Center Guest Advocate

Part-Time | Non-Exempt | Monday - Friday

Hours may vary based on operational needs, including opening or closing the Welcome Center.

St. Vincent de Paul of Baton Rouge is seeking a warm, patient, and organized Guest Advocate to serve as the first friendly face at our Welcome Center for the neighbors we serve, as well as our staff, volunteers, visitors, and community partners. In this role, you will focus on welcoming every person with dignity, helping them understand the services available, and connecting them to the right person or program.

Reporting to the Welcome Center Program Manager, the Guest Advocate is the first point of contact for everyone who walks through our doors. You will greet guests, support neighbor sign-in, answer phones, and serve as a knowledgeable guide to the resources offered by St. Vincent de Paul and our partner organizations. You will also help keep the flow of people through the Welcome Center safe, calm, and organized.

Through this work you will help carry out the mission of St. Vincent de Paul with dignity, compassion, and excellence.

• Serve as the first point of contact for people entering the Welcome Center, greeting and assisting neighbors, visitors, volunteers, and community partners.
• Open and/or close the Welcome Center day shelter according to established procedures.
• Assist with guest sign-in and maintain accurate visitor and service logs.
• Ask appropriate questions to understand the reason for each neighbor's visit, then route them to the right service, staff member, or partner.
• Make warm handoffs when a neighbor needs additional help, rather than simply pointing them to another location, and notify staff when a need falls outside your role.
• Maintain current knowledge of services, provider availability, intake hours, eligibility requirements, and service locations, and explain them clearly.
• Monitor the reception area, promptly report safety concerns or emergencies, and use de-escalation and conflict-resolution techniques in coordination with security staff.
• Report concerns and incidents to your supervisor and complete required documentation.
• Answer phones, direct inquiries, distribute supplies and forms, schedule meeting rooms, and coordinate reception coverage when away from the desk.
• Provide clerical support, including filing, copying, data entry, and preparing mailings; receive and distribute mail, packages, and deliveries.
• Keep reception and shared areas organized and stocked, and assist with donations, neighbor activities, and special projects as assigned.

Required

• A compassionate, service-minded person who treats every individual with dignity and respect, including neighbors experiencing homelessness or crisis.
• A high school diploma or equivalent.
• Clear, courteous communication skills in person and by phone, and the ability to explain services to people with different needs and levels of understanding.
• Working knowledge of computer applications, with accuracy and attention to detail in logs, data entry, and documentation.
• Sound judgment and problem-solving skills, including recognizing and reporting safety concerns promptly.
• Flexibility to adjust to changing priorities in a fast-paced front-desk environment.
• The initiative to identify and complete work without ongoing direction.
• A person who maintains neighbor confidentiality and professional boundaries.

Preferred

• Experience working with individuals experiencing homelessness or other vulnerable populations. This is strongly preferred.
• One to three years of experience in customer service, human services, reception, resource navigation, office administration, or a related field.

• Able to stand, walk, and sit frequently; climb stairs; balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• Able to occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Work is performed primarily at the front desk and reception area of the Welcome Center, with occasional exposure to weather conditions and a moderate noise level.

St. Vincent de Paul of Baton Rouge is a Catholic lay organization dedicated to serving individuals and families in need. If you are looking for meaningful part-time work where your warmth and welcome help neighbors feel seen and find the help they need,

We are an equal opportunity employer and an E-Verify Program Participant.

If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please let us know.