Temporary On-Call Severe Weather Shelter Lead Attendant en Whatcom County, WA

About the Department

Whatcom County Health & Community Services is hiring a pool of employees to work as On-call Lead Shelter Attendants to staff the County’s severe weather shelter this coming winter. Under the oversight of the Shelter Supervisor, a Shelter Lead is responsible for acting as the on-site authority during shelter operations, helping shelter attendants to provide front-line services to guests of the severe weather shelter.  

This position requires staff to remain alert and available as a resource to guests and staff throughout the night, including orienting new individuals to the shelter, mediating interpersonal conflict, providing information regarding other services and resources, acting as the primary point of contact in on site crises, and productively addressing health and safety challenges that may arise. 

Shelters will be operational during the months of November-Mid-March. Severe weather shelters will be opened with at least 48 hours’ notice and be open to guests from about 5 pm-9 am. Shifts will be 9 hours, including a 30-minute break for a meal. The severe weather shelter will serve people experiencing homelessness.

Severe Weather Shelter(s) in Bellingham will open when the temperature threshold is met and notification is sent from county officials. The threshold for opening is expected to be set between 28 and 32 degrees Fahrenheit.  Notification to open/operate shelters will be give at least 48 hours before shelter opening. Shelters function to provide safe environments during periods of dangerous weather. Operations are weather dependent and expected to take place for 20-35 nights over the winter of 2025-2026.

Essential Duties include: 

• Open and close severe weather shelter according to written procedures.
• Greet and check-in guests, orient guests to the shelter, and communicate shelter rules and policies to guests.
• Operate as the point of contact in on-site crises
• Ensure shelter is reset after every operation and ready to re-open on time by processing site laundry and kitchen set up
• Utilize working knowledge of emergency resources. 
• Assist in monitoring, evaluating, and facilitating operational changes to ensure compliance with policies and regulations. 
• Availability to attend and participate in all shelter staff meetings. 
• Conduct regular shelter staff meetings as needed. 
• Update program policy and procedure guidance
• Provide policy and procedure guidance to shelter attendant staff 
• Lead team with exemplary skill in effective de-escalation, and proactive and creative problem solving to maintain a safe environment
• Write shift summaries in the shelter log after each shift
• Accurately document intake paperwork of all SWS guests
• Identify and intervene productively in emergency situations, including medical emergencies, mental health crises, and interpersonal conflicts
• Perform light cleaning tasks as required to maintain a safe and sanitary environment throughout the shift
• Ensure new guests receive and understand program requirements, rules, and regulations
• Communicate with EMS, law enforcement, or other emergency responders when additional support is needed

Training: 

• Paid training will be provided covering crisis intervention, de-escalation, situational awareness, CPR, substance use, mental health symptoms, available local resources, and other related topics. Training will include two four-hour training sessions to be completed in person with small groups, plus approximately 10 hours of self-paced online training which can be completed remotely.
• The in-person training will initially be conducted in late October, with additional training sessions to be scheduled in November for people hired later in the season or who are unable to attend the October training sessions. All staff must complete training before being assigned shifts. 

Work Location: Downtown Bellingham.

Hours of Work: This position will have 20 hours of work re-occurring weekly. Outside of severe weather events, weekly scheduling is flexible. During severe weather events, shift times are between 4:00 pm and 9:00 am, on-call as needed due to severe weather. Other tasks will be completed while shelter is closed and may be done on a more flexible schedule.

Wage: $27.92 per hour

Applications will be reviewed as they are received.  

Minimum Qualifications

Requirements:

• Genuine desire to work compassionately with people experiencing homelessness, including those with mental illness and/or substance use disorder.  Experience working with these populations is required.
• Ability to treat guests with respect and professionalism, and communicate and work effectively with staff and guests from various backgrounds and who may be displaying a wide range of behaviors.
• Ability to travel to shelter location in downtown Bellingham during severe weather such as ice and snow.
• Ability to stay awake and alert throughout an overnight shift.
• Ability to compose thorough and accurate incident reports and other documentation.

Preferred:

• 1 year of related supervisory experience.

At its sole discretion, Whatcom County may consider combinations of education, experience, certifications, and training in lieu of specifically required qualifications contained herein

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