Job Description - Coordinator of Indigenous Housing
Position: Coordinator of Indigenous Housing
Reporting to: Manager of Indigenous Housing & Inclusion
Location: 70 Brookfield Road, St. John’s, NL
Summary
The Coordinator of Indigenous Housing plays an important role in the delivery and coordination of First Light’s housing supports for Indigenous community members experiencing homelessness, housing instability, and other complex social needs.
Working from a culturally grounded, trauma-informed, and person-centred approach, the Coordinator supports community members in navigating housing and related systems while helping to strengthen connections to internal First Light programs, community organizations, housing providers, and government services.
The Coordinator provides day-to-day coordination of First Light’s Indigenous Housing services, supports Housing staff in their work with community members, and helps ensure services are responsive, organized, collaborative, and aligned with community needs.
This position requires an understanding of the complex and interconnected circumstances that can contribute to housing instability, including poverty, mental health, substance use, justice involvement, systemic discrimination, and barriers to accessing services. The Coordinator must also understand the historical and ongoing impacts of colonialism on Indigenous peoples and how these experiences can affect access to housing, health, justice, and social systems.
Reporting directly to the Manager of Indigenous Housing & Inclusion, the Coordinator will support program delivery, staff coordination, community partnerships, documentation, data collection, reporting requirements, and the continued development of First Light’s Indigenous Housing services.
Who You Are & What You Carry
You understand that housing support is about more than finding a place to live. It is about building relationships, reducing barriers, supporting choice, and walking alongside community members as they navigate complex systems.
You approach this work with empathy, cultural humility, patience, and respect. You are comfortable balancing direct community support with the coordination and administrative responsibilities required to keep a housing program operating effectively.
You Are:
- Compassionate, approachable, and grounded in community-based support.
- A strong communicator who leads with clarity, care, and respect.
- Organized and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced and evolving environment.
- A collaborative team member who is comfortable providing guidance and support to others.
- Committed to culturally safe, trauma-informed, harm-reduction, and person-centred approaches.
- Aware of the historical and ongoing impacts of colonialism and systemic discrimination experienced by Indigenous peoples.
- Comfortable working with individuals experiencing complex circumstances and significant barriers.
- Someone who values relationships, community, collaboration, and connection.
- Flexible and willing to step in where support is most needed.
You Carry:
- Strong community support, case coordination, and system-navigation skills.
- Experience supporting individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
- An understanding of housing, homelessness, mental health, substance use, justice, and social support systems.
- Experience advocating alongside individuals as they navigate complex services and systems.
- Knowledge and understanding of Indigenous communities, cultures, traditions, and experiences in Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to work collaboratively with community and government partners.
- The ability to coordinate staff, programs, documentation, and competing priorities.
- Strong judgment, critical-thinking, and creative problem-solving skills.
- An understanding of confidentiality and the importance of appropriately managing sensitive community member information.
What You’ll DoHousing & Community Member Support
- Coordinate the day-to-day delivery of First Light’s Indigenous Housing services and supports.
- Support Indigenous community members experiencing homelessness, housing instability, or barriers to maintaining safe and appropriate housing.
- Assist community members with navigating social housing, emergency and transitional housing, income support, housing applications, and other housing-related services.
- Provide practical support, advocacy, referrals, and system navigation based on the individual needs and goals of community members.
- Support community members in connecting with health, mental health, substance use, justice, cultural, financial, and other community services where appropriate.
- Respond to individuals presenting for housing support and help identify appropriate next steps, resources, and referrals.
- Support community members in maintaining housing by helping identify and address barriers that may put their housing at risk.
Team Coordination & Support
- Provide day-to-day coordination, guidance, and support to staff working within Indigenous Housing.
- Help ensure staff have the information, resources, and connections required to effectively support community members.
- Support staff when navigating complex community member circumstances and help identify appropriate approaches, referrals, and resources.
- Promote a collaborative, respectful, and culturally safe working environment.
- Work closely with the Manager of Indigenous Housing & Inclusion to identify team needs, service pressures, emerging issues, and opportunities to strengthen programming.
- Support onboarding, orientation, and knowledge sharing within the Housing team as required.
Internal & Community Collaboration
- Work collaboratively with First Light’s Community Connections team and other First Light programs to provide coordinated and holistic support to community members.
- Build and maintain positive working relationships with shelters, housing providers, community organizations, government departments, and other service providers.
- Participate in community tables, meetings, case coordination, and collaborative initiatives related to housing and homelessness as appropriate.
- Strengthen referral pathways between First Light and community partners to reduce barriers and improve access to services.
- Identify gaps within existing systems and work with the Manager and community partners to explore collaborative solutions.
- Represent First Light’s Indigenous Housing program professionally and respectfully when working with external partners.
Program Coordination, Documentation & Reporting
- Support the Manager in ensuring Indigenous Housing programs operate in accordance with funding agreements, program requirements, organizational policies, and established practices.
- Maintain and support accurate documentation, case records, program information, and data collection.
- Ensure confidential community member information is appropriately documented, handled, stored, and protected.
- Assist with quantitative and qualitative data collection and reporting for funders and organizational requirements.
- Support the preparation of program reports, statistics, success stories, and other information required by funders.
- Assist with tracking program activities, outcomes, and service trends.
- Support financial documentation and program expense tracking in collaboration with the Manager and Finance team.
- Identify emerging community needs, service gaps, and trends and communicate these to the Manager.
- Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of housing procedures, referral pathways, documentation practices, and service-delivery processes.
Skills, Experience & Requirements
- Minimum of 3–5 years of relevant experience in housing, homelessness, social services, community support, case management, outreach, or a related field.
- Post-secondary education in Social Work, Sociology, Indigenous Studies, Community Development, Human Services, or a related field is considered an asset. A combination of relevant education, professional experience, community knowledge, and lived experience will also be considered.
- Experience working with Indigenous individuals, families, and communities.
- Knowledge and understanding of Indigenous cultures, traditions, histories, and communities in Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Understanding of the historical and ongoing impacts of colonialism, systemic racism, and discrimination on Indigenous peoples.
- Experience supporting individuals experiencing homelessness, housing instability, or complex barriers.
- Knowledge of housing and homelessness systems, community resources, and social supports.
- Experience with trauma-informed, culturally safe, harm-reduction, and person-centred approaches.
- Experience coordinating or providing guidance and support to staff or teams.
- Strong communication, relationship-building, and interpersonal skills.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to balance multiple priorities.
- Strong written communication and documentation skills.
- Experience with program data collection, reporting, and funding requirements is considered an asset.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and appropriately manage sensitive information.
- Strong critical-thinking, decision-making, and creative problem-solving abilities.
- Ability to work independently while contributing to a collaborative team environment.
- Flexibility and adaptability in responding to changing community and program needs.
- Commitment to ongoing learning, relationship building, and continuous improvement.
- Record of Conduct and Vulnerable Sector Check
Our Approach
At First Light, Indigenous Housing support is about more than accessing housing. We recognize that housing is connected to culture, community, health, safety, belonging, and overall well-being.
Our approach is grounded in relationships and meeting community members where they are. We work alongside individuals to understand their needs and goals, reduce barriers, navigate complex systems, and strengthen connections to the supports and resources available to them.
The Coordinator of Indigenous Housing plays an important role in this work by supporting community members, coordinating the day-to-day work of the Housing program, strengthening relationships with community partners, supporting staff, and helping First Light continue to build responsive and culturally grounded housing services for Indigenous community members.
Pay: $65,000.00-$68,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Dental care
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- RRSP match
- Wellness program
Work Location: In person
