Floater Shelter Advocate; Seattle, Covering Overnight Shifts

Position: Floater Shelter Advocate (Seattle, Covering Overnight Shifts)

Description

We are seeking a responsible and energetic individual with a passion for serving families at our 24-hour shelter locations. Floater Shelter Advocates work with parents and children experiencing homelessness and in need of a safe refuge. General responsibilities include coordinating and facilitating shelter activities, providing care and crisis management, facilitating a set program schedule, maintaining a clean environment, and offering acceptance and hope.

Floater Shelter Advocates actively engage in Mary’s Place equity work—striving for racially equitable outcomes and taking responsibility for creating, maintaining, and affirming communities for people of color, immigrants and refugees, trans and gender-non-conforming people, and other populations who routinely encounter systemic oppress ions. As an equal opportunity employer, people of color are encouraged to apply.

The Floater Shelter Advocate role is a part-time, non-exempt position supporting various overnight shifts located at two of the Mary’s Place 24/7 shelters (The Glen/Downtown Seattle and Regrade/Downtown Seattle).

The schedule for a Floater Shelter Advocate overnight shift is 11:00 p.m. – 8:30 a.m. (a Sunday overnight shift begins Saturday night at 11:00 p.m., a Monday overnight shift begins Sunday at 11:00 p.m., etc.). The hourly wage starts at $25.00/hour DOE. Compensation for an overnight shift includes an additional $1/hour differential. Candidates must be available to work at least two shifts per two-week-pay-period, or at least half (50%) of shift offerings.

This position does not supervise other employees.

Should you pick up a day or evening shift, the hourly pay does not include the additional $1/hour differential.

The schedule for a Floater Shelter Advocate Day or Evening shift is as follows:

Day: 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Evening: 3:00 p.m.

- 12:30 a.m.

Key Responsibilities

Implementation of Shelter Operations & Procedures (60%)

• Collaboratively execute shelter processes according to time of the day and in accordance with the Shelter Policy Manual
• Maintain a clean and sanitary shelter environment—disinfect high-touch areas; do laundry; restock supplies; clean bathrooms and showers; vacuum, sweep, and mop floors; clean out fridges; tidy after meals; take out garbage, compost, and recycling; etc.
• Serve food and adhere to all food safety and serving protocols, including clear and consistent documentation
• Move around the facility and maintain an active and engaging presence around shelter
• Record and report any building/facility concerns
• Attend required training and monthly staff meetings

Guest Relations (25%)

• Proactively create a welcoming and affirming environment, engage families in high-quality shelter services
• Lead Guest Direct Advocacy (GDA) check–ins with an assigned caseload, providing consistent, individualized support to families in shelter.
• Assist guests with internal and external resource navigation, including housing, employment, healthcare, and education services.
• Maintain a calm, affirming demeanor and model positive behavior, such as upholding professional boundaries
• Address behavioral challenges, provide trauma-informed crisis management, conflict de-escalation, and set appropriate limits through an equity lens
• Effectively collaborate and regularly communicate with other staff members and supervisors to ensure consistency; a team-based, solution-oriented approach to the work; and high-quality service delivery
• Welcome and orient new families to shelter—provide shelter tours, explain program, and complete and upload shelter intake documents

Data Entry and Information Management (10%)

• Author, upload, and maintain clear, objective, and accurate electronic guest records, reports, and shelter documentation
• Handle and protect sensitive information; maintain confidentiality
• Maintain up to date community resources as provided by other program teams, and make them easily accessible to guests

Implementation of Guest Enrichment Programming (5%)

• Facilitate calendar of activities and events for the benefit of our guests. Provide feedback to Shelter & Services Manager, Program Services Director, and Site Director on effectiveness of…