Job Opening – Posted 3/2/22
Housing Counselor and Housing Center Coordinator
Office Location: Â CAT main office – St. Helens, Oregon
Position Classification:Â Non-Exempt
Position Supervises:Â None
Position Reports to:Â CAT Community Investment Director
Position Coordinates effectively with:Â CAT Community Investment Director, Fiscal Director, Community Investment Program Managers, staff of the Community Investment area, as well as our internal and external partners/funding agencies.
Salary: Program Coordinator ($21.23 – $26.36/hour)
Hours Worked: 1 FTE position with the majority of work done between 8:30-5:00. There may be occasional evening and weekend requirements for meetings or service delivery.
Position Summary:
The Housing Center Coordinator has lead responsibility for operation of the Northwest Regional Housing Center, providing highly flexible programs and services that respond to changing housing market conditions and needs of the clients. This position acts as primary contact for Housing Center clients throughout their application process, ensuring that all required documentation and process steps are completed. Position coordinates and delivers workshops and presentations, including conducting in person or providing guidance for online homebuyer education and financial literacy education. Position also provides 1 on 1 first-time homebuyer, foreclosure prevention counseling and financial coaching to help clients achieve and preserve homeownership. Position is expected to represent CAT within assigned industry networks.
Note to Applicants:
We strongly encourage you to apply, even if you do not believe you meet every one of the qualifications as described. Training is available to meet program specific requirements.
Essential Functions & Major Responsibilities:
- Act as primary client contact for Housing Center clients throughout the assistance process, from initial inquiry through file closeout, including customer advocacy for matters needing special assistance or referrals.
- Process applications including, but not limited to, collecting necessary financial, credit and title documents, and ordering various reports needed to complete application packets.
- Coordinate and ensure completion of all documentation throughout the assistance process; forward proper final documentation to client and others; preserves master files; and archives files according to CAT Record Management program.
- Accurately input and maintain data in the assigned tracking systems.
- Works with community partners and CAT’s outreach coordinator to market the programs.
- Develop training plans and workshop materials for delivery at the workshops.
- Deliver training workshops or provide guidance for online courses, currently Homebuyer and Financial Literacy education, that complies with the National Industry Standards for Counseling and Education. Evaluate the success of individual events and make appropriate modifications.
- Provide 1 on 1 Financial Coaching, Pre-Purchase Homebuyer and Foreclosure Counseling that complies with the National Industry Standards for Counseling and Education.
- Coordinate with lenders and funders to negotiate on client’s behalf to help them achieve the goals identified in their action plans (homeownership or foreclosure prevention).
- Provide follow-up documentation to others as appropriate to complete transactions.
- Maintain complete files and complete appropriate data input to ensure quality reports can be produced for CAT management and external funders.
- Plan and Execute Housing Center goals and objectives.
- Work with the Contract Coordinator-Resource Development Specialist to coordinate the preparation and submittal of reports, draw requests, grant applications and other critical communications as required by Housing Center funders and partners.
Other Duties:
- Become an expert in assigned program areas and remain current and informed about various program policies and procedures, program regulations and educational methods.
- Participate in program evaluation, design and implementation. This includes assessing the effectiveness of communication tools, evaluating the fit of products with community need, developing relationships with community agencies that may be in a position to provide additional support to customers, and generally anticipating the needs of the community and looking for opportunities where CAT could offer products and services.
- The job description may be adjusted from time-to-time to meet the needs of the Community Investment Department by modifying programmatic assignments within the Housing Center.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- College graduate or the equivalent experience in banking, real estate, finance, foreclosure counseling, first time homebuyer programs or the social service industries.
- Proficient with Microsoft Office suite of software – WORD, Excel, Access, Power Point and Outlook
- Exceptional customer service skills, ability to gather information, assess needs and identify appropriate programs to support client needs
- Excellent communication skills, orally and in writing, and the ability to work with people in distress
- Exceptional organizational skills
- Effective time management, ability to track and meet deadlines
- Ability to work independently and as a productive and positive member of a project team
- Ability to deliver existing financial education curriculum with polished presentation skills
- Have or obtain certifications needed to meet Housing Counseling and Center program funder requirements. These certifications can be achieved after hiring; must be completed within 6 months of hire date.