Shelter Monitor (Seasonal)

Description

PACEM is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization serving adults experiencing homelessness in greater Charlottesville. The Shelter Monitor contributes to nightly operations at our Men’s and Women’s Cold Weather Shelter, November – April. As a member of the shelter team, the Shelter Monitor maintains a welcoming, safe space for guests, delivering consistent, quality, trauma-informed care. This is a seasonal position that begins with training in October and lasts until mid-April.

The Shelter Monitor’s primary concerns are making guests feel welcome and securing the environment. This position works directly with humans in crisis and requires a level head, collaboration, empathy, and a firm commitment to following policies and procedures. Members of the shelter team perform a variety of tasks, including searching guest bags, explaining shelter policies to guests, helping volunteers manage the dining room, interacting with first responders, folding sheets, taking out trash, and organizing supplies.

This position requires commitment to harm reduction principles and housing as a human right. While not required, preference will be given to candidates who have lived experience with homelessness, Substance Use Disorder and recovery, the legal system, and/or the mental healthcare system.

Job Duties

Responsibilities and Duties:

• Facilitate guest entry and exit
• Secure the site
• Support and welcome guests
• Collaborate with staff, volunteers, and service providers
• Complete accurate reports and maintain documents
• Consistently embody the values of PACEM: Respect, Partnership, Equity

Shifts Overview:

• Welcome Monitor (4:45 pm – 7:15 pm) – This position works at the Men’s shelter only. They focus on communication and coordination between PACEM staff, guests, volunteers, and service providers. They check in with Case Managers and visiting service providers to make sure they have a space to meet with guests. They touch base with volunteers. They assist with intake as needed and overall monitoring of the site.
• Intake Monitor (5:00 pm – 7:30 pm) – This position serves an essential role in welcoming guests and ensuring they understand shelter policies. They are responsible for bag searches, check-in, and new client intakes. They also assist with monitoring of dining, restrooms, smoking, and sleeping areas.
• Operations Monitor (5:00 pm – 9:30 pm) – This position is present for all opening activities at the shelter and serves as a “right hand man” to the Shelter Manager. They complete tasks all around the site and ensures the intake area is organized and secure.
• Overnight Monitor (9:30 pm – 7:30 am) – This position is pivotal to our nightly operations. They oversee the safety and calm of the sites while guests are sleeping and compassionately wake and usher guests out of the building in the morning. Two Overnight Monitors serve the Men’s site and one serves the Women’s site.

Special Requirement:

The Welcome Monitor shift (4:45pm – 7:15pm) begins at our partner agency, The Haven, and then moves to the shelter site. To work this shift, the Monitor must have reliable transportation through a personal vehicle. Mileage reimbursement for travel to the site is provided.

Skills Required

• Compassion for all people, especially those in crisis
• Experience in customer service, client service, patient service, or other human-centered service work
• Experience working with humans of diverse racial, linguistic, ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds
• Ability to communicate in conversational English in speaking and writing
• Knowledge of, or willingness to learn, trauma-informed care, conflict resolution, and crisis intervention skills
• Ability to keep a level head, maintain perspective, and exercise wise decision-making in novel situations
• Proficiency in completing and filing forms; basic computer skills including word processing and email
• Be reliable, punctual, and a collaborative team member
• Ability to bend down, stretch up, and/or move and lift up to 20 pounds at a time
• Work experience or lived experience with homelessness, Substance Use Disorder and recovery, the legal system, and/or the mental healthcare system is preferred
• Experience in social work, behavioral health, home health, medical care, or recovery is highly desirable

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.

Four shift times are available: 4:45pm – 7:15pm, 5:00pm – 7:30pm, 5:00pm – 9:30pm, and 9:30pm – 7:30am.

Shelter Monitors must work at least two nights/week, as well as participate (either in-person or through video conferencing) in a monthly staff meeting on the second Thursday of the month, 12:00 – 1:00 pm. This is a commitment of 5 – 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

Invitation to Apply:

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 Monitor position;
2. Whether your interest is primarily in the opening shifts or the overnight shifts;
3. What motivates you to work with PACEM and to work with people experiencing homelessness.