Job Description

Why work with YWCA Seattle King Snohomish?

YWCA SKS is the region’s largest non-profit organization with a 120+ year legacy, focused on the needs of women, with programs serving 7,000 people each year. When you work with YWCA, you make a difference.

We’re women and BIPOC-led, family-centered, and supportive of employees. As a full-time YWCA employee (30+ hours), you’ll enjoy a benefits package including medical insurance, generous vacation, holiday, sick leave plans, and an outstanding retirement plan. Put your passion for racial equity and social justice to work – apply today!

What You'll Do

The Edmonds New Start Center (EDNSC) is a new 24/7 Emergency Housing facility operated by the YWCA of Seattle | King | Snohomish, located in Edmonds, Washington. The center provides safe, supportive housing for up to 45 individuals transitioning from homelessness to permanent housing. Clients have access to a range of onsite services, including case management, life skills training, and connections to healthcare, employment, and other community resources, all designed to support their journey toward stability and self sufficiency. The center fosters a compassionate, community focused environment where clients can rebuild their lives with dignity, independence, and hope.

Life Coaches work with clients in an emergency housing setting to support their transition into permanent housing. Through comprehensive intake and individualized services—such as housing navigation and employment support—Life Coaches help clients overcome barriers to stability. The goal of onsite supportive services is to assist clients in reentering the workforce, building essential life skills, and securing permanent housing without returning to homelessness. Life Coaches are responsible for conducting intakes, setting and tracking client goals, connecting clients to community resources, facilitating life skills workshops, and monitoring progress toward long-term housing stability and self-sufficiency.

This Life Coach position will support a regular caseload of clients Monday to Friday with occasional weekend work.

This position has a social justice component that requires critical thinking through the lens of racism and intersections with poverty. Knowing the core principles of antiracism and grounding those principles in everyday work are required job skills and core values. As an equal opportunity employer, we highly encourage people of color to apply.

Note: This is an onsite position.

Expectations of your role

• Case Management
• Provide high quality, structured, culturally responsive, and consistent in-person trauma-informed case management, resource coordination, and stability planning.
• Utilize principles of Motivational Interviewing, Housing First, and Harm Reduction to assist clients with the development of a Housing Stability Action Plan
• Conduct periodic room inspections to ensure client rooms and bathrooms are clean, neat, and free of damage
• Help prepare and distribute daily cold-prepared meals to clients.
• Incorporate the YWCA’s Social Justice Initiative by understanding how racism, sexism, classism, and other oppressions intersect and are embedded in institutions.
• Treat all visitors, clients, staff, and volunteers with respect and dignity regardless of race, ethnic background, gender or socioeconomic background.
• Safety and Security
• Maintain working knowledge of fire, safety and disaster plans related to emergency situations and conditions.
• Maintain confidentiality of all clients, visitors, and staff by not giving out any information without Supervisor approval.
• Ability to de-escalate conflicts or crises between clients and/or other individuals and directs them to appropriate staff who can provide next steps.
• Administrative Duties
• Maintain accurate client records, including case notes, assessments, and progress reports.
• Understand and follow all policies in the EDNSC Staff Handbook as well as other YWCA policies and procedures.

Must have's to be successful

• Experience with case management, motivational interviewing, mental health, chemical dependency, and domestic violence.
• Associate's Degree in social services related field with at least (2) years of case management experience working with low-income homeless and chronically homeless.
• Comprehensive understanding of issues around homelessness, poverty and trauma, especially as they affect specific populations, including but not limited to veterans, families, the elderly & disabled, people who live with chronic mental illness, youth, LGBTQI people, immigrants & refugees, and people of color
• Knowledge of and/or experience as a service provider with any of the following: crisis intervention, victims of domestic violence, child abuse, substance abuse, mental health, welfare rights, case management, sexual assault, employment services, child development, and positive parenting skills
• Strong organizational, time management, and prioritization skills, with the ability to manage multiple clients and tasks simultaneously.
• Attention to detail, oral and written communication organizing/time management, initiative, collaboration, ethics and integrity.
• Basic computer literacy with ability to use Outlook, Microsoft Word, Excel, and SharePoint.
• Ability to respond appropriately in emergency situations, including de-escalation, crisis response, and safety protocols.
• Ability to listen and respond appropriately to client needs and concerns.
• Maintain professional client/staff boundaries in accordance with YWCA Policy
• Ability to maintain calm, caring and professional demeanor (especially in stressful situations).

Hours, Rate, and Benefits

• Hourly Rate: $28.00
• Hours: 40 Hours per week
• Excellent benefits package including medical insurance, retirement plan, plus generous vacation, holiday, and sick leave plans. For more information about our benefits, please visit: YWCA Careers & Benefits Information
• At the time of hire, employees may enroll voluntarily in the Fidelity 403b Plan
• After two years of employment, employees are eligible to participate in the YWCA Retirement Fund

Physical Requirements

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an individual to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. In performing this position, the employee:
• Continuously exchanges information through listening and talking with clients, agency staff, volunteers, and individuals in the community
• Frequently stands, walks, sits and climbs in performing duties in the workspace.
• Frequently reaches and grasps in using telephones, computers, fax machines and other office equipment and supplies.
• All positions at YWCA of Seattle | King | Snohomish are exposed to clients who have experienced or are experiencing trauma in various forms including but not limited to domestic violence, sexual violence, homelessness, unemployment, financial hardship, etc. As a result, staff are at risk of secondary trauma. Employees are encouraged to seek external support and maintain self-care when working indirectly or directly with clients.
• Frequently lifts and carries up to 5 lbs. of paperwork, files, and materials, occasionally up to 40 lbs. of food, hygiene supplies, clothing or other items.
• In emergent situations able to move about the facility quickly following emergency protocols.

YWCA encourages applicants with a variety of experiences to apply!

At YWCA, we recognize that lived expertise is a powerful asset. This refers to the insights, knowledge, and skills developed by those who have navigated systems and experienced inequity.

Valuing lived expertise helps build trust with program participants, develop culturally responsive programs, and break down barriers to equity. It enriches our collective understanding and enhances our ability to serve communities that are furthest from opportunity.

Mental Health Considerations

All employees of the YWCA interact with clients who have experienced or are experiencing trauma in various forms, including but not limited to, racial trauma, domestic violence, sexual violence, homelessness, unemployment, and financial hardship. As a result, employees are at risk of secondary trauma. We encourage employees to seek support inside and outside the workplace and maintain self-care routines.

Equal Opportunity Employment

YWCA Seattle King Snohomish is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To read more about this, view the EEO is the Law Poster and this EEO is the Law Poster Supplement.

For more information

Contact us at careers@ywcaworks.org with any questions or if you need accommodation for your application.