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 interested in helping refugees and immigrants find safe and affordable housing? Do you have a passion for working with people and enjoy real estate? Are you looking for a position where you can showcase your relationship building and networking skills? If so, then you might be a great fit for our team!
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 customer service, 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
- Knowledge of immigrant experience preferred
- Fluency in a second language preferred: Arabic, Burmese, Russian, Ukrainian, Swahili, French, Spanish, Pashto, or Dari
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
- A heart for serving vulnerable people
- Extremely self-motivated, excellent problem-solver, with proactive approach to work
- Demonstrated ability to effectively listen and respond to others with diplomacy in potentially stressful situations
- Strong organization and documentation skills are imperative
- Exceptional verbal, interpersonal, and relationship-building skills required
- Competency in using IT systems including MS Word, Excel, Outlook, and other digital tools and the internet
- Valid driver’s license, clean driving record, and auto insurance required
World Relief offers a competitive benefits package (25 hours + per week):
- Medical, Dental, Vision
- Offer 16 company Paid Holidays + 4 additional Personal days per year!
- Paid Sick and Vacation Time
- Paid Parental Leave (12 weeks for qualified employees)
- FSAs: Medical & Dependent Care, & Commuter Funding
- Supplemental Life Insurance (employee, spouse, and children)
- Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, and Accident insurance policies
- Legal Shield Insurance
World Relief pays 100% for eligible employees:
- Group Term Life (employee, spouse, and children)
- Long Term & Short-term Disability
- Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D)
- Long Distance Travel Insurance
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
World Relief - Retirement:
- 401K & Roth
- WR matches up to 4%, then an additional quarter percent up to 10%
- Eligibility: Full Time (40 hours per week) is eligible after 3 months of employment. Part time is eligible after 1000 hours in a year.
World Relief Discounts (Immediately Eligible):
- Verizon
- Pet Insurance through Nationwide
- Home and Auto insurance through Liberty Mutual
- Working Advantage Discount Program
- Active & Fit Gym Membership
World Relief is honored to be recognized with the Gold-level Cigna Healthy Workforce Designation for exceeding the core components of our well-being program including leadership and culture, program foundations and execution, and whole person health.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
· While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to have ordinary ambulatory skills sufficient to visit other locations
· The ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, and manipulate (lift, carry, move) light to medium weights of 10-15 pounds.
· Requires good hand-eye coordination, arm, hand and finger dexterity, including ability to grasp, and visual acuity to use a keyboard, operate equipment and read application information.
· The employee frequently is required to sit, reach with hands and arms, talk and hear.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
· General office setting. World Relief also offers hybrid and remote schedules for limited positions.
· Great lengths of time working on computer, reading from computer screen, entering information, standing at copier or fax machine, and some time on the phone or in virtual meetings may be required.
· Year-end archiving activities involve repeated lifting and bending.
· Physical, emotional and intellectual demands
· Equipment used: Employee computer (desktop or laptop), printer, and copier.
· All of the above duties and responsibilities are essential job functions subject to reasonable accommodation. All job requirements listed indicate the minimum level of knowledge, skills and/or ability deemed necessary to perform the job proficiently. This job description is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements. Individuals may be required to perform any other job-related instructions as requested by their supervisor, subject to reasonable accommodation. This position description is not all-inclusive and is always under review.
We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V.
For World Relief staff, strong commitment to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief is essential, and Christian faith is a prerequisite for employment, based upon United States federal guidelines provided in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Legal Background in the United States
World Relief is both an equal opportunity employer and a faith-based religious organization. World Relief strictly prohibits and does not tolerate unlawful discrimination against employees on the basis of person’s race, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law, which does not conflict with the protections afforded World Relief as a faith-based employer.
In addition, physical or mental limitations will not be a factor in the application of World Relief's employment policies or employee practices, except for those situations in which occupational requirement make consideration of such factors necessary.
Pursuant to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 702 (42 U.S.C. 2000e 1(a) World Relief has the right to, and does, hire only candidates who agree with World Relief’s Statement of Faith.
