About Us The Portal Youth Outreach Association (PYOA) works alongside youth aged 16-24 throughout Western Nova Scotia. Through outreach, housing support, employment programming, life skills development, and community-based services, The Portal helps youth access the resources, opportunities, and connections they need to make progress toward their goals.

We are committed to meeting youth where they are at and providing supportive, relationship-based services that strengthen wellbeing, increase stability, build confidence, and promote community connection.

Job Purpose The SAP and Housing Team Lead provides operational leadership, supervision, and coordination for the Supportive Apartment Program (SAP) in Waterville. This role ensures that youth receive consistent, high-quality housing-focused case management and that landlords experience clear communication, responsive support, and reliable partnership.

The SAP and Housing Team Lead supervises two Coordinators, provides direct case management to SAP tenants, coordinates landlord engagement, and ensures that housing operations, documentation, and program standards are consistently upheld.

This role is essential to maintaining safe housing support and environments, strong landlord relationships, and effective tenancy support for youth transitioning toward independence.

Primary Duties

- Staff Leadership: Supervise, coach, evaluate, and support SAP and Housing staff, including recruitment, onboarding, development, and accountability.
- Case Management: Provide SAP youth with case management, housing plans, tenancy support, referrals, and transition support.
- Landlord Relations: Manage relationships with SAP landlords and coordinate tenancy concerns, property needs, inspections, and conflict resolution.
- Program Operations: Oversee SAP and Housing operations, occupancy, unit readiness, housing standards, and staff resources.
- Documentation & Quality: Ensure accurate case notes, housing records, incident reports, reporting, and confidential documentation.
- Budget & Resources: Support budget management, expense approvals, credit card reconciliation, and responsible use of program resources.
- Collaboration: Coordinate with internal teams and partners to support youth, housing transitions, shared services, and program planning.
- Safety & Risk: Ensure safety procedures are followed, respond to concerns and crises within scope, and escalate risks appropriately.

Actions and Responsibilities

- Provide day-to-day leadership, supervision, coaching, and support to SAP and