Project Connect Shelter/Housing Specialist

Project Connect Shelter/Housing Specialist - CAAS

Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) serves 35,000 students preschool to 12th grade in over 65 schools across a 90-square-mile district in Southwest Ohio. Cincinnati Public Schools is the best-performing large urban district in Ohio and ranks among the top 2 percent of Ohio districts for students' learning and growth and offers families high-quality school choices and academic programs.

The district's innovative approach to education, its investment in effective and caring educators and employees, and vast array of collaborative partnerships have accelerated school performance to the highest level in decades - ensuring that students in preschool to 12th grade thrive and graduate prepared for successful lives in the 21st century.

Cincinnati Public is looking for creative, innovative, passionate, problem-solvers to join our team. We seek to have a positive impact on our children and families every day and are looking for staff members who want to not only do an excellent job with their career field but also serve as a role model for the children in CPS. We invite you to become a member of our CPS work family.

Role Summary

The Shelter/Housing Specialist performs administrative and program management duties to support students and families experiencing homelessness. This position develops community partnerships, connects families with housing resources, promotes family engagement, and works to improve housing stability and educational access for students served by Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) through Project Connect.

The Shelter/Housing Specialist serves as a liaison between CPS, local family shelters, housing agencies, schools, and community partners. This position also coordinates programs and services that support students and families experiencing homelessness.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The responsibilities of the Shelter/Housing Specialist include, but are not limited to, the following:

Community Partnerships and Housing Support

• Develop and maintain partnerships with community agencies, housing providers, and local family shelters to improve housing stability for CPS students and families.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for local family shelters and as a liaison between CPS staff and shelter providers.
• Connect families with housing resources, community services, and support programs.
• Coordinate with the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority to support efforts to prioritize housing vouchers for CPS families experiencing homelessness.
• Develop and improve referral processes with community agencies to help families access needed services.
• Seek funding and development opportunities to expand services and support for students and families experiencing homelessness.

Student Services and Family Engagement

• Develop and implement strategies to ensure students experiencing homelessness have equitable access to education and school services.
• Provide outreach, education, and information to community partners and stakeholders.
• Provide guidance to school staff regarding the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act and related requirements.
• Promote family engagement through partnerships with schools, shelters, and community organizations.
• Coordinate monthly shelter meetings, mobile wellness clinics, and parent education and engagement programs.
• Assist in coordinating summer academic and enrichment programs designed to reduce summer learning loss for students living in family shelters and other at-risk situations.

Program Management and Supervision

• Oversee partnerships with local housing agencies and community organizations.
• Document program procedures and processes to support accountability, consistency, and future use.
• Monitor and coordinate program activities to ensure services meet the needs of students and families.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following:

• Commitment to the mission and goals of CPS and Project Connect.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively with school employees, students, parents/guardians, community partners, volunteers, and other professionals.
• Ability to take responsibility, motivate others, and support the delivery of equitable services to students experiencing homelessness.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational, planning, and time management skills.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse groups and respond to the needs of different communities and individuals.
• A commitment to listening to and respecting the voices of the CPS community.

Professional Skills and Knowledge

• Relationship management and community partnership development.
• Volunteer recruitment and engagement.
• Program coordination and development.
• Data collection, analysis, and interpretation of student needs and performance.
• Grant writing and funding development.
• Ability to communicate clearly and directly with a variety of stakeholders.
• Collaboration and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with Google Workspace and Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to use current technology and computer systems required for the position.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Education, Communications, Social Work, or a related field.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of two years of relevant experience in program management, program development, resource coordination, curriculum management, parent engagement, or a related area.
• Knowledge of the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act preferred.

Employment Provisions

Type of Contract: 260 day limitedSalary: Specialist per CAAS agreement Application Procedure

All interested applicants are invited to submit an online application at (only online applications will be considered).

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative and level of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description. Certain jobs at Cincinnati Public Schools may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation are available upon request from Human Resources. Note: A lead teacher in a position may not be appointed to an administrative position while serving as a lead teacher. A lead teacher may apply for an administrative position if the lead teacher resigns the lead teacher position prior to submitting an application, however, the selection is not guaranteed. A consulting teacher may not be appointed to an administrative position while serving as a consulting teacher and for one full school year after serving as a consulting teacher. Cincinnati Public Schools is an equal opportunity employer and is subject to federal regulations pertaining to employment. The district has a continuing non-discrimination policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or veteran status. We hire only United States citizens and aliens lawfully authorized to work in the United States.

CINCINNATI PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER