Housing Counselor in Linwood

EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Full time, 40Hrs/week

HOURS: Monday - Friday / Occasional Saturday

PRIMARY TEAM LEADER: Homeownership Education Manager

FLSA CLASSIFICATION: Non-Exempt, Benefits Eligible

LOCATION: Kansas City, MO

JOB SUMMARY: Work to further the mission of Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City by providing direct counseling to clients seeking assistance in all areas of home buying and homeownership.

HOUSING COUNSELING

• Support families through the Housing Counseling Program to improve their chances of homeownership through Habitat, or a traditional mortgage loan.
• Work directly and indirectly with prospective homeowners to strengthen their financial literacy through education programs.
• Includes: maintaining and preserving good credit, financial planning, asset building, creating budgets, and how to save for down payment.
• Follow-up efforts to track outcomes for each Family and documenting all data into Mpact Pro client management system.
• Follow HUD Housing Counseling program requirements and policies.
• Contribute to the strategic planning process, which includes engaging staff and other stakeholders in defining desired outcomes for the Financial Literacy Model and implementing a system to measure outcomes.
• Engage in off-site programs that promote and enhance homeownership opportunities in the community.

COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBOURHOOD OUTREACH

• Coordinate community outreach effect to include internal and external stakeholders.
• Attend community and neighbourhood meetings that focus on building community, financial literacy, and homeownership.
• Actively recruit, train, support and empower unengaged residents and community representatives to enthusiastically participate, develop strategies and address root causes of poverty housing.
• Become familiar with and assist in further implementing outcome measurements research & evaluation tactics; assist in generating and presenting qualitative/quantitative reports utilizing provided data and statistics.
• Help to develop and coordinate strategies and programs designed to build and strengthen resident involvement.
• Promote activities and services; create sustainability through various forms of media.
• In collaboration with the leadership staff, speak on behalf of Habitat KC for its advocacy agenda items.
• Work with Kansas Habitat SSO to support state-wide advocacy priorities.
• Forge partnerships with organizations along the housing continuum so that all may work together to advocate for affordable, fair, and just local housing policy.

HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM

• Work closely with families selected into the Habitat for Humanity Homeownership program to ensure all education requirements are met.
• Conduct one on one financial counseling with applicants.
• Develop and conduct homeowner education classes for group size of over 50+ people.
• Ensure program data is accurate and available for timely cross-departmental reporting.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES

• Education: Bachelor's degree preferred or equivalent experience.
• Experience: Minimum of three years relevant work experience including but not limited to: mortgage/lending/real estate/case management. Experience in working with low to moderate income families within a financial literacy program.
• Competencies:
• Organization & Prioritization: Ability to meet deadlines, use time efficiently, and prioritize.
• Teamwork: Ability to work independently and work as an effective team member.
• Communication: Good communication and presentation skills with the ability to write professional documents and speak to groups of various sizes.
• Flexibility/Adaptability: Ability to work under pressure to handle frequent change, delays, and/or unexpected events.
• Interpersonal Skills: Good interpersonal skills with an ability to work with a variety of people and occasionally handle difficult situations and conflicts with finesse.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Zoom and/or teams. Ability to quickly gain proficiency with Mpact Pro client management database software.

Job Requirements

• Pass HUD Housing Counseling exam within the first 60 days of employment.
• Complete Neighborworks Housing Counseling Trainings as assigned.
• Complete yearly Qualified Loan Originator training.
• Maintain required certifications and industry knowledge through research, workshops, training, and required compliance.
• Willingness to maintain the flexible work schedule necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of this position, including evenings and weekends as needed.
• Integrity, organization, attention to detail, ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Support and endorse the Habitat for Humanity mission.

Physical Requirements

• Speak and hear in order to communicate with others.
• Work at a desk or computer for extended periods of time.
• Move around the office, event, or construction sites.
• Apply physical dexterity, able to lift and carry up to 30 pounds.
• Must be able to independently operate a motor vehicle.
• Valid driver's license and ability to travel to meet clients at other locations as needed.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Most of the work for this job is conducted indoors at a desk, with periodic exposure to dirt, dust, dampness, construction debris, extreme temperatures, construction noises, fumes and odours from working on or visiting residential construction sites.