We're Hiring: Coordinated Entry Outreach Specialist

CHATTANOOGA REGIONAL HOMELESS COALITION

Coordinated Entry Outreach Specialist

Full-time (37.5 hours/week)  |  $60,000 annually  |  Chattanooga / Hamilton County

About the Role

The Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition (CRHC) is looking for a Coordinated Entry Outreach Specialist to join our Systems Coordination Team. This role requires a combination of people, problem-solving, and systems work. You will help keep Coordinated Entry moving while also working directly with people experiencing homelessness as they work toward housing.

We are looking for someone who can build relationships, stay organized, work through problems, and collaborate with a wide range of people. You do not need to come in knowing every detail of our Coordinated Entry System. We are interested in someone who can learn the system, understand how the pieces connect, and help make it work better for both clients and community partners.

The Specialist will also be part of a new CRHC effort focused on engaging a small number of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness and helping them move toward housing. This means the right person will be comfortable moving between direct client engagement and behind-the-scenes coordination, data, and follow-up.

What You'll Do

Your work will vary from day to day, but will generally include:

• Help coordinate the day-to-day work of the Coordinated Entry System, including referrals, case conferencing, partner communication, and follow-up.

• Build relationships with people experiencing homelessness, including people living unsheltered, and help them stay engaged as they work toward housing.

• Work alongside housing navigation staff and community partners to help clients address barriers, gather needed documentation, and connect with housing opportunities.

• Use HMIS, the By Name List, and other tools to keep information accurate, current, and useful for decision-making.

• Provide guidance, support, and technical assistance to partner agencies participating in Coordinated Entry.

• Coordinate with housing providers, housing authorities, and other community partners around referrals, vouchers, and housing processes.

• Notice when a workflow or process is not working well, help solve routine problems, and bring forward larger issues or ideas for improvement.

• Support reporting, documentation, and other system responsibilities that help CRHC and the Continuum of Care understand how Coordinated Entry is working.

Who We're Looking For

There is not one perfect background for this role. A strong candidate may come from homelessness services, housing, case management, HMIS or data work, nonprofit operations, community outreach, systems coordination, or another related field. 

You may be a good fit if you:

• Are comfortable working directly with people who may be experiencing significant barriers or instability and can approach that work with empathy, respect, and persistence.

• Are organized and dependable, and can keep track of multiple people, referrals, deadlines, and follow-up items without losing sight of the bigger picture.

• Enjoy solving problems and improving processes rather than simply following a checklist.

• Can learn and use databases and technology confidently, even if you have not used our specific systems before.

• Communicate well with different audiences, from clients and case managers to housing providers and community partners.

• Can work independently on day-to-day responsibilities while knowing when to ask questions or involve others.

• Value accurate data, confidentiality, collaboration, and Housing First, person-centered approaches.

Experience That Could Help

Experience in any of the following areas would be helpful, but we do not expect one candidate to bring all of them:

• Homelessness services, housing programs, outreach, case management, or housing navigation

• Coordinated Entry, Continuum of Care programs, HMIS, or By Name List work

• Facilitating meetings, case conferencing, training, or cross-agency collaboration

• Housing referrals, voucher programs, or working with housing authorities and providers

• Data quality, databases, reporting, or process improvement

• Work involving rural communities or regional partnerships

• Bilingual or multilingual communication relevant to the communities we serve

A bachelor's degree in social work, human services, public administration, nonprofit management, or a related field is helpful, but relevant experience may substitute for formal education. We are generally looking for someone with at least two years of relevant professional experience.

Work Location and Schedule

This is a full-time, 37.5-hour-per-week position reporting to the Director of Operations. The position serves the 11-county TN-500 region, which includes urban, suburban, and rural communities, and includes a combination of office-based work, community-based work, and regular field outreach. Outreach may take place in shelters, community locations, and outdoor areas where people experiencing unsheltered homelessness are staying. Candidates should be comfortable working outdoors and navigating a variety of terrain and environmental conditions, including uneven ground, hills, wooded areas, and varying weather conditions. Appropriate safety practices and team protocols will be followed during outreach activities. Regular outreach will occur within Hamilton County, with travel and outreach throughout the broader 11-county region as needed. The general schedule is 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with occasional flexibility for meetings, trainings, outreach, or community events. Because the geography and accessibility of outreach locations can vary significantly, employees must have reliable access to transportation necessary to fulfill the travel requirements of the position.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Salary

The salary for this position is $60,000 annually. 

To Apply

Please send your resume to jbroderick@homelesscoalition.org. Instead of a traditional cover letter, please submit a Word document or PDF answering the three questions below. Please keep each response to 200 words or fewer.

You do not need perfect technical knowledge or familiarity with every detail of Coordinated Entry. We are most interested in how you think, how you approach problems, and what you would bring to the work.

1. In your own words, what is a Coordinated Entry System, and why is it important in helping people experiencing homelessness?

2. Describe a challenge you have faced - or could imagine facing - in improving a system or process that involves multiple people or organizations. How would you approach resolving it?

3. Describe your interest in working on a new pilot program to help a small number (5-10) of unsheltered older households move into housing. What strengths would you bring, and what challenges do you anticipate?

Our Commitment to an Inclusive Hiring Process

You do not need to meet every item listed above to be considered. Strong candidates bring relevant experience through many different paths, and we do not want a highly specific list of qualifications to discourage someone who could be excellent in this role. If the work interests you and you believe your skills and experience could translate well, we encourage you to apply.

Chattanooga Regional Homeless Coalition is an equal employment opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in our workplace. We provide equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to any status protected by law.