Manager Street Outreach in Maywood, Illinois at HOUSING FORWARD

DEPARTMENT FUNCTION:

The Street Outreach team, individually and collectively, reach people who might not otherwise seek assistance or come to the attention of the homelessness service system. The Street Outreach team identifies and engages people living in unsheltered locations, such as cars, parks, abandoned buildings, encampments, CTA stations and CTA trains, and on the streets. Using a Housing First approach, the Street Outreach team makes referrals to permanent housing, shelter, or other temporary housing, without preconditions. The team works to meet unsheltered people’s basic needs while supporting them along the path toward housing stability. The team embraces a person-centered approach that inherently requires flexibility, patience, strong engagement techniques, and empathy.

Due to the independent nature of frequently working solo and directly in the community, team members must be skilled in handling encounters and interactions that require problem-solving and independent judgement in situations such as individuals needing immediate housing, medical care, or psychiatric hospitalization.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Street Outreach Program Manager provides leadership, coordination, and oversight for a multidisciplinary mobile outreach team serving individuals experiencing homelessness in community settings and on designated public transportation routes. This role supervises Street Outreach Specialists, ensures effective day-to-day outreach operations, coordinates services with transit and community partners, and supports program compliance and performance reporting requirements.

The Program Manager is responsible for developing and maintaining trauma-informed outreach practices that promote safety, dignity, engagement, and housing stability for participants. The role oversees outreach scheduling, team deployment, client flow management, data tracking, and quality assurance to ensure effective service delivery and measurable program outcomes.

This position requires significant field presence, coordination with other departments and community contacts, adaptability to emerging needs, and the ability to support staff working in high stress environments. Because some outreach specialists will have nighttime hours, the manager can expect to also work some nighttime hours.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Program Operations & Leadership
• Provide day-to-day supervision, coaching, and support to Street Outreach Specialists and mobile outreach staff.
• Provides direct supervision to staff 1:1 weekly to ensure staff and client needs are supported, including addressing performance and productivity, safety, and client interventions.
• Develop and manage outreach schedules and deployment plans for community-based outreach and designated public transportation routes.
• Ensure adequate staffing coverage across shifts, routes, and priority outreach areas.
• Lead regular team meetings, case conferencing, and operational planning sessions.
• Monitor field operations to ensure services are delivered safely, consistently, and in alignment with agency policies and funder expectations.
• Respond to critical incidents, community concerns, and operational challenges as needed.
• Promote a trauma-informed, housing-focused, harm reduction, and person-centered service approach throughout program operations.
• Provides coverage for other supervisors during absences or as needed.

Partnership Coordination

• Coordinate outreach schedules and communication with public transportation agencies, municipalities, shelters, healthcare providers, behavioral health partners, law enforcement, and other community stakeholders.
• Maintain collaborative relationships with program partners to improve service coordination and system navigation for participants.
• Participate in community meetings, Continuum of Care initiatives, coordinated entry efforts, and interagency collaborations.
• Serve as a liaison between the outreach program and external stakeholders regarding program operations and service coordination.

Client Flow & Service Coordination

• Develop, implement, and monitor systems to support effective client inflow, engagement, referrals, service linkage, and outflow to shelter, interim housing, treatment, or permanent housing placements.
• Ensure outreach staff maintain accurate documentation, assessments, referrals, and follow-up activities within required databases and case management systems.
• Support staff in addressing barriers related to housing access, behavioral health, transportation, benefits, and crisis intervention.
• Monitor participant engagement and service trends to identify gaps and improve program responsiveness and outcomes.
• Ensures agency supply closet and staff are appropriately stocked for program needs, safely and effectively used for outreach activities, and that any needs are reported to agency leadership
• Manages client cases directly as needed.
• Acts as a liaison between staff, community resources, and clients.

Data, Reporting & Compliance

• Track and analyze program performance indicators, outreach contacts, engagement outcomes, housing placements, and other key performance metrics.
• Prepare and submit timely KPI and program performance reports for agency leadership, funders, and community partners.
• Ensure compliance with grant requirements, agency standards, confidentiality regulations, and documentation expectations.
• Conduct regular file reviews, data quality checks, and performance monitoring activities.
• Utilize data to inform program improvements, staffing strategies, and operational planning.

