Lead Residential Counselor

Lead Residential Counselor

ABOUT US

Founded in 1991, Hope Solutions, formerly Contra Costa Interfaith Housing, is a vibrant and socially responsive non-profit agency that provides permanent housing and vital support services to over 2,000 homeless or at-risk families and individuals in Contra Costa County. Over 40 faith-based communities support our work, although there are no religious requirements or affiliations to receive services.

Are you seeking a new role that fully utilizes your talents and potential—while helping to make the world a better place? If so, please read on!

What are you passionate about?

At Hope Solutions—we envision a world in which everyone has a place to call home and the support of a strong community so that they can live with dignity and reach their full potential. We strive to be inclusive and responsive to community needs. We are committed to excellence and accomplish our work with integrity, respect, compassion, and humility.

Hope Solution's mission is to heal the effects of poverty and homelessness by providing permanent housing and vital support services to highly vulnerable families and individuals.

Could our mission be your mission?

Learn more about us @ hopesolutions.org

TEAM SNAPSHOT

We're adding to our team of passionate folks—who are on a mission to help make the lives of others better—through services and support that lead to a higher quality of life for our clients.

We'd like to learn more about you—apply for the role! What's our team like?

Here's a snapshot of some of the folks at Hope Solutions who help advance our vision to achieve—secure housing and the dignity of self-sufficiency for the homeless and at-risk families and individuals in Contra Costa County.

A FEW OF US...

Deanne—Chief Executive Officer—Resides with her husband and three children. Enjoys hiking, camping, reading, cooking, and cheering at her kids' games.

Alex—Chief Operating Officer—Lives with his wife, son, and dog (and loves when the grandkids visit!). MSW and macro social worker who enjoys reading, baseball (Go Giants!), cooking, hiking, jazz, and family time.

Christina—Chief Financial Officer—Resides with her husband, son, two daughters, and their dog. MPA, Non-Profit Graduate Certificate, and 20+ years in finance; enjoys traveling and family time.

Beth—Director of Clinical and Support Services—Resides with her sister and son. Licensed psychologist with 30+ years working with children and families; enjoys singing, cooking, gardening, and traveling.

Bill—Vice President of Programs—Resides with his partner. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with 25+ years’ experience working with underserved populations, specialized training in somatic psychotherapy and end-of-life care; enjoys reading, gardening, and meditation.

Cayla—Director of Evaluation & Learning —Resides with her husband and children. MBA in Business Analytics that thrives on spreadsheet analysis, dashboard creation, and reading.

Debbie—Director of Development & External Relations—Resides with her husband, two teenagers, and a rescue mutt. Leads external relations and development with 20+ years in marketing and communications.

Dominick—Director of Re-Entry Housing & Services—A fourth-generation San Francisco native and father of four, holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice and an M.A. in Leadership. In his free time, he enjoys music, travel, nature, cooking, and quarterly wine trips.

Gessika—Director of Properties & Support Services—A Bay Area native and former frontline social worker, Gessika leads housing and support programs that promote long-term stability by addressing mental health, housing access, and systemic injustice. She brings over 15 years of nonprofit leadership and clinical social work experience, with expertise in trauma-informed care, program development, and advocating for frontline staff.

Kristina—Director of Human Resources—Resides with her spouse, child, and French Bulldogs. 20+ years in leadership, operations, and people management; Bachelor's in Business Administration, SHRM-SCP certified; enjoys family time, lifting weights, indoor cycling, hiking, and laughter.

Mashal—Director of Housing & Support Services—Resides in the Bay Area. Daughter of Afghan refugees; enjoys weekends with her son, concerts, reading, and Sonoma Coast drives; former Program Manager for housing and care for chronically homeless adults with AIDS/HIV; co-chair for Hope Solutions' CARE Committee and board member.

Tanya—Director of Rapid Re-Housing & Navigation—Resides with her husband, daughter, and two sons. Master's in Counseling Psychology with 15+ years serving underserved populations; enjoys music, comedy, movies, exercising, and basketball.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

The Lead Residential Counselor provides day-to-day coordination of transitional housing operations and oversight of the Residential Counselor team serving Transitional Aged Youth (TAY) at Hope Solutions. This role ensures the creation and maintenance of a safe, supportive, and developmentally appropriate living environment for youth ages 18–25 who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

Working onsite, the Lead Residential Counselor models trauma-informed, strength-based, and culturally responsive care while supervising staff, managing crises, and supporting the emotional and behavioral needs of residents.

In collaboration with Case Managers, Residential Counselors, and community providers, the Lead Residential Counselor reinforces individualized service plans that help youth stabilize, build life skills, and progress toward long-term housing and self-defined goals. This position plays a critical leadership role in maintaining a safe, organized and habitable environment while also ensuring program consistency across shifts, supporting staff performance, and fostering a positive and empowering environment where young people feel respected, seen, and supported as they navigate this pivotal stage of life.

Supervisory Responsibility: None

WHAT WILL YOU DO:

Lead Role:

• Be a point of contact for any resident or staff concerns.
• Ensure monthly scheduling of all Residential Counselor shifts.
• Hold responsibility for filling shifts when staff call out and support Residential Counselor team to adhere to procedures for requesting/documenting time off.
• Ensure Residential Counselor documentation is completed in a timely manner (including but not limited to log entries, incident reports, and shift change inspections).
• Ensure all residents are entered in the database system, and that current resident list is updated on an as needed basis.
• Provide staff training on Residential Counselor responsibilities and data systems.

