Intake Specialist

Brighter Futures.

Life is a faith-based nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering families and individuals to achieve long-term stability and success. Guided by the teachings of Jesus Christ, we provide critical supportive housing, proactive case management, and essential community resources to help combat housing insecurity.

The Brighter Futures.

Life Intake Specialist is an experienced social service professional responsible for the intake and assessment of families seeking participation in the Brighter Futures.

Life Housing Assistance Program.

This role requires significant professional judgment, discernment, strong boundaries, and the ability to evaluate complex family circumstances while balancing compassion with responsible stewardship of program resources. The Intake Specialist will gradually assume much of the intake work currently conducted by the Director and will also maintain a limited caseload of families.

The Intake Specialist makes professional recommendations regarding program participation; however, final decisions regarding family acceptance, program-entry month, and the amount and duration of rental assistance remain with the Director of Brighter Futures.

Life.

• Conduct initial interviews with referred families to assess whether Brighter Futures.
  
  Life is an appropriate fit and determine whether to invite the family to move forward with an application or decline further consideration following the initial interview.
• Order required criminal background, credit report, and social media checks as part of the intake assessment and final program review.
• Conduct comprehensive family assessments, evaluating housing circumstances, financial stability, family needs, strengths, barriers, readiness, and other factors relevant to successful program participation.
• Exercise sound professional judgment when determining whether a family appears prepared to meet program expectations and benefit from Brighter Futures.
  
  Life services.
• Prepare and present a final intake recommendation to the Director.
• Communicate program decisions and next steps to applicants following Director approval.
• Maintain appropriate documentation of intake assessments and recommendations.

• Maintain a limited caseload of families as they progress through the program.
• Provide experienced guidance when complex family circumstances arise that exceed routine volunteer or administrative support.
• Monitor volunteer and family progress through database reporting systems or verbal communications and recognize when circumstances require additional intervention, guidance, or escalation.
• Provide volunteers with appropriate community, church, financial, employment, housing, educational, and other resources as identified.
• Coordinate with volunteers and other Brighter Futures.
  
  Life staff regarding family needs and emerging concerns as needed.
• Ensure family and volunteer significant interactions, progress, challenges, and outcomes are appropriately documented in the system database.
• During the initial transition of this position, work closely with the Director as intake responsibilities are gradually transferred to the Intake Specialist. The Director may continue to conduct or participate in selected family intakes.
• Work collaboratively with the Housing Assistance Associate and Volunteer & Community Engagement Associate to ensure smooth transition of accepted families into active program services.
• Notify and coordinate with the Housing Assistance Associate when a family has been accepted so post-acceptance onboarding, Case Plan development, financial documentation, and volunteer coordination can begin.
• Collaborate in identifying Family Partners and Budget Coaches whose personalities, strengths, and experience align well with each family so that meaningful relationships can develop.
• Recognize circumstances requiring Director-level judgement and elevate those matters appropriately.

• Bachelor's degree in social work, human services, family services, psychology, sociology, or a closely related field preferred.
• Five or more years of professional experience in social work, human services, housing stability, family services, case management, or a closely related field required; 5–10 years of relevant experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience assessing complex family circumstances and making thoughtful professional recommendations.
• Strong…