Shelter Manager (Seasonal)

Description

PACEM is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization serving adults experiencing homelessness in greater Charlottesville. The Shelter Manager leads nightly operations at our Men’s and Women’s Cold Weather Shelter programs, November – April. Serving on a team of 4 – 6 Shelter Managers, one Shelter Manager works at each shelter site every night, ensuring our shelter staff deliver consistent, quality, trauma-informed care, and coordinating nightly activities with volunteers and service providers. This position is seasonal with training beginning in October and work lasting until mid-April.

The Shelter Manager strives to maintain a calm, welcoming, and organized environment that is physically and emotionally safe. As supervisor of the shelter staff, the Shelter Manager will coach and encourage team members, give feedback, and help team members problem-solve as issues arise. They ensure that client confidentiality is maintained, guest files are secure, and accurate nightly records are kept. The Shelter Manager is adept at working directly with humans in crisis, as well as with volunteers and community partners.

The Shelter Manager has a level head, firm commitment to following policies and procedures, and is comfortable making decisions when challenges arise. This position requires commitment to harm reduction principles and housing as a human right. While not required, work experience or lived experience with homelessness, Substance Use Disorder and recovery, the legal system, and/or the mental healthcare system is preferred.

Job Duties

Responsibilities and Duties:
– Supervise the shelter team: Keep all team members informed, organized, and prepared for nightly operations. Maintain steady communication and help team members understand their roles and responsibilities. Manage the team’s workflow. Model quality service for the team and coach them to achieve excellent service quality. Uphold confidentiality standards. Give feedback and problem-solve with the team. Make sure the team understands their schedules and records their hours worked through our timesheet app. Coordinate shift coverage when team members run late or miss a shift

– Manage nightly shelter operations: Prepare for shelter opening by inspecting the space, reviewing nightly reports, ensuring sufficient supplies, and meeting with staff. Guide staff, volunteers, and community partners to safely and compassionately deliver nightly services and maintain habitability of the site. Keep the schedule, focusing on consistency and safety. Calmly, and with good judgment, address issues as they arise. Help de-escalate guests. Based on policies and procedures, make decisions about guest eligibility and complete grievance process with Deputy Director.

– Facilitate guest supportive services through collaboration: Actively participate in team meetings to share, learn, and support. Maintain an open dialogue with the Case Management Team to facilitate services for guests. Coordinate with service providers and first responders that offer additional services to guests.

– Complete accurate reports and maintain documents: Complete nightly reports and keep an accurate roster of guests. Manage the guest intake process. Scan documents and save to our database. Secure confidential records. Communicate through discussion and by using an iPhone and Chromebook to email, text, and complete basic word processing.

– Consistently embody the values of PACEM: Respect, Partnership, Equity

Special Requirements:
The Shelter Manager must have reliable transportation through a personal vehicle or use of a ride service like Uber to make occasional trips to pick up supplies or help at the other shelter site as needs arise. Milage or cost reimbursement for this travel is provided.

Skills Required

– Compassion for all people, especially those in crisis
– Supervisory experience in direct client services, customer service, or other human services field. Supervisory experience in homeless services is preferred
– Work experience or lived experience with homelessness, Substance Use Disorder and recovery, the legal system, and/or the mental healthcare system is preferred
– Experience working with humans of diverse racial, linguistic, ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds
– Proven ability to communicate clearly, thoroughly, and with solutions in mind; an ability to constructively provide and receive feedback to and from guests and staff
– Ability to keep a level head, maintain perspective, and exercise wise decision-making in novel situations
– Conflict resolution skills. Crisis response and behavioral health support skills are preferred
– Understanding of, and firm commitment to, Housing First, harm reduction principles, and trauma-informed care
– Understanding of personal/professional boundaries and self-care practices and ability to consistently implement them
– Experience completing documentation, data entry, and maintaining organized records
– Reliable, punctual, and a leader that fosters a culture of collaboration
– Ability to bend down, stretch up, and/or move and lift up to 20 pounds at a time
– Background in social work, behavioral health, group homes, medical care, or recovery support is highly desirable
– Training and certification in First Aid, Mental Health First Aid, and Opioid Overdose Response will be provided

Work Schedule

The shelter is open every night from November 4, 2025 through April 20, 2026. This includes weekends and holidays. The Men and Women’s shelter sites move every two weeks to locations around Charlottesville and Albemarle County.

Shelter Managers must work at least two nights/week, as well as participate (either in-person or through video conferencing) in a weekly team meeting on Wednesdays 4:00pm – 5:00pm and a monthly staff meeting on the second Thursday of the month, 12:00 – 1:00 pm. Nightly shifts are 4:00pm – 10:00pm. On rare occasions of staff emergencies, a Shelter Manager may need to cover an overnight shift. Overall, the work commitment is 13 – 40 hours/week.

Paid training sessions will occur on several weeknights in October. Mental Health First Aid training will be offered 9:00am – 5:00pm on October 22.

Additional Info

PACEM is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants. We prohibit discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. PACEM is a Second Chance employer. Successful completion of a background check is required for employment.

Our guests and team thrive on diverse perspectives, which include lived experiences of homelessness, legal/criminal histories, representation from historically marginalized communities, and a wide range of skills in hospitality, security, and human services. We welcome all applicants.

To apply, send your current resume and a letter of interest to: cindy@pacemshelter.org

The letter of interest can be in the body of the email or an attached document. It should be brief (2-3 paragraphs), highlight your experience, and help us understand:
1. How your work and/or lived experience make you a great fit to the Shelter Manager position;
2. What days of the week you are interested in working;
3. What motivates you to work with PACEM and to work with people experiencing homelessness.