Consumer Support:

• Foster an inclusive and culturally responsive environment that affirms the diverse backgrounds, identities, and experiences of Transitional Aged Youth (TAY), integrating trauma-informed and equity-based practices into daily shelter operations.
• Maintain consistent, supportive engagement with youth residents by building trust-based relationships, conducting regular check-ins, and ensuring emotional and behavioral needs are met through compassionate presence and guidance.
• Provide oversight and mentorship to Residential Counselors, ensuring alignment with shelter protocols, participant-centered practices, and the developmental needs of young adults navigating housing instability.
• Collaborate with youth to support individualized service goals, encourage self-advocacy and life skill development, and reinforce progress toward personal stability and long-term housing readiness.
• Support case management efforts by assisting youth with budgeting, daily living skills, benefits navigation, appointment accompaniment, and other activities that promote independence and housing stability.
• Respond to mental health and behavioral needs with de-escalation strategies, crisis intervention, and supportive conversations, collaborating with clinical staff and external partners as needed.
• Coordinate linkages to medical, mental health, substance use recovery, educational, vocational, legal, and other community-based services aligned with each youth’s goals and needs.
• Work collaboratively with Case Managers and community partners to address barriers to stability, including landlord/tenant relationships, conflict resolution, lease compliance, and preparation for permanent housing transitions.
• Ensure accurate and timely documentation of resident interactions, critical incidents, and service coordination, maintain confidentiality and compliance with program policies and regulations.
• Participate in shelter team meetings, trainings, and reflective supervision to promote ongoing professional growth, team cohesion, and alignment with Hope Solutions’ mission and core values.
• Report maintenance needs immediately to landlord. Facilitate vendor access to ensure maintenance needs addressed quickly.

Cultural Responsiveness:

• Awareness of and aptitude to understand, respect, and adapt to cultural and identity-based differences within group environments appropriately and effectively.
• Experience fostering and reinforcing an environment that values unique experiences, cultures, personal humility, authenticity, backgrounds, and goals.
• Participate in and complete our new employee onboarding process, which includes reading and discussing a short chapter in the book, The Color of Law.

Organizational/Administrative Responsibilities:

• Professionally represent Hope Solutions in all circumstances.
• Comply with all legal/ethical professional guidelines for maintaining consumer confidentiality, adhering to HIPAA guidelines, protecting consumer rights, advocating on consumers’ behalf, and assuring consumer safety.
• Comply with all local, state, and federal regulations and Hope Solutions policies and procedures.
• Complete required administrative paperwork and reports in a timely and accurate manner.
• Attend all required meetings, including but not limited to Hope Solutions staff meetings, team meetings, consumer case conferences, and linkage meetings with other agencies.
• Complete required personnel-related paperwork and complete expenditure reports for food supplies, petty cash expenses, and/or mileage in a timely and accurate manner.
• Document all services provided in a timely manner.
• Assist with data generation for reports and funding applications as needed.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
• On-call, after-hours, and backup work may be required.

Position Qualifications:

• Knowledge of and belief in “Housing First” philosophy and strategies.
• Passion for and demonstrated experience successfully supporting vulnerable populations, especially homeless clients with mental disabilities.
• BA degree in social work or related field; equivalent experience will be considered.
• Minimum of two years’ experience in the human service field, preferably with housing retention barriers such as substance abuse, mental health, and/or income challenges.
• Bi-lingual in English/Spanish preferred.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Computer proficiency in the use of Microsoft and database applications.
• Must have an operational vehicle, auto insurance, valid California driver’s license, and be willing to drive for work.
• Must pass LiveScan screening and TB test.
• Salary contingent upon skill and experience.

Physical Qualifications:

• The person in this position may make home visits to consumers who live on second or third-floor apartments (without elevators) and will need to be able to climb stairs.
• May accompany consumers on walks to local resources (grocery store, childcare, parks) up to ½ mile in distance.
• Must be able to work in a desk setting for up to 3 hours at a time to make calls to consumers, research resources on the internet, and collaborate with community providers with calls/emails.
• Office setting activities are required, such as typing on a laptop/computer to respond to emails, entering case notes into a database, and copying/faxing forms and documents on a copy machine related to maintaining or obtaining housing.
• Occasionally must be able to lift and carry objects weighing up to 25 pounds, including furnishings for new residents, files, holiday gifts, and food donations.
• Ability to drive an automobile and transport oneself and consumers to appointments or meet at consumer homes, including driving at night.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Flexible, dynamic work environment.
• 100% premium paid for employee Kaiser health and dental care.
• Matched 403b retirement savings.
• 11 paid holidays, plus 3 floating holidays.
• Ability to accrue 2-4 weeks' vacation depending on tenure.
• Life insurance and Employee Assistance Program.

We are an equal-opportunity employer. If you're a good fit, we want to meet you!

• Please be advised that we are unable to provide sponsorship for this position. The nature of the work at Hope Solutions does not qualify us to support sponsorship. Only candidates authorized to work in the USA without the need for sponsorship will be considered.