Brightside Community Homes Foundation (“Brightside”) is a private-sector, non-profit organization that owns and manages 26 buildings across the city of Vancouver, providing affordable homes to those who struggle to meet the demands of market housing. In addition to property management, Brightside is committed to building connections within the Brightside communities that include over 1000 residents.
OPPORTUNITY
Brightside is currently seeking to fill a full-time, permanent position in the role of Housing Services Coordinator. This dynamic, meaningful role will be joined by other Coordinators and report directly to the Manager, Housing Services & Engagement. This is a hybrid role that includes in-person, in-office work in our downtown office and remote work opportunities.
MAIN AREAS OF FOCUS
- To provide resident-facing, service excellence in Brightside’s delivery of affordable housing.
- To serve as a front-line ambassador for Brightside and to liaise with residents to address their immediate and/or day-to-day housing needs.
- To follow and adhere to best practices with the provision of affordable housing including adherence to the BC Residential Tenancy Act and the Adult Guardianship Act and maintain Brightside’s role as an independent living provider.
- To process the intake of incoming housing applications, maintain the housing waitlist, and facilitate resident selection process in accordance with Brightside’s core values and operational protocols.
KEY DUTIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES
- Serve as Brightside’s front-line representative to address, mediate, and/or resolve housing-related concerns brought forward by a resident (or another party);
- Ensure regular, ongoing compliance with applicable tenancy regulations such as the BC Residential Tenancy Act;
- Provide end-to-end housing-related services to existing and prospective residents for the duration of their tenancy including signing of rental/lease agreements;
- Triage and/or redirect incoming resident inquiries to the appropriate functional area(s) within Brightside and to facilitate general communication/correspondence;
- Accept, process, and log incoming rent payments from residents and issue receipts, when appropriate;
- Review and process incoming housing applications, follow/coordinate resident selection procedures, and perform due diligence protocols to ensure optimal resident selection;
- Monitor housing vacancies and maintain integrity and efficiency of the housing waitlist(s) to ensure optimal occupancy;
- Prepare and communicate Brightside orientation materials and expectations for new residents;
- Facilitate large-scale lease-up activities to tenant up new rental properties, as required;
- Address housing and/or tenancy issues with residents as they arise including, but not limited to: rent payments, complaints, bike registration, parking assignments, storage/locker assignments, follow-up to service requests, conflicts between neighbors, etc.;
- Draft and issue resident communications, responses to complaints, and other correspondence, as required;
- Provide ongoing, ad-hoc support and assistance to the Community Engagement Coordinator to bolster resident engagement and help build resilient communities;
- Assist the Community Engagement Coordinator with resident communication, special events, and administrative assistance, as required;
- Coordinate with the Accounts Receivable Coordinator to follow-up on delinquent resident accounts and prepare, approve, and send correspondence or notices, as required;
- In collaboration with the Resident Relocation team, process and facilitate internal transfer requests from residents, in accordance with the updated policies and procedures;
- Gather, prepare, and submit evidence and documentation to be presented at dispute resolution hearings with the Residential Tenancy Branch, as required;
- Attend and/or represent the organization at dispute resolution hearings with the Residential Tenancy Branch, as required;
- Consult and coordinate with the Housing Solutions Manager on complex housing matters that may jeopardize a resident’s tenancy or housing stability;
- Facilitate cross-training with other staff to ensure knowledge-sharing and continuous job agility;
- Assist with the ongoing development of operational materials to codify and formalize Brightside’s processes, protocols, and workflows;
- Assist the Manager, Housing Services & Engagement with special projects and tasks, as required; and
- Other duties as assigned by the Manager, Housing Services & Engagement and/or the COO.
The preceding job description is not exhaustive and may change from time to time depending on the needs of the Foundation.
QUALIFICATIONS & DESIRED SKILLS
- Minimum of three (3) years’ experience in a service-related role working with the public and/or diverse populations and a demonstrated commitment to service excellence.
- Cultural agility: Ability to work respectfully, knowledgeably, and effectively with diverse and/or vulnerable populations;
- Solutions-oriented mindset: An exceptional ability to problem-solve issues that arise, analyze complex, challenging and sensitive issues and balance diverse interests with maturity and empathy;
- Exceptional written and oral communication skills including the ability to communicate effectively and inclusively with a variety of individuals in a professional and sensitive manner, while also maintaining the highest levels of confidentiality;
- Minimum of two (2) years’ experience in housing, property management, leasing, and/or administration or a combination of two or more of these functional areas;
- Strong working knowledge of the Residential Tenancy Act, and some familiarity with the principles of administrative law and the law of evidence;
- Previous experience with effectively and professionally presenting at dispute resolution hearings with the Residential Tenancy Branch would be an asset;
- Sound practical knowledge of Office 365 including Word, Excel, Outlook, and Adobe Pro.
- A BC Rental Property Management License and/or previous experience with Yardi Voyager and/or ShareVision would all be considered assets.
- A criminal record check for working with vulnerable children and adults is required for this position.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The successful incumbent will be an organized, independent, self-starter that thrives on problem solving challenges and is passionate about social justice. They will be proficient with administration, inter-personal communications, customer service, decision-making, and possess a genuine interest in affordable housing and/or property management and helping the community. They will possess a strong moral compass, be culturally aware, respectful, knowledgeable, a good listener, and able to successfully facilitate tenancy-related services, while working within and supporting other departments with the organization. They will accept and champion Brightside’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion and will be well aligned with this commitment and Brightside’s core values.
Brightside is proud to be a certified Living Wage employer. Expected salary range for this position: $56,000-$62,000/year (to commensurate with experience) with a generous Paid Time Off (PTO) benefit. A competitive extended health, dental, and vision package is provided to qualified employees upon hiring. An employer matching RRSP program (as well as other additional benefits) is offered after three (3) months of successful employment.
HOW TO APPLY
Brightside is an inclusive employer and encourages applications from women, persons with disabilities, members of visible minorities, First Nations, people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. All qualified individuals who would contribute to the further diversification of our organization are encouraged to apply.
If you think you’d be a good fit for Brightside and this position, we invite you to submit your resume and cover letter in PDF format to careers@brightsidehomes.ca with “Housing Services Coordinator + {Your Name}” in the subject line..
Postings will remain open until the specified submission deadline or until filled. We thank all applicants for their interest in these career opportunities, however, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. We thank all applicants for their interest.
Posted September 12, 2023