Residential Relief Aide (Per Diem) in Schenectady, New York at Bethesda House of Schenectady

At Bethesda House, our goal is to end the cycle of poverty and homelessness - not just manage the symptoms.\

The Residential Relief Aide is a cross-trained staff member who provides coverage and operational support across four agency roles: Front Desk/Security, Building Monitor, Resident Assistant, and Shelter Aide. This position helps ensure the safety and security of agency facilities, residents, shelter guests, staff, volunteers, and visitors by monitoring building activity, enforcing program policies, providing customer service, and supporting daily program operations.

The Residential Relief Aide uses a variety of monitoring methods, including security cameras, access control systems, routine building and property rounds, and direct observation, to identify safety concerns, policy violations, maintenance issues, and other operational needs. This position promptly reports incidents, security concerns, and emergency situations to the appropriate supervisor and responds in accordance with agency policies and procedures.

The Residential Relief Aide must be adaptable, dependable, and able to transition effectively between assigned roles while maintaining a safe, secure, respectful, and welcoming environment for all program participants.

Status: Per diem, $18/hour
Schedule: This is a per diem, hourly position with no guaranteed minimum number of hours. Staffing assignments are based on agency operational needs and employee availability. Primary staffing needs may include:
• Second Shift
• Third Shift
• Weekends
• Holidays
Per diem employees are expected to maintain availability and flexibility based on program coverage needs and may be scheduled to provide coverage for residential, shelter, and facility operations.

Duties and Responsibilities
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Safety, Security, and Building Monitoring
• Monitor security camera systems and observe all visitors, residents, clients, guests, staff, and vendors entering and exiting the building.
• Follow established procedures for electronic access systems, including door buzzers and building entry protocols.
• Conduct scheduled building and property walkthroughs to identify safety concerns, security issues, maintenance needs, or policy violations.
• Maintain awareness of all activity and movement throughout the building and grounds.
• Monitor resident and guest behaviors, including items and belongings being brought into residential areas, in accordance with program policies and procedures.
• Identify, respond to, and appropriately document system alerts, safety concerns, and incidents. Escalate critical issues to designated staff and take appropriate action to minimize disruptions or safety risks.
• Implement safety plans, emergency procedures, and evacuation protocols when necessary.
• Follow on-call procedures, after-hours emergency protocols, and required notification procedures.
• Maintain accurate and detailed documentation in required logs, including incident reports, shift notes, and other program records.
• Attend to basic daily maintenance, cleanliness, and upkeep of the residence and grounds as assigned by the supervisor.

Residential Program Responsibilities
• Enforce residential program policies and procedures related to curfews, visitors, building expectations, and resident responsibilities.
• Promote a safe, respectful, and supportive environment for residents, guests, staff, and visitors.
• Maintain appropriate professional boundaries and protect confidential information related to residents, clients, employees, volunteers, and agency operations.
• Adhere to all agency policies and procedures, personnel policies, safety requirements, and program standards.

Shelter Aide Responsibilities
• Ensure the safety and well-being of shelter participants while supporting compliance with shelter rules and expectations.
• Provide active supervision of shelter guests, maintaining consistent awareness of participant behaviors, interactions, and needs.
• Assist with morning shelter routines, including waking shelter guests at scheduled times:
o 6:00 a.m. Monday through Friday
o 6:00 a.m. Saturday and Sunday
• Ensure shelter guests exit the building by 8:00 a.m. following breakfast service, in accordance with program procedures.
• Support breakfast operations by encouraging shelter guests to participate in the morning meal provided by the agency.
• Assist with shelter area cleanup and preparation:
o Collect shelter supplies used by guests, including blankets, pillows, pillowcases, and other assigned items.
o Bag and place collected items in designated storage or processing areas (e.g., hotbox procedures at 917 State Street).
o Prepare shelter rooms and spaces for cleaning services.
• Complete required New York State OTDA incident reports when circumstances require documentation.

Qualifications
• High School Diploma or equivalent required; Associate’s Degree in human services, criminal justice, social services, or a related field preferred.
• Two to five years of experience in security, residential services, customer service, hospitality, or a related field preferred.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with residents, clients, visitors, staff, volunteers, and community partners.
• Basic computer literacy and the ability to use electronic systems, including documentation platforms, security systems, and agency databases.
• Knowledge of community resources, agencies, programs, and services preferred.
• Ability to recognize, assess, and respond appropriately to emergencies, safety concerns, and crisis situations.
• Experience working with diverse populations, including individuals experiencing homelessness, housing instability, behavioral health challenges, or other barriers to stability.
• Ability to establish and maintain respectful, professional relationships with the public, volunteers, staff, residents, and program participants.
• Must successfully complete required background screening and agency onboarding requirements.

Bethesda House is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In all employment and hiring decisions, the Agency complies with applicable anti-discrimination laws. This policy applies to all employment practices, including hiring, advertising, recruitment, promotion, demotion/transfer, layoff/termination of employment, rates of pay or other forms of compensation, and selection for training and development.