Housing Manager

Job Title: Housing Manager

Reports to: Director of Housing

Type: Full Time

Category: Tier 6

Background on UTEC, INC.:

UTEC’s promise is to ignite and nurture the ambition of our most disengaged youth to trade violence and poverty for social and economic success. UTEC’s outcomes-focused model begins with intensive street outreach, reaching proven high-risk youth where they’re at. UTEC engages youth in workforce development and educational programs and provides mental health services and intensive case management. Social justice and civic engagement are embedded in all programming. For more info, please visit www.utecinc.org.

UTEC is committed to its vision for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion which pledges to honor the lived experiences and expertise of individuals; create community and celebration of cultures; challenge all forms of oppression; and embody a culture that leans into discomfort and recognizes it as a growth opportunity. UTEC is dedicated to fair and equitable compensation practice, the health, mental health, and overall well-being of young adults and staff and to creating an environment that supports work-life balance and the individual and professional growth of all.

Job Summary

The Housing Manager will focus on assisting young adults in the housing procurement process, serving as their advocate, helping them collect and process housing paperwork, and working with young adults to review and determine eligibility for the housing program. They will work with the Director of Housing and other program leaders to identify resources and technical skills needed for young adults to maintain good standing and a path toward long-term, stable, safe housing.

The Housing Manager will report to the Director of Housing.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Provide assistance and advocacy for young adults completing housing applications.
• Conduct housing interviews with each young adult who submits an application.
• Work with the Housing Committee and Director of Housing to determine who is eligible for housing units.
• Accompany young adults as they view rooms or apartments as needed.
• Maintain young adult files to include completed assessments, re-housing plans, referrals made, and services accessed.
• Perform annual income renewal meetings with young adults through phone calls, email, and/or face-to-face meetings.
• Engage all young adults continuously to support needs that may arise.
• Enhance support services for residents by building and maintaining relationships with community organizations, social services, and local stakeholders.
• Organize and facilitate community events, workshops, and activities that promote engagement and personal development.
• Conduct home visits to the young adults in their housing units on a weekly basis.
• Conduct regular inspections of properties and manage any necessary repairs or improvements.
• Coordinate with landlord/facilities team and vendors to address issues promptly.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for young adults, addressing their needs, concerns, and complaints.
• Ability to be on call for young adults if an emergency arises after work hours.
• Develop and implement workshop programming to support young adults' personal growth and independent living skills.
• Provide guidance and resources related to financial literacy, career development, and educational opportunities.
• Manage lease agreements, including renewals and terminations, ensuring compliance with all legal and organizational policies.
• Maintain accurate records of young adult information, lease agreements, and maintenance requests.
• Work with the Director of Housing to prepare and manage budgets for housing operations, including expense tracking and reporting.
• Respond to emergencies and crises involving young adults, coordinate with relevant services, and ensure appropriate follow-up.
• Implement strategies to prevent and address conflict or problematic behavior within the housing community.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant housing regulations, standards of accountability, safety standards, and organizational policies.
• Prepare regular reports on housing operations, resident outcomes, and program effectiveness.
• Conduct a housing barriers assessment with each young adult and work with the young adult and transitional coach team to develop and carry out a plan.
• Help young adults to obtain all necessary documentation and complete paperwork for housing-related applications.
• Evaluate need and process requests for young adult assistance funds such as first, last, security deposit, furniture, linens, etc.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Skills/Abilities

• 2-3 years of property management/leasing office experience and/or case management work
• Knowledge of affordable housing programs
• Excellent organizational and project management skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines while consistently maintaining high-quality work
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to work independently
• A current driver’s license and/or access to reliable transportation is required to visit scattered sites across the Merrimack Valley
• Strong computer skills with Google Suite
• Participate as a member of the UTEC team; attend all required meetings

A strong candidate will demonstrate many of the following qualifications:

• Ability to have difficult conversations to hold others accountable and encourage and support them to success
• Expertise in rental assistance programs and/or experience in housing case management or related fields
• Experience in social work, housing advocacy, human services, or related fields
• Direct experience working with low-income young adults and justice-involved young adults
• Ability to interact positively and effectively with people from different backgrounds, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status
• Demonstrated ability to manage time, work effectively in a team, prioritize appropriately among multiple competing demands, and solve problems
• Flexible and willing to adapt as circumstances require

Salary/Benefits: $60,000 plus benefits. UTEC offers a competitive benefits package that starts with 4 weeks of vacation (3 standard for all new employees and a week of agency-wide wellness closure between the Christmas and New Year holidays), 12 holidays, 10 sick days, 2 personal days, and health, dental and vision insurance. We also offer life insurance, first time homeowners support, an annual cost of living increase, a 401-K retirement plan, a $1,200- $1,800 annual wellness fund, and professional development support. With time, benefits grow to include up to 6 weeks of vacation, 80% coverage of employee health and dental insurance costs and availability for a 3 week sabbatical.

UTEC also stresses the importance of work-life balance and offers several wellness opportunities including additional time off (i.e. for the past two years we have closed at 3pm on Fridays during the summer months), an employee assistance program, down payment assistance for first time home buyers, parental leave, bereavement supports and unlimited free coffee! See more about our benefits here.

UTEC provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, UTEC complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.