Experienced in innovative program development and delivery.
• Self-directed and well organized with a demonstrated ability to handle multiple projects and clients simultaneously.
• Management and/or supervisory experience in a HUD-approved counseling agency.
• HUD Housing Counselor Certification (homeownership, financial stability, and foreclosure) is a must.
• Strong project management skills managing complex, multifaceted projects resulting in measurable successes and program growth.
• Proven ability to deal with people in high-stress situations with empathy and concern.
• Demonstrated experience working with culturally and economically diverse groups of people.
• Ability to foster a positive and productive work environment with the ability to lead, build teams, and motivate staff.
• Dynamic personality with extensive group presentation experience.
• Ability to represent LSSSC in a professional and exceptional manner.
• Demonstrated commitment to fair housing and civil rights.
• Knowledge of Real Estate, underwriting policies, mortgages, foreclosure, and household budgeting.
• Trainer/facilitator experience, familiarity with Salesforce a plus.
• Flexibility to work outside normal business hours.
• Valid driver’s license.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience:

Master’s degree in business, economics, real estate finance, or related field, or bachelor’s degree with 7 years’ experience required.

Two (2) years HUD approved counseling agency management and/or supervision experience.

Certificates and Licenses:

HUD Housing Counselor Certification required.

Language Ability:

• Must be able to read, speak and write fluently in English.
• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.

Communication:

Must be able to communicate clearly and effectively with clients and staff.

Math Ability:

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide into all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Reasoning Ability:

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Computer Skills:

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of Word Processing software and Spreadsheet software.

Work 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.

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.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands and fingers to handle or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear.