Housing Specialist - 2024072

ORGANIZATION SUMMARY:World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization that is fighting for change that lasts, right here in the U.S. and across the globe. We bring sustainable solutions to the world’s greatest problems – disasters, extreme poverty, violence, oppression, and mass displacement. The organization is approximately 75 years old and has worked in over 100 countries around the world since its founding.  In the United States, we come alongside local churches, community organizations and hundreds of individual volunteers to support newly arriving refugee and other immigrant families. Today, we are proud to partner with over 6,000 local churches, and 95,000 volunteers globally to bring hope, healing and transformation to the most vulnerable.
POSITION SUMMARY:Are you a person of compassion? An advocate for justice? Someone who stands up for the rights of the vulnerable and speaks out for the marginalized, the exploited and the forgotten?  Do you believe in our calling as Christians to welcome the least of these and love our neighbor?
If you answered ‘yes’, to any of the above, World Relief, and millions of people around the world need you.
World Relief seeks a Housing Specialist. The Housing Specialist position has the primary responsibility of developing relationships with property owners and landlords to secure safe and affordable permanent housing for recently arrived refugees. This position will work closely with case managers to identify housing needs and may involve regular travel throughout the Chicago suburbs. This position requires a highly motivated and organized individual who is adept at building relationships, multi-tasking, and utilizing a tracking system to keep up-to-date and accurate records.

Role & Responsibilities

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


• Research fair market housing rates and trends and identify rental properties and apartments through online research, phone calls, community connections, and in-the-field research
• Conduct ongoing outreach to develop, build, and maintain relationships with property owners, private market landlords, and property management companies
• Ensure housing meets federal and local housing standards, including completing site visit and evaluation of each unit
• Interpret and apply housing codes and standards, landlord regulations, and program guidelines
• Coordinate with US-based relatives when securing housing for incoming refugee cases
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date records and documentation, including updating a CRM with hot, warm, and cold housing leads and documenting services to clients
• Negotiate lease terms with landlords, when required, and assist newly arrived refugee cases to understand and sign lease and/or housing agreement
• Once housing is secured, collaborate with WR Finance staff to secure security deposit and rent payment, and collaborate with other WR staff on a move-in date, utility hook-up, and furniture set-up
• When necessary, provide initial housing orientation to newly arrived refugee cases
• Assist with housing-related case management tasks or other housing support, as needed

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Experience in sales, fundraising, marketing, or related field strongly preferred
• Willingness and ability to continually sell the mission and work of WR to property owners
• Learning orientation: eager for both personal and professional growth, especially within sales
• Strategic orientation toward sales: able to shape and execute plans to reach goals
• Ability to develop a thorough knowledge of World Relief programs through reading reports, conversing with staff, attending team meetings, etc., and use this knowledge to shape a solid sales pitch
• Well organized, with an ability to manage concurrent deadlines and priorities and meet deadlines
• A love for and commitment to people who are marginalized, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or culture, and a desire to see people flourish

Requirements

• Mature and personal Christian faith
• Committed to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief
• Desire to serve and empower the Church to impact vulnerable communities
• Able to affirm and/or acknowledge World Reliefs Core Beliefs, Statement of Faith, Christian Identity and National Evangelicals For the Health of The Nation document
• Extremely self-motivated, excellent problem-solver, with proac