By-Name-List Coordinator - Council for the Homeless

Description

Clark County is one of Washington’s leading communities in homelessness system performance and in advancing Functional Zero initiatives. The By-Name List (BNL) Coordinator plays a critical role in supporting these efforts by maintaining accurate and actionable By Name Lists, facilitating coordinated case conferencing, supporting quality data practices, and strengthening system-level collaboration to reduce barriers for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness, identifying as veterans, or engaged through youth services. This position is central to identifying and addressing gaps within the homeless response system and ensuring consistent, trauma-informed coordination across providers and partners.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Receives direction from the Coordinated Outreach Manager or Chief Impact Officer.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Supports the agency’s mission, values, equity statement, strategic goals, and policies through words and actions.
• Builds and maintains strong relationships with key stakeholders, including direct service providers, government agencies, Persons with Lived Experience of Homelessness (PLEH) advisory groups, and housing providers.
• Facilitates case conferencing for the Chronically Homeless By-Name List and the Veteran By-Name List and provides coordination support to the Youth By-Name List in partnership with Janus Youth Programs.
• Ensures accuracy and timeliness of the By-Name Lists, including monitoring inflow and outflow, updating client status, confirming documentation progress, and supporting coordinated housing action steps.
• Collaborates closely with outreach teams across partner agencies to streamline engagement processes, enhance communication, and support coordinated follow-up for individuals on the By-Name Lists.
• Models and promotes the use of continuous quality improvement methods for system improvement and population-level change.
• Works closely with the HMIS team to strengthen data quality, support data reporting and analysis, and maintain data practices that directly inform By-Name Lists and system performance.
• Develops communication and feedback loops that support transparent information-sharing across providers, partners, and community stakeholders, including individuals with lived experience.
• Supports community-wide goals through monitoring system-level progress, ensuring alignment with Functional Zero priorities, and assisting with determining which projects contribute to overall aims.
• Serves as a source of accountability and project management by tracking action items, supporting meeting facilitation, promoting consistent communication lanes, and ensuring data transparency.
• Conducts system-level analysis in collaboration with decision-makers, including risk assessments, asset mapping, and population-level data interpretation.
• Supports providers in implementing improvement projects, establishing practice changes, and evaluating results.
• Scales successful tests of change across broader populations by identifying what works, collecting relevant data, and distributing findings to partners.
• Builds relationships with adjacent systems and community organizations to strengthen cross-system coordination and shared understanding of how external systems impact the homelessness response system.
• Establishes and maintains positive, productive relationships with colleagues, team members, and partnering agencies.
• Represents the agency at community meetings and with stakeholders in a manner aligned with agency values and policies.
• Consistently seeks to create a trauma-informed environment for participants, colleagues, and partners.
• Consistently complies with position and department human resources, safety, and attendance standards.

SECONDARY FUNCTIONS

The BNL Coordinator establishes practices and procedures within CFTH guidelines and contributes to the development of new concepts. Work situations are frequently new and varied, and the position receives minimal supervision. Incumbents are required to meet established performance standards. This role requires a high degree of complexity, independent judgment, self-direction, and strong interpersonal boundaries. Errors can result in inappropriate program referrals and may prolong an individual’s homelessness. Strong relationships with community partners are essential for success. The position is onsite and, in the community, and serves as an ambassador of Functional Zero principles within Clark County by promoting consistency, accountability, and system alignment across partners.

Performs related duties and responsibilities as required. 

CONTACTS WITH OTHERS

Contacts are normally made with others both within the CFTH offices and outside the agency. They frequently contain confidential/sensitive information always necessitating discretion. 

Requirements

SPECIFIC JOB SKILLS

Excellent verbal and written communication skills are important to the success of the Housing Specialist position. Strong interpersonal skills are required to work with staff and participants from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. Knowledge of best practices around coordinated entry/assessments and understanding of Clark County resources for low income and homeless individuals and families is essential for this position. Language (Russian, Ukrainian Spanish, Chuukese, ASL) skills are helpful. Position requires moderate computer and analytical skills to perform job functions. 

MENTAL

Constant independent judgment and/or action, organizational skills, customer service, decision making, and use of discretion are required. Frequent teamwork, problem analysis, occasional creativity and mentoring are required. Incumbent must read, speak, write and understand English to work effectively with staff, community partners, and clients. Basic data entry and math skills are necessary to input data and generate reports necessary to fulfill job functions. 

PHYSICAL

Frequent physical activities are standing, walking, talking, sitting, and hearing/listening. Occasional physical activities are grasping, repetitive motions of hands/wrists and handling. Stooping, bending, and reaching are rarely required.

REQUIRED EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

• At least two years’ experience providing resources to people experiencing homelessness and/or people that have lower incomes.
• Commitment to ensuring there is equitable access to the local homeless crisis response system for all.
• Strong customer service, time management and interpersonal skills
• Strong cultural awareness and humility.
• Ability to accept feedback as an opportunity to improve and excel.
• Ability to remain empathetic, kind, and nonjudgmental regardless of the situation.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION

• Lived experience as someone who has or had low-income and/or has formerly experienced homelessness
• Exceptional verbal and written communication.
• Speaks a language(s) other than English and reflects our diverse community.
• Experience with working on or supervising a street outreach team.
• Experience using HMIS or other databases.
• Knowledge of Clark County resources and agencies that serve people experiencing homelessness. 

Candidates from Communities of Color, Veterans, seniors, people with disabilities, and those who identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community are highly encouraged to apply. 

JOB CONDITIONS

Fast-paced office environment with frequent interruptions and occasional urgent situations. Regularly provides support to houseless population in such areas as needs assessment, program information and referral, education and problem solving. Requires reliable transportation within the agency’s service area. Normal working hours not to exceed 40 hours a week, with occasional shifts to evening/weekend coverage as determined necessary by Council for the Homeless. 

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Criminal records satisfactory to the VHA are conditions of employment. The VHA will make inquiries with the Washington State Patrol (and/or other authorities) regarding these records and considers this information to be a vital aspect of the screening process.

STARTING SALARY DESCRIPTION

Starting salary is $27.61

In compliance with the WA Equal Pay & Opportunities Act, the full salary range for the position is $27.61 to $33.13.

VHA/CFTH is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability status, genetic information, marital status, pregnancy status, political ideology, honorably discharged veteran, or military status.