Staff Assistant I

Description
Salary Range: $23.00-$30.44 per hour

SUMMARY

The Los Angeles County Department of Homeless Services and Housing (HSH) consolidates our countywide response to homelessness. The driving force behind HSH is increasing accountability and transparency, improving care for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and streamlining collaboration with partners including services providers, the County’s 88 cities, and unincorporated areas to deliver high-quality, life-saving care. Staff schedules are based on business need and may include the option of a hybrid work schedule where employees work remotely and from the office.

The Homeless Prevention Unit (HPU) is a collaborative effort between HSH, California Policy Lab (CPL) and the Department of Mental Health (DMH). The HPU proactively identifies individuals who are most at risk of homelessness through predictive analytics and provides them with flexible, early interventions to resolve issues that might lead to loss of their housing. HPU is expanding to serve young adults between the ages of 18-24 in need of proactive homelessness prevention resources. The HPU has significant interactions with several County departments to address challenges navigating service systems and/or to connect or re-connect individuals to services to ensure housing stability; therefore, the ideal candidate will be knowledgeable in mainstream and specific programs and services tailored to young people at risk of or experiencing homelessness while being flexible to meet the changing needs and demands of the program and this population.

The Staff Assistant I (Budget Specialist) position will report directly to the Budget Program Manager and will serve in a supportive role on the HPU by assisting with the processing and tracking of financial assistance for program participants. The Budget Specialist will be responsible for processing financial assistance requests, searching and organizing records and transactions in multiple systems like SalesForce. During the processing of financial assistance request the Budget Specialists will also be reviewing sensitive documents like W9s, affidavits, and invoices/bills. Budget Specialists will be working directly with case managers to troubleshoot and find creative solutions presented by some financial requests. Budget Specials will also be a liaison to our partner, Brilliant Corners, who makes all of our direct payments.

The Budget Specialist is an excellent verbal and written communicator, problem solver, and analytical thinker with the ability to engage with internal and external stakeholders and understand and respond to their needs in rapidly changing environments. They are highly organized and can manage multiple overlapping timelines. The ideal candidate has experience working with a client-centric relational database, report building in Excel, and has assisted on projects where the best path forward is unclear.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Reporting and Analysis

Review and approve financial assistance request for program participants.
Review and maintain HPU client-level data and records in SalesForce
Assist in researching, compiling and developing data-based analysis, reports, and the creation and maintenance of data and budgeting tools
Run and organize SalesForces reports
Work on projects, such as analyzing trends in HPU spending, monitoring data quality, and other financial assistance challenges as needed.
Assist with preparation of reports and presentations as needed
Rigorously documents processes and procedures used for all reporting and analyses
Provide regular analyses of HPU spending and changes in trends
Assist in designing program reports, analyzes performance, and provides resulting analyses to stakeholders
Assist with the design, development, implementation and maintenance of reports, analysis tools, and review processes
Other duties as assigned

Tool Development and Maintenance

Assist in refining financial assistance processes and program practices through the creation of new analytical and documentation tools
Help to design, build and maintain financial assistance support tools to be used within the Homeless Services and Housing, Brilliant Corners, and by other external stakeholders

JOB QUALIFICATIONS

One year's experience in either (1) a staff capacity analyzing and making recommendations for the solution of problems of organization, procedure, program, budget or personnel, or (2) a highly responsible secretarial capacity, or (3) a responsible supervisory clerical capacity.

Certificates/Licenses/Clearances

A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.
Successful clearance of the Live Scan process with the County of Los Angeles.

Other Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

Knowledgeable of community, mental health, and mainstream systems and the variety of programs offered by each to assist those most at risk of experiencing homelessness.
Highly motivated self-starter, with proven ability to develop creative solutions.
Ability to coordinate projects and competing priorities in a high-pressure, face paced and time sensitive environment.
Ability to interact and work closely with a diverse clientele.
Demonstrated experience interviewing clients, individuals, and families to collect data to determine what services are needed.
Demonstrated experience in linking clients, individuals, and families to specific healthcare, mental health and community-based programs.
Ability to pay close attention to detail.
Ability to work in a professional manner, with courtesy and tact, and maintain confidentiality and security of documents and information.
Ability to learn quickly and adapt to shifting priorities
Ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary professionals and partners both internally and externally.
Must possess strong organizational skills initiative and follow-through.
Computer literate and skilled in use of MS Windows-based programs, including MS Office (Word, PowerPoint).
Intermediate knowledge of Excel
Knowledgeable of data systems utilized across HSH and the homeless system of care.
We strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals who share lived experience with the communities we serve. In particular, we welcome applicants who have been impacted by or have experience with the foster care system and applicants who have experienced housing insecurity, homelessness and/or economic inequity.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Stand: Frequently

Walk: Frequently

Sit: Frequently

Reach Outward: Occasionally

Reach Above Shoulder: Occasionally

Climb, Crawl, Kneel, Bend: Occasionally

Lift / Carry: Occasionally - Up to 15lbs

Push/Pull: Occasionally - Up to 15lbs

See: Constantly

Taste/ Smell: Not Applicable

Not Applicable = Not required for essential functions

Occasionally = (0 - 2 hrs/day)

Frequently = (2 - 5 hrs/day)

Constantly = (5+ hrs/day)

WORK ENVIRONMENT

General Office Setting, Indoors Temperature Controlled
The HPU operates in a hybrid work environment. Team members are expected to work from the HSH office, Downtown Los Angeles, at a minimum of twice per pay period, with additional in-person meetings, events, and client field-based meetings as needed.