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Now Hiring: Dubuque Rescue Mission Resident Aide

Department: Resident Life
Reports to: Resident Life Director
Pay: $18.00/hour
Hours: 18-36 hours per week, flexible, all shifts including overnight. Temporary position (through end of April).

Position Summary : The Resident Aide provides direct support and supervision for residents of the Emergency Shelter and helps maintain a safe, respectful, clean, and orderly environment. Resident Aides assist residents, reinforce rules and expectations, maintain required records, help with shelter operations, and communicate important information to the next shift.

Contact Rachel Schmidt Boeke to schedule an interview: rachel@dbqrescue.org or 563-291-6185

Primary Responsibilities

Resident Support & Supervision

• Treat residents with dignity, respect, fairness, and appropriate professional boundaries.
• Clearly communicate and consistently reinforce Mission and Resident Life rules.
• Help residents resolve minor concerns and conflicts and refer serious matters to appropriate leadership.
• Remain calm and professional during difficult situations.
• Help ensure that only Emergency Shelter residents and other authorized individuals enter designated Emergency Shelter residential areas.

Opening & Closing the Shelter

• Complete assigned Emergency Shelter opening and closing responsibilities.
• Make sure the shelter is safe, clean, and ready for residents.
• During morning closing, make sure residents complete expectations before leaving, including making their beds and leaving sleeping areas neat and orderly.
• Complete a final walkthrough and address or report concerns before closing the shelter.

Cleanliness & Facility Upkeep

• Help maintain clean and sanitary sleeping areas, restrooms, common areas, and other assigned spaces.
• Regularly monitor restrooms and make sure they remain clean, stocked, sanitary, and appropriate for resident use.
• Make sure assigned cleaning responsibilities are completed, whether through appropriate delegation to residents or direct staff participation.
• Resident Aides are expected to actively help with cleaning and upkeep when necessary.

Laundry & Linens

• Help maintain an adequate supply of clean bedding, sheets, pillowcases, and other shelter linens.
• Complete loads of shelter laundry during the shift when needed.
• Make sure dirty linens are placed in the designated area and kept separate from clean linens.
• Fold, organize, and properly store clean bedding and linens so supplies are ready when needed.

Documentation & Shift Handoff

• Maintain accurate resident attendance, check-in, and check-out information.
• Complete required paperwork, logs, notes, and incident documentation.
• Record significant resident concerns and follow-up needs.
• Provide the incoming Resident Aide or appropriate staff member with a clear verbal and written shift handoff.

Other Responsibilities

• Answer incoming phone calls and direct to the correct staff.
• Assist with basic resident intake when assigned.
• Conduct assigned rounds and monitor resident areas.
• Report safety, sanitation, maintenance, behavioral, or medical concerns through the proper Resident Life process.
• Participate in required Mission and Resident Life training.
• Perform other reasonable Resident Life duties necessary for the safe and effective operation of the Emergency Shelter.

Qualifications

• Dependable and able to work independently.
• Strong communication and people skills.
• Able to remain calm during conflict or stressful situations.
• Able to maintain appropriate professional boundaries.
• Willing to perform hands-on shelter responsibilities, including cleaning and laundry when necessary.
• Experience working with individuals experiencing homelessness or significant life challenges is helpful but not required.
• Social work, human services, shelter, recovery, peer-support, or related experience is helpful but not required.
• Lived experience may be valuable when combined with stability, healthy boundaries, empathy, and professionalism.