JOBS: Homeless Services Officer (Long Beach, CA)

HOMELESS SERVICES OFFICER

Salary 
$100,000.00 - $120,000.00 Annually
Location 
City of Long Beach, CA
Job Type
Unclassified - Full-Time, Permanent
Department
Health & Human Services - (UC)
Job Number
HE20-043
Closing
2/21/2020 4:30 PM Pacific
DESCRIPTION
The City of Long Beach, Department of Health and Human Services is seeking an experienced, dynamic, and collaborative individual with expertise to lead the City's homeless services teams and programs and who is committed to ensuring the Department is prepared for the ever-changing environment of these programs.

THE COMMUNITY:
Ideally located on the Pacific coast just south of Los Angeles and adjacent to Orange County, the City of Long Beach, California (population 470,000) is at once a Southern California seaside resort, an urban metropolis with a diverse economy, and a tapestry of small neighborhoods whose international cultures are woven into a tightly knit yet heterogeneous community.
 
Long Beach enjoys a quintessential Southern California climate that makes its abundance of cultural and recreational options appealing throughout the year. It boasts six miles of beaches and numerous beautiful parks and open spaces, as well as The Long Beach Convention Center, Aquarium of the Pacific, Queen Mary, and the annual IndyCar Grand Prix of Long Beach. Along with a variety of other attractions that include two historic ranchos, three marinas, and five golf courses, the City's many offerings help to draw 5.5 million visitors every year.
 
The community's economy is further supported by a wide variety of industries including education, health and social services, manufacturing, retail trade, and professional services, among others. The City is a hotbed for startup activity, education and ingenuity.  Also located within the City are Long Beach City College and California State University, Long Beach, which has repeatedly been named a "Best Value College" in the nation by Kiplinger. Serving the K-12 student population, the Long Beach Unified School District consistently attracts international recognition for increasing student achievement and public education best practices and consistently ranks among the Top 10 urban school districts in the country in a variety of reports and rating systems.
 
Committed to using technology to help deliver the best possible services, Long Beach has been named among the Top 10 "Digital City" in America for seven consecutive years. The seventh largest city in California and one of the most diverse in the country, Long Beach offers its residents and visitors all the amenities of a large metropolis while maintaining a strong sense of community and cohesiveness throughout a wide variety of unique and desirable neighborhoods.  Long Beach is known for being bike-friendly and has been ranked the 10th most walkable city in the nation in both 2016 and 2017.
 
For more information about the City of Long Beach, please visit our website at www.longbeach.gov
 
THE CITY:
Long Beach is a full-service Charter City governed by nine City Council members who are elected by district and a Mayor that is elected at-large. Elected officials also include the City Attorney, City Auditor, and City Prosecutor. The Council Members and the Mayor are subject to a three-term limit, which allows them to serve for a maximum of twelve years. The City Council appoints a City Manager and a City Clerk. The City Manager is responsible for the efficient administration of all City departments, excluding those under the direction of a separately elected official, Board or Commission. Long Beach is a full-service City providing all traditional public services. In addition to its traditional services, Long Beach also maintains one of the world's busiest seaports, which serves as a leading gateway for international trade. The City also has its own full-service commercial airport, an Energy Resources Department, and is one of only three cities in California with its own Health Department. Long Beach is supported by a total FY 2019 budget of approximately $3 billion, with the General Fund budget totaling $499 million. More than 6,000 full and part-time employees support municipal operations with the majority being represented by eleven employee associations.
 
THE DEPARTMENT:
The Health and Human Services Department has more than 340 employees located across nine sites. Its organizational structure holds seven bureaus: City Health Office, Collective Impact and Operations, Community Health, Environmental Health, Housing Authority, Human Services, and Physician Services. As of FY20, it operates with a $150 million annual budget, 87% of which comes from federal, state, county, and private grants. The mission of the Department is to "Improve the quality of life by promoting a safe and healthy community in which to live, work, and play." The Department values quality and excellence, innovation, teamwork, and diversity.
 
THE POSITION:
The Homeless Services Officer is an at-will management position and reports to the Manager of the Human Services Bureau. The position is responsible for leading the Homeless Services Division as well as overall strategic planning and visioning for homelessness citywide, local and regional partnerships, implementation of the Continuum of Care (CoC) program and multiple grant-funded programs, and contract compliance. The Division has a current staff of 23, with seven direct reports to the Homeless Services Officer. This position is located at the Multi-Service Center, 1301 West 12th Street, Long Beach, CA 90813.
 
