5A91
SHELTER SERVICES ADMINISTRATOR

This is administrative social work directing and monitoring housing and sheltering service operations for homeless persons in the city or directing an emergency housing and relocation services program. The employee in this class directs, through subordinate supervisors, both direct and contracted social case management and support services activities coordinating the placement of homeless persons into shelters, public housing and private homes and directs subordinate supervisors in monitoring shelter providers to ensure the safety and welfare of homeless clients and compliance with relevant standards and funding requirements. The employee may also direct, through subordinate supervisors, emergency placement of homeless persons and adults, handicapped persons, and families and individuals with specialized housing needs in City shelters, public housing and private homes.

Work includes coordinating emergency relocating of clients, reviewing and determining appropriate placement methods and procedures, and counseling and referral services to be provided to clients. Contact with clients, public and private housing authorities, contracted service providers and City agencies and departments is a significant aspect of the work. Work is performed under the direction of a higher-level administrator.

• The position must be responsible for directing, through subordinate supervisors and contracted agencies, the placement of homeless clients into shelters, public housing and private homes.
• The position must be located in the City's agency responsible for providing shelter services to homeless persons.

• Directs, through subordinate supervisors, the activities of multiple service units in the placement of homeless clients into shelters, public housing, and private homes and the monitoring and evaluation of contracted housing programs for compliance with relevant standards and requirements; establishes goals and objectives for subordinate units; ensures section operations are in conformance with departmental and divisional overall policy and mission; confers with subordinates on planning major section initiatives and to keep up-to-date on subordinate activities; establishes section priorities; evaluates administrative and managerial problems within the section; develops corrective solutions and instructs subordinates to implement such initiatives; evaluates the utilization of staff resources.
• Manages contracted case management and support services activities; meets with supervisors of contracted agencies to discuss any issues or problems encountered; issues directives to contracted providers on specific cases; reviews contracted performance; approves payment for contracted services; monitors, through subordinate supervisors, contracted services performed for emergency shelter services, transitional housing and shelter support services; maintains frequent contact with contracted provider agencies to discuss any critical issues; reviews reports on contract provider performance; serves on selection committees to review contractors' proposals for service; recommends selection of potential service providers.
• Serves on executive committee composed of high-level agency administrators and managers to establish comprehensive social service goals and objectives and to formulate various policies and procedures; evaluates annual budgetary needs of the section; reviews current resources with projected needs to develop requested budget; presents recommended budget with the executive committee; evaluates the need for contracted services for particular types of social services; may participate in developing requests for proposals for contracted services; receives information on newly promulgated or revised laws affecting section operations; reviews legal mandates and evaluates their impact on section operations; implements changes to operations in response to legal requirements.
• May direct emergency placement of homeless persons and adults, handicapped persons, and families and individuals displaced by governmental action due to structural defects, chemical contamination, and fire disaster in their homes, and domestic violence and eviction notices; analyzes and evaluates client placement needs; develops appropriate methods and procedures for collecting and verifying client information; reviews client placement needs in light of existing placement methods and procedures, and community needs and resources; determines appropriate placement practices and procedures, and counseling and referral services for suitable clients.
• Performs related work as required.

KNOWLEDGE OF:
• the principles, practices and techniques of social work, particularly as it applies to housing and shelter service operations for homeless persons.
• the legal provisions and regulations applicable to the delivery of housing and shelter services to homeless persons.
• the literature and current developments in the field of social services as it applies to housing and shelter service operations for homeless persons.
• the functions and resources of public and private social service agencies in the delivery of housing and shelter service operations for homeless persons.
• behavioral science concepts and principles.
• the principles and practices of administrative organization and management, and their application to the resolution of a variety of operational and administrative problems.
• the principles and practices involved in contract management.
• the principles and practices involved in preparing request for proposals for contracted services.
ABILITY TO:
• plan, organize, and coordinate the activities of a major social service program.
• apply behavioral science concepts and principles in directing the operations of a major social service program.
• effect sound management practices in the administration of a social service program.
• evaluate program quality and effectiveness.
• analyze and resolve complex social work situations, and make sound recommendations consistent with social work principles and departmental policies.
• exercise judgement and discretion in applying and interpreting policies and procedures consistent with overall program policy and objectives.
• interpret and explain program function, goals, and objectives.
• establish and maintain effective working relationships with representatives of private and public agencies, the judiciary, civic groups, associates and the general public.
• present ideas effectively, both orally and in writing.

EDUCATION
• Completion of a master's degree program at an accredited college or university with major course work in social work, psychology, educational counseling or a related field.
AND
GENERAL EXPERIENCE
• Four years of administrative analysis, program monitoring, or social work experience, two years of which has been at the full performance level.
AND
SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE
• Two years of experience supervising social workers or social service program analysts engaged in either the provision of shelter services for homeless persons; the monitoring and evaluation of contracted shelter providers of homeless persons to ensure compliance to relevant standards and requirements; or performing a variety of counseling, referral, placement and/or adoptive functions.

OR

Any equivalent combination of education and experience determined to be acceptable by the Personnel Department that has included the education and the specific experience described above.

PHYSICAL AND MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to physically perform the duties and to work in the environmental conditions required of a position in this class.