Staff Development & Quality Assurance

• Recruit, onboard, train, and evaluate outreach staff.
• Provide ongoing field mentoring, coaching, and professional development opportunities.
• Promote staff wellness, debriefing practices, and strategies to reduce burnout and secondary trauma.
• Support a positive, collaborative, and accountable team culture.
• Ensure staff maintain safety protocols and appropriate professional boundaries in field settings.
• Provide on call or emergent field support as needed to ensure staff safety.
• Guide staff in mandated reporting, emergency procedures, and de-escalation strategies.
• Develop, communicate, and reinforce safety protocols for field-based outreach in encampments, public spaces, and unpredictable environments.
• Conduct safety debriefings and review critical incidents with staff to support learning and improvement.
• Conduct probationary and annual performance reviews.

Other:

• Log activities and time as required by the agency and its funders.
• Attend team and agency meetings and trainings.
• Attend the required 3 day CTA mandatory safety training.
• Other Tasks as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Human Services, Public Administration, Psychology, or related field required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in homeless services, street outreach, behavioral health, crisis intervention, or related human services programs.
• Minimum of 2 years of supervisory or program management experience preferred.
• Experience working with unsheltered populations and individuals experiencing mental health and substance use challenges required.
• Experience coordinating services with public transportation systems, municipalities, or multidisciplinary outreach teams preferred.

Job Experience:

• Driver’s license, clean driving record, auto insurance, and access to personal vehicle.
• Must have smartphone to utilize Agency communications and collaboration tools.
• Adept at problem-solving to identify strengths and existing support networks, explore possible safe housing options outside the homelessness service system, such as reunification with family, and connect the individual to community supports and services.

KEY COMPETENCIES:

• Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
• Bilingual Spanish and English fluency highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of Housing First, trauma-informed care, harm reduction, motivational interviewing, and crisis intervention practices.
• Effective supervisory and leadership skills
• Effective crisis intervention skills
• Knowledge of issues related to homelessness, poverty, mental health, and substance use
• Knowledge of homeless response systems, coordinated entry, and community resources.
• Ability to lead mobile field-based teams in dynamic and high-pressure environments.
• Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with data collection, KPI reporting, HMIS, and program compliance requirements.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships with diverse stakeholders and community partners.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze program performance and implement operational improvements.
• Ability to keep appointments punctually, be organized and demonstrate accountability and follow through.
• Openness to new ideas and skills and commitment to learning though reading and with hands-on-training.
• Ability to problem-solve and make decisions in chaotic and/or stressful situations.
• Strong interpersonal and direct communication skills.
• Represent the agency in a professional and ethical manner.
• Ability to maintain an active team approach with all staff in all work-related situations and with the staff of other agencies/organizations.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Ability to maintain accurate records in compliance with applicable regulations and standards
• Competent in Microsoft Office tools and inputting services in an online database.

Core Competencies

• Trauma-Informed Leadership
• Team Supervision & Coaching
• Crisis Response & De-escalation
• Collaboration & Partnership Development
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Operational Planning & Coordination
• Equity & Cultural Humility
• Communication & Accountability
• Follow safety protocols for vulnerable populations that involve fleeing domestic violence, as well as dating violence, sexual assault, trafficking, or prostitution.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands, talk and hear.
• The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit, reach with hands and arms balance, stoop, kneel or crouch, walk stairs drive a vehicle and use a computer.
• Ability to lift up to 25 pounds and safely navigate community environments.

ENVIRONMENT/WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Working Conditions
• Frequent travel throughout the community and on public transportation routes.
• Combination of office, field, and mobile outreach environments.
• Exposure to outdoor weather conditions and high-acuity situations.

HOUSING FORWARD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, citizenship, ethnic or national origin, age, disability, medical status, military status, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, ancestry, or any legally protected status. This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits and training. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, national origin, or disability.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Job descriptions are not intended and should not be construed to be all-inclusive lists of all responsibilities, skills, efforts or working conditions associated with a job. While this job description is intended to be an accurate reflection of the job requirements, management reserves the right to modify, add or remove duties from particular jobs and to assign other duties as necessary. This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment.