Pathways to Homeownership Specialist

The Pathways to Homeownership Specialist will work closely with the Pathways to Homeownership Manager to grow and support Habitat for Humanity’s independent and collaborative efforts to advance homeownership equity.  In partnership with the Tacoma Urban League, the Specialist will work between Tacoma Urban League and Habitat for Humanity offices. 

The Specialist will conduct community outreach and marketing for homebuyer education workshops; conduct group intakes and facilitate budget and credit workshops.  The Specialist will also provide comprehensive one on one housing counseling services focusing on pre-purchase, homeowner services, and foreclosure prevention.

Current HUD Certification is strongly preferred. Applicants who aren’t currently HUD certified must be willing and able to take and pass the HUD exam within 60 days (about 2 months) of employment.

GENERAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Promote homeownership and asset building efforts to the BIPOC community
• Provide expert, unbiased advice and help customers understand the home purchase process by identifying key players, explaining roles and responsibilities of key players, reviewing mortgage documents, purchase contract and closing documents.
• Teach or assist with homebuyer/homeowner education workshops and other credit/financial wellness workshops.
• Create and implement an action plan and timeframe to overcome credit challenges and other barriers to accomplish the goal of purchasing a home.
• Analyze customers' overall financial condition or position including mortgage delinquency status, cash flow, budget, assets, debt, and credit to identify viable foreclosure prevention options.
• Determine customers' desire and ability to retain their home.
• Create and implement action plan and timeframe to overcome financial hardship and accomplish goal of retaining home.
• Assist homeowner in negotiating with his/her servicer to identify pre-foreclosure options (i.e. repayment strategy, loan modification, short sale, or other effective remedies to avoid foreclosure).
• Document customer interaction. Use professional standards as they apply to privacy and confidentiality while documenting customer information.
• Document the scope of the problem and maintain statistics on outcomes of assistance provided.
• Input client data and counseling sessions into CMS, database containing client counseling information.
• Provide prompt response to client requests. Perform regular follow up with clients and partners.
• Periodically review files with homeowner services team.
• Attain and maintain required counseling and financial counseling certifications.
• Other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE / EXPERIENCE:

• Working knowledge of the mortgage loan process.
• Knowledge of the potential obstacles for homeownership.
• Ability to analyze financial information.
• Demonstrated ability to work with others in establishing goals and objectives.
• Ability to effectively communicate and work with individuals from diverse backgrounds and experience.

• Demonstrated skill in organizing time and prioritizing workload
• Ability to read and interpret specific documents such as loan documents, disclosures and loan program information.
• Ability to speak effectively before groups.
• Comfortable working with diverse communities and clients in a tactful and empathetic manner.
• Ability to work with the complex demands of clients and to resolve client problems and concerns.
• Ability to identify problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education

2 years of experience in outreach.  Clearly demonstrated skills in credit building and mortgage lending procedures including loan servicing, mortgage underwriting concepts and loss mitigation options or an equivalent combination of training and experience preferred.

Certificates, Licenses and Registrations:

HUD Housing Counseling certificate is required within 60 months of hire. A valid driver’s license and proof of auto insurance is required.

Continuous Education:

Employee will be expected to participate in continuous learning, competency building and maintenance of competency skills.

TYPICAL WORKING CONDITIONS

Work is performed in an office setting with individual cubicle workstations.

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the job’s essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to remain in a stationary position for long periods while operating a computer, participating in meetings and communicating on a telephone or in person. Must be able to lift 25-50 lbs. Some nights and weekend events required.

PAY:

$25 per hour - pay to commensurate with experience

BENEFITS:

Benefits package includes:

• vacation/sick leave
• 12 paid holidays
• medical/dental/vision insurance
• short/long term disability, life insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• 403(b) retirement plan plus up to 5% matching after one year
• store discount

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, genetic information, or the use of a trained guide dog or service animal by a disabled person.  A background check will be conducted before hire.

Salary : $25