Transitional Housing (TH) Advocate

Location: On-site/Remote Hybrid at confidential address in San Francisco

Compensation: Full time. Anticipated rate $28 per hour. Pay rate will be determined in part depending on years of experience related to essential duties and responsibilities. Generous health benefits and vacation package, including medical, dental, vision, and alternative healthcare coverage, generous vacation and sick leave, a 403(b) plan/retirement account, commuter transit benefits, and more.

Date Posted:

Application Deadline: Open Until Filled

Summary

The Transitional Housing Advocate is responsible for survivor centered advocacy, empowerment and case management for survivors of domestic violence during their transition from domestic violence shelter into stable independent housing. The role involves DV advocacy, housing location assistance (identifying and securing appropriate housing for survivors), housing stabilization, economic empowerment (identifying and supporting financial literacy, income building, skills building and job searching), and teamwork with other advocates and entities.

Organization Description

Founded in 1988 and voted the Most Inspiring Nonprofit by SF Weekly’s Best of San Francisco in 2019, Asian Women’s Shelter (AWS) is a dynamic non-profit organization dedicated to ending domestic violence by promoting the social, political and economic self-determination of women and all survivors of violence and oppression. Our staff is passionate, supportive, mission-driven, and committed to teamwork and positive change to strengthen grassroots communities and the movement to end gender-based violence. AWS is a local, regional, and national leader in its field, known for its commitment to cultural responsiveness, multilingual engagement, shared leadership, building effective collaborations, and movement-based services and cultural change programs. We value equity, gender justice, language and cultural responsiveness, integrity, compassion and sustainability. Our approach is survivor-centered, trauma-informed, intersectional, margin-to-center, ethically collaborative, and committed to movement-building. Learn more about the Asian Women’s Shelter at www.sfaws.org.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Collaboration (15%)

• Partner with advocates on AWS Transitional Housing and Shelter Teams to identify and support survivors eligible for AWS Transitional Housing Program.
• Coordinate with AWS Shelter Team to ensure seamless case management and continuity of care before and after survivors transition out of emergency shelter into AWS’s Transitional Housing Program.
• Maintain active collaboration with subcontracted partners involved in AWS Transitional Housing Program.
• Build and sustain strong relationships with key community stakeholders—such as landlords, property managers, partner agencies, local business owners, and hiring managers—to support survivor’s stability and growth.
• Support AWS Transitional Housing Team’s efforts to expand housing access by recruiting and retaining landlord partners.

Case Management - General (30%)

• Develop trusting relationships and provide emotional support and advocacy to survivors residing in AWS emergency shelter and Transitional Housing Program.
• Create individualized case plans in partnership with survivors, tailored to their specific goals and needs.
• Provide ongoing case management and support throughout survivors’ participation in the program and for three months after rental assistance ends.
• Connect survivors with other internal and external resources as needed.
• Ensure access to language services through AWS’s Multilingual Access Model (MLAM) or alternative resources as needed.
• Maintain accurate, timely case documentation and meet all recordkeeping requirements.
• Participate in regular Transitional Housing and Shelter team meetings, clinical consultations, and relevant team discussions.
• Offer transportation and accompany clients to key appointments when appropriate.

Case Management – Housing Specific (30%)

• Co-create housing stability plans with clients enrolled in the Transitional Housing Program.
• Support survivors in locating available housing, navigating application and leasing processes, addressing potential barriers, and completing VAWA-compliant lease addenda.
• Ensure survivors to understand landlord-tenant rights, lease terms, and rental responsibilities.
• Arrange and accompany clients on housing site visits; maintain clear communication and documentation with landlords and property managers.
• Administer rental assistance in compliance with AWS procedures and any relevant program requirements.
• Assist survivors with preparing for, moving into, and maintaining their housing.

Case Management – Financial Literacy and Economic Empowerment (15%)

• Help survivors set and achieve financial literacy and economic stability goals by connecting them to budgeting tools, banking services, and money management resources.
• Collaborate with fellow advocates to plan and deliver financial literacy and empowerment workshops.
• Work jointly with team members to build and maintain a network of employment and job training opportunities for clients.

General Shelter Support & Program Development (10%)

• Foster a welcoming and inclusive environment for all shelter residents and clients.
• Actively participate in team meetings, retreats, professional development sessions, and broader programmatic or organizational planning efforts.
• Maintain reliable attendance and consistent engagement in day-to-day responsibilities.
• Support organization-wide initiatives as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and/or Experience: Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from four-year college or university; or one to two years related education, experience and/or training related to Social Work, Gender Studies, Sociology, Ethnic Studies, Psychology, Public Health, or related field.Baseline knowledge and awareness of issues related to cultural marginalization, poverty, housing, economic inequity, issues related to immigration and language access, gender oppression, etc. Experience building collaborations with other service providers preferred. Experience in project coordination, establishing priorities, time management, and effective verbal and written communication preferred.

Language Skills: Ability to read, write and interpret documents such as program reports, procedure manuals and curricula and outreach materials. Ability to write routine reports, and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of employees or program participants of the organization. Bilingual/bicultural preferred.

Mathematical Skills: Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in 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 solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Computer Skills: To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of and ability to perform using Internet software (Chrome, Safari), MacOS (Apple operating system), Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), Google Suite (Gmail, Google Calendar, Docs, etc.), eSignature tools (Adobe Acrobat, DocuSign), accounting and expense/budget management software (QuickBooks, Divvy), online payroll service (ADP), databases (Apricot), and remote collaboration tools (Basecamp, Zoom, TeamViewer, Dropbox, etc.). Knowledge of basic office equipment should include internet and email, copy and fax machines, telephone and smartphone.

Certificates, Licenses, Registration:

• A valid California driver’s license and safe driving record sufficient to insurance companies’ standards are required for any driving for work duties.
• California Domestic Violence Counselor Training & Certification (Training requirements can be completed post-hire through AWS’s training program).

Other Qualifications

• Must be available to work occasional evenings and weekend days.

Physical Requirements

• The work environment includes settings of an office and shelter/communal living environment, and community meeting spaces. The noise level in these settings is usually noisy.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk and hear.
• This position engages in work that requires time spent sitting, standing, walking up and down stairs, with a significant number of hours each day spent sitting, looking at a screen, using a computer and keyboard, phone, and/or video conferencing.
• The work of the organization includes frequent information-sharing and discussion not just about healing and support, but also about abuse, trauma, violence and systemic oppression. Must be comfortable engaging in conversation about these topics with others. Must be able to discuss these topics in a way that supports trust-building, effective communication, and teamwork.