Guest Advocate

Guest Advocate – Shelter

Full-Time | Non-Exempt |

Overnight shifts required. Hours may vary based on shelter operations, staffing coverage, and organizational needs.

 

St. Vincent de Paul of Baton Rouge is seeking a compassionate, dependable, and detail-oriented Guest Advocate to help keep our shelter safe, clean, and running smoothly for the neighbors we serve, as well as our staff and volunteers. In this role, you will focus on supporting guests with dignity and encouragement, keeping shelter routines on track, and maintaining accurate, confidential records.

Reporting to the Shelter Operations Manager, the Guest Advocate is a steady, welcoming presence in our shelter. You will manage daily shelter routines, supervise guest chores, oversee the use of food and supplies, keep the building secure, and enter and audit guest information in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). Your work helps guests take positive steps toward stability and renewed hope. Through this work you will help carry out the mission of St. Vincent de Paul with dignity, compassion, and excellence.

What You'll Do

• Manage shelter routines, ensuring the census and sign-in sheets match each shift and tracking guest work schedules.
• Answer shelter phone calls and doorbells promptly and courteously.
• Keep the shelter interior, exterior, and grounds clean by assisting and supervising guests with chores and inviting guests to volunteer where helpful.
• Manage the provision of food, supplies, and shelter resources for guests, and log donated items in the required systems.
• Ensure the shelter is safe, secure, and locked at the beginning, during, and end of each shift, and confirm that security cameras are working.
• Respond to security and fire alarms safely, keeping the safety of guests and staff paramount, and check the facility before leaving to make sure no one is left behind.
• Document guest concerns or rule violations and bring them to your supervisor's attention.
• Enter and update guest demographic, intake, and service information in HMIS in real time, completing all required fields according to shelter standards.
• Conduct daily, weekly, and monthly audits of digital and paper records to identify discrepancies and make corrections.
• Generate and submit HMIS and internal reports to supervisors, and work with program staff to collect missing information for city, state, and federal reporting.
• Safeguard sensitive information by following strict confidentiality and data compliance standards.
• Participate in HMIS and data management training, and stay current on policy, compliance, and system updates.

Who We're Looking For

Required

• A compassionate, service-minded person who can engage guests in positive change through dignified support and empowerment, including neighbors experiencing homelessness.
• A high school diploma.
• At least two years of direct experience working with vulnerable populations.
• Advanced computer skills, including the ability to quickly learn new software, accurately enter sensitive data, and troubleshoot basic technical issues.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and general office technology, such as copiers, fax machines, and shelter management systems.
• Exceptional organizational skills with both physical and electronic filing, and a strong commitment to data quality and compliance.
• The ability to maintain strict confidentiality.
• Respect for Catholic Social Teaching and the mission of St. Vincent de Paul.
• Someone able to work overnight shifts.

Preferred

• Prior experience using HMIS or a similar client data management system in a shelter or human services setting.

Physical Requirements

• Able to walk throughout the shelter's indoor and outdoor areas, covering up to one city block.
• Able to work overnight while maintaining complete awareness of surroundings.
• Able to lift up to 25 pounds.
• Work is performed in an office and community environment.

 

St. Vincent de Paul of Baton Rouge is a Catholic lay organization dedicated to serving individuals and families in need. If you are looking for meaningful full-time work where your compassion and attention to detail help guests find safety, stability, and renewed hope, we invite you to apply.

We are an equal opportunity employer and an E-Verify Program Participant.

If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application process, please let us know.