Housing Counselor II

Northern Virginia Family Service (NVFS) is the provider for the Emergency Solutions Grant, an integral component of the Fairfax County’s Housing Blueprint. NVFS works in partnership with other Fairfax nonprofit organizations including, FACETS, Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services, New Hope Housing, Corner Stones Virginia, Shelter House and Volunteers of America – Chesapeake. Services offered will focus on populations of greatest housing need in the county.

The Housing Counselor II will provide assistance in building client self-sufficiency around family systems, housing, budgeting, employment, educational training, health, and other human services, with an emphasis on long-term economic and housing stability in keeping with the Housing 1st goals. The Housing Counselor II could be assigned to residential or community based clients through the Northern Virginia region.

Job responsibilities will include:

  • Conduct comprehensive initial screening process to determine eligibility for program services, providing assessment, intake and enrollment where appropriate.
  • Manage a caseload of specific clients including developing Service Goal Plan, budgeting, and monitoring of client’s compliance with program rules.
  • Conduct and document client meetings to monitor progress.
  • Conduct phone follow-up after completion of the program.
  • Conduct outreach and establish network of community resources and services.
  • Make referrals to other services as needed and work with other community providers to provide collaborative services to clients.
  • Conduct unit inspections to ensure compliance with safety and federal/funder regulations.
  • Conduct and document home visits to document progress and ensure that clients still meet program guidelines and eligibility.
  • Process re-certifications as per funder’s requirements.
  • Outreach to landlords for mediation, negotiation, and tenant relations.
  • Monitor direct assistance that can be used for financial support, rent, utility, and security deposit payments.
  • Compile and prepare appropriate tenant/landlord contracts and landlord check request payments to ensure timely delivery.

Education and experience required:

  • Must have one of the following:
    • Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from an accredited college or university with one (1) year of case management experience OR
    • Associate’s degree with at least two (2) years related work experience.
  • Housing Counselor Certification a plus
  • Bilingual in English and Spanish, Farsi, Urdu, or American Sign Language preferred
  • Ability to work a flexible work schedule to meet client needs
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
  • Successful completion of background checks is required upon hire

This description is intended to describe the essential job functions and requirements for the performance of this job. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and requirements of a person so classified.