Front Desk Guest Services Specialist (GSS), MON-FRI, 6:45AM-3:15PM

Job content

SCHEDULE: 40 hours, Monday-Friday, 6:45AM 3:15PM. Essential position during weather and other emergencies.

Job Description

The Front Desk Guest Services Specialist (Front Desk Specialist) works from the Pine Street Inn policy and procedures developed to ensure a safe shelter environment for guests and staff. The Front Desk Guest Services Specialist will assist the guests of the shelter in accessing services such as: food, clothing, medical care, and referral needs. The incumbent will be responsible for ensuring there is a safe and secure environment for guests and staff at the 1800 Soldiers Field Road Shelter by attending to all safety and security policies, intervene with assistance around substance abuse issues and mental illness, job training and educational needs, assess guests needs and assets in order to make appropriate transitional and housing referrals and be an available resource for guests to assist them in their efforts to obtain permanent housing.
The Front Desk Guest Services Specialist will be primarily responsible for maintaining an exceptional customer service oriented 1800 Soldiers Field Road. Front Desk, including welcoming guests, staff and visitors in person and via phone and responding to guest and neighbor concerns and questions in a timely, professional and responsive manner. The incumbent will be responsible for operating an electronic entry monitoring system and multi-line phone system, logging all activates of the shift, creating guest IDs and frequent entry into the Pine Street data system, maintaining friendly and efficient Front Desk operations in a busy, unpredictable environment and frequent collaboration with on-site security services as well as other Pine Street programs and departments, managing the purchasing, tracking and distribution of supplies, liaison between the mail room and the 1800 Soldiers Field Road.
The Front Desk Specialist has a primary focus on the direct care of guests and, as such, responds to guests in a timely and professional manner based on the prioritization of guests needs. The Front Desk Specialist assists with the development and implementation of a housing pathway by motivating guests to rapidly work on housing and connecting guests to appropriate resources. The Front Desk Specialist will also assist guests in connecting with substance abuse, mental health and medical resources when the shelter cannot safely accommodate a guests needs. The Front Desk Specialist is required to stay energized and focused even when demands are ambiguous and strenuous. The Front Desk Specialist is required to enter data into the Homeless Management Information (HMIS) system and to document reports in keeping with agency policy. The Front Desk Specialist is required to make sound decisions and appropriately seeks guidance from a supervisor.
The Front Desk Specialist working at the temporary shelter operated at 891 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston (the 1800 Soldiers Field Road ) is working in a work environment that is somewhat different than other PSI locations. The shelter is open as part of the Inns social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The shelter is co-ed, with male-identified and female-identified guests housed separately by floor. Because of the location and the contractual arrangements for staffing this location, the 1800 Soldiers Field Road Front Desk Specialist will have other duties that may not be required at other PSI locations. These additional duties may include:

• Delivering and retrieving meal trays from guests rooms
• Reporting guest health and mental health issues to the supervisor on duty, and/or to the Boston Health Care for the Homeless tele-health or on-site nurse
• Coordinating, at the direction of the shift supervisor, with on-site medical paraprofessionals and medical volunteers to assess the symptoms and temperature/fever of guests
• Coordinating, at the direction of the shift supervisor, to ensure regular guest COVID-19 testing on a schedule to be determined by shelter and PSI leadership
• Reporting housekeeping, security, laundry, and food service issues to the supervisor on duty for further management
  

Requirements

EDUCATION/TRAINING:

• High School diploma or GED
  

Knowledge/Experience

• Minimum of one (1) year of experience in the Human Services field
  

Physical Abilities/Skills

• Ability to stand for long periods of time
• Ability to stretch, bend and lift up to (twenty-five) 25 lbs
• Ability to assist guests up and down stairs, and in-and-out of wheelchairs
• Ability to respond quickly to emergencies
  

Mental Abilities/Skills

• Ability to respond safely, quickly, and calmly in emergencies and to emergency situations
• Ability to use good judgement in stressful or emotionally charged situations
• The sensitivity and patience to work with guests suffering from mental illness (many untreated), alcohol and other drug addiction and abuse
• Ability to be resilient in difficult and ambiguous situations
• Ability to handle multiple assignments
• Ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in writing
• Ability to comprehend and apply Motivational Interviewing and Trauma-Informed Care skills
• Ability to communicate/speak (as well as to listen) in a non-judgmental manner
  

Preferred

• Valid MA drivers license in good standing
• Bilingual English/Spanish
• Administering Narcan and CPR in a work setting
• Knowledge in the areas of addiction, recovery, and mental illness
• Knowledge of issues pertaining to the homeless
• Knowledge of area resources
  

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE CORE COMPETENCIES FOR THE POSITION INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:
Guest Focus

• Actively motivate guests through daily interaction to quickly move out of shelter by any means possible to include staying with family or friends and moving back to their community of origin
• Consistently follow PSI and shelter safety policies and procedures promoting a safety conscious work environment
• Treat all guests and staff with dignity and respect
• Proactively conduct wellness checks of guests in different sections of the building
• De-escalate stressful situations utilizing Critical Incident Debriefing and Trauma-informed Care
• Administer Naloxone as needed
• Perform CPR as needed
• Enforce the Good Neighbor Policy: Monitor the building and the surrounding area for safety, security and hazards ensuring a safe/secure environment for guests, staff and all others
• Connect guests to emergency medical services, detox and other community programs as needed to include, but not limited to, Triage, Rapid Re-Housing (RRH) services, Day Services, Detox and substance abuse services
• Connect guests to MATCH behavioral supports to assess and respond to symptoms of mental illness and co-occurring disorders
• Enhance a quick match to housing by working collaboratively with PSI Triage, RRH and housing placement staff
• Maintain daily shelter documentation to include but not limited to: shelter intake when needed, HMIS systems, log and referral books maintained at the front desk, Suspension of Services (SOS) and SOS status
• Follow animal accommodation policies
• Assist guests through meal service, and as directed by a supervisor, with showering and/or dressing.
• Pleasantly greet, welcome and work with volunteers, donors, food servers, tour groups and other visitors
• Help guests with all issues pertaining to lockers as needed or assigned
• Maintain a knowledge of the effective use of the phone, fax, and computer systems and copiers located throughout the Inn
  

Judgement

• Seek supervision when needed
• Advise the supervisor/key carrier regarding matters of concern with operations or policy
• Adhere to TB-testing procedures
• Maintain current certification in CPR and First Aid
• Document all hazardous incidents and intervening appropriately in any unsafe situation
• Consistently attend and actively participate in meetings to include but not limited to shift reports, staff meetings, case conferences, supervision or check-ins with supervisor.
• Report to work regardless of weather conditions as Guest Services Specialist positions are considered essential under the PSI weather emergency policy
• Report to work and all scheduled meetings and trainings on time
• Perform other additional assignments or projects as requested/directed by supervisor, program director or senior program or agency managers Attend mandatory Narcan trainings
  

Resilience

• Consistently demonstrate behavior that is representative of PSIs values of Community, Teamwork, Accountability and Respect
• Utilize Trauma-Informed Care when interacting with guests and staff
• Adhere to the Inns mandatory training requirements including CPI, CPI refresher course, Trauma- Informed Care, Motivational Interviewing, and any other training required by program management
• Actively participate in individual supervision
  

Other duties as assigned

• Demonstrate flexibility in performing duties in light of changing public health requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Comply with agency reporting and monitoring requirements, and comply with training and updated public health education as required
• Escalate any concerns regarding guest or staff health to shift supervisor
  

PAY RATE:$18.50 PER HOUR