Housing Counselor

BALANCE is seeking a FULLY REMOTE Housing Counselor in CO, TX or FL.

Our Housing Counselor provides accurate, relevant, and helpful information to assist clients and potential clients in developing solutions regarding housing, down-payment assistance, money management, debt management and credit related issues via telephone, Internet or in-person (if requested, session to be conducted at partner site)by performing the following duties. This position would provide counseling and education, as needed, to clients nationally. A Counselor Level V should have experience in default/foreclosure prevention counseling, pre-purchase counseling and education and/or rental or post-purchase counseling. Preferably HUD Certified Counselor.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each of the essential duties listed below. This role prefers bilingual capacity and is intended to work remotely.

HOUSING

• Assists clients in developing specific strategies towards achieving homeownership, lending process, affordability, down-payment assistance programs, fair housing and how to create and maintain overall financial and homeownership stability in the future.
• Produces a written action plan that supports the counselor’s conclusion as to the course of action that promotes the client’s best interests or the client’s choice of action. Motivates the client to implement the established plan.
• Prepares mailing of preliminary paperwork to clients in a timely manner.
• Conduct pre-purchase first time homebuyer education workshops
• Ensure compliance with the current housing regulations.
• Counsels proficiently, at a minimum in two, of any of the following programs, as defined by management:
  • Pre-purchase Counseling
  • Rental Counseling
  • Default Counseling
  • Post-purchase, if applicable

MONEY MANAGEMENT

Assists clients in developing specific strategies to resolve past and present financial concerns, establish and achieve financial goals, and create and maintain overall financial stability in the future.

DEBT /CREDIT ISSUES

• Provides general information to clients about bankruptcy, collections, court judgments, credit issues, credit reports, housing issues, consumer protection laws, student loans, wage attachments, financial planning to clients.
• Confers with clients to ascertain available monthly income after living expenses to meet credit obligations.
• Explains credit report ratings and protections laws to clients and provides answers to client’s questions.

ADMINISTRATIVE

• Promptly answers incoming calls from clients and determines nature of problem or question to establish course of action to address problem or question.
• Provides information about national and community resources and refers clients as appropriate.
• Schedules appointments for clients, confirms daily appointments, and reschedules appointments as necessary and performs regular follow ups.
• Performs elements of on-going casework as needed to provide service and problem-solving assistance for client inquiries and account management.

Other duties may be assigned.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required:

• Familiarity with city, state and federal housing programs
  Self-motivated with a strong commitment to assisting families and individuals towards self-sufficiency.
• Analytical – Collects and researches data; Uses intuition and experience to complement data.
• Problem Solving – Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; Uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.
• Technical Skills – Assesses own strengths and weaknesses; Pursues training and development opportunities; Strives to continuously build knowledge and skills; Shares expertise with others.
• Customer Service – Manages difficult or emotional customer situations; Responds promptly to customer needs; Responds to requests for service and assistance; Meets commitments.
• Interpersonal Skills – Demonstrates empathy, focuses on solving conflict, not blaming or shaming; maintains confidentiality; listens to others without interrupting; keeps emotions under control.
• Oral Communication – Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; listens and gets clarification; responds well to questions.
• Written Communication – Writes clearly and informatively; edits work for spelling and grammar; Varies writing style to meet needs; Able to read and interpret written information.
• Teamwork – Balances team and individual responsibilities; Gives and welcomes feedback; Contributes to building a positive team spirit; Puts success of team above own interests.
• Quality Management – Looks for ways to improve and promote quality; Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness.
• Ethics – Treats people with respect; Keeps commitments; Works ethically and with integrity; Upholds organizational values.
• Organizational Support – Follows policies and procedures; Completes administrative tasks correctly and on time; supports organization’s goals and values; Values and respects diversity.
• Language – Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports and business correspondence. Effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
• Judgment – Exhibits sound and accurate judgment; Makes timely decisions.
• Motivation – Sets and achieves challenging goals; Measures self against standard of excellence.
• Planning/Organizing – Prioritizes and plans work activities; Uses time efficiently.
• Professionalism – Approaches others in a tactful manner; Reacts well under pressure; Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; Accepts responsibility for own actions; Follows through on commitments.
• Quality – Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; Applies feedback to improve performance; Monitors own work to ensure quality.
• Quantity – Meets productivity standards; Completes work in timely manner.
• Safety and Security – Observes safety and security procedures; Reports potentially unsafe conditions; Uses equipment and materials properly.
• Adaptability – Adapts to changes in the work environment; Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events.
• Attendance/Punctuality – Is consistently at work and on time; Ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; Arrives at meetings and appointments on time.
• Dependability – Follows instructions, responds to management direction; Takes responsibility for own actions; Keeps commitments; Completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan.
• Initiative – Volunteers readily; Undertakes self-development activities; Asks for and offers help when needed. Interested in ongoing learning opportunities.
• Innovation – Meets challenges with resourcefulness.
• Mathematical – Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
• Reasoning Ability – Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Computer – Knowledge of spreadsheet software, word processing software, and Internet research software. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Applications (Word, Excel, Access, Outlook, etc.)

Education and/or Experience

Bachelor’s degree (B. A.) from four-year college or university; or two to four years related experience and/or training (EAP, financial services, counseling, banking, credit and collection); or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

Must successfully pass and obtain the following certifications within six months of employment unless otherwise notes:

• HUD Housing Counselor Certification (within 90 days)
• NCHEC Housing related certification(s)
• FCRA
• CDIA
• Money Coach Program

Other Skills

Bi-lingual capabilities preferred in any one of the following languages: Spanish, Mandarin, Tagalog, Cantonese, or Vietnamese.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear, communicate confidently over the telephone and in person, keyboard and mouse, and view and read computer monitor.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. This position is fully remote. Candidates are required to have a private work area to conduct their work. Travel will be required for training.