SALARY AND BENEFITS:
The salary range for this position is $100,000 - $120,000 annually.  Placement in the range will depend on qualifications. The City's compensation package also includes an attractive benefits package that includes:
  • Retirement – City offers CalPERS with a benefit of 2.5% @ 55 for Classic members or 2% at 62 for new members as defined by PEPRA, subject to the limitations set by PERS.  Employee pays the employee portion.  The City also participates in Social Security.
  • Vacation – Twelve (12) days after one year of service; 15 days after four years, six months of service; 20 days after 19.5 years of service.
  • Executive Leave – Forty (40) hours per year.
  • Sick Leave – One day earned per month; unlimited accumulation; conversion upon retirement to cash credit toward health and/or dental insurance premiums, or to pension credits.
  • Holidays – Nine designated holidays per year, plus four personal holidays to be used at the employee's discretion.
  • Transportation Allowance
  • Health and Dental Insurance – The City offers an HMO and PPO option for health and dental insurance coverage.  The City pays major portion of the premium for employee and dependents depending on the health/dental plan selected.
  • Life Insurance – City-paid term life insurance policy equal to three times annual salary to a maximum of $500,000.
  • Disability – City-paid short-term and long-term disability insurance.
  • Flexible Spending Account – Optional election for employees to reduce taxable income for payment of allowable childcare or medical expenses.
  • Management Physical – Annual City-paid physical examination.
  • Deferred Compensation 457(b) Plan – Optional for employee contribution to a supplementary retirement savings program available through ICMA Retirement Corporation.
  • Technology Allowance – Monthly phone stipend.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES
  • Leads strategic planning and visioning with the Department, Division, and broader City partner leadership team;
  • Provides effective leadership, administration, and management of the Division;
  • Leads in the design of innovative programming and services for persons experiencing homelessness;
  • Monitors, develops, and recommends policy in program areas relating to homelessness;
  • Plans, organizes, and implements complex administrative projects relating to the City's Continuum of Care and other grant programs;
  • Participates in grant writing efforts, oversees implementation, and ensures the accuracy of program budgets and proper allocation of funds;
  • Develops and maintains strong working relationships with elected officials, City Departments, LA County Departments, non-profit service providers, other community organizations, and members of the public to ensure the effective coordination and responses of the homeless services system;
  • Coordinates directly and leads proactive collaborative efforts across City Departments to address homeless related outreach efforts;
  • Establishes performance metrics, analyzes data, evaluates performance, and identifies resources that effectively prevent, reduce, and eliminate homelessness;
  • Participates in Civic and community-based committees, task forces and coalitions to respond to local planning, coordination and resource targeting;
  • Provides staffing support to the Homeless Services Advisory Committee, Continuum of Care Board, and other local advisory bodies as directed by the Bureau Manager;
  • Responds to public inquiries, complaints, requests/suggestions, and ensures accurate information is disseminated regarding homelessness and available programs;
  • Ensures that funds are used in accordance with funding regulations and budgets are being maximized;
  • Advises the Bureau Manager/Director on all issues related to homelessness in the City;
  • Recruits, trains, and supervises administrative and programmatic Homeless Services Division staff;
  • Ensuring adherence to the requirements of City, state, local, and federal regulations and laws; and,
  • Performs other duties as assigned.
REQUIREMENTS TO FILE
  • Bachelor's Degree in Public Health, Public or Business Administration, Social Work, or a closely related field. Copy of degree or transcripts denoting degree conferment required as an application attachment in PDF format.
  • Five years of professional experience performing administrative and programmatic functions for Human/Social Services Programs, including at least three years in a management/supervisory capacity.
  • Two years of professional experience performing administrative and programmatic functions for Homeless Services Programs.
  • Valid motor vehicle operator license. (Required to obtain a California motor vehicle operator license within 6 months of employment if license is out of state. DMV K4 driver license information report printout required during onboarding for California residents).
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Master's Degree in Social Work, Public Administration, or a closely related field.
  • Professional experience and knowledge of homeless services programs, funding, systems, and laws.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE:
The ideal candidate for this position will be:
  • Engaging, collaborative, and facilitative in nature and able to work well with Department staff in all positions and the community.
  • Action and results oriented, innovative, strategic, and accepting of accountability.
  • Energetic and willing to be hands on.
  • Comfortable working in a complex public service organization with rapidly changing issues, needs, and challenges.
  • An active listener and supportive team builder with strong interpersonal and communication skills.
  • Supportive of a collaborative work culture that encourages and models a healthy work life balance.
  • Works constructively in a culturally inclusive work environment and community.
Furthermore, they will:
  • Understand the broad context and innovative practices for addressing the needs of those experiencing homelessness.
  • Embody the attributes of principled leadership; trusteeship, values, ethics, commitment, honesty, and vision.
  • Be able to provide strong leadership in a changing government environment, with strong working knowledge of public administration in municipal government, contracts and grants management, program and staff development, and political acumen.
  • Have knowledge of the regulations governing the management and operations of programs and public and financial reporting requirements, auditing, and reviewing standards.
  • Be able to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, community partners, regulatory agencies, local officials, residents and Boards.
  • Be able to develop and promote a culture of quality customer service.
  • Understand the social determinants of health and opportunities for effective partnerships to impact areas outside of Homeless Services.
SELECTION PROCEDURE
This recruitment will close at 4:30 p.m. (Pacific Time) on February 21, 2020. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants must apply online under "Current Openings" with their Cover LetterResume, and Proof of Education as PDF attachments to their application at the time of filing at: www.longbeach.gov/jobs
 
Following the close of filing, applications will be reviewed, and candidates determined to be the best qualified will be invited to participate in the interview process, anticipated in February/March, with a selection anticipated no later than April. The selected candidate will be required to go through a background check, including a review of driver history, and a physical examination prior to appointment. Applications that do not meet the minimum requirements, including submission of all required attachments, will not be considered.
 
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY:
The City of Long Beach is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value and encourage diversity in our workforce. The City of Long Beach intends to provide reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. If a special accommodation is desired, or you would like to request this information in an alternate format, please call (562) 570-4102.
 
In support of the City's Language Access Policy, bilingual skills (Spanish, Khmer and/or Tagalog) are desirable for positions interacting with the public.

APPLY
Agency
City of Long Beach
Department
Health & Human Services - (UC)
Address
2525 Grand Avenue

Long Beach, California, 90815
Phone
(562) 570-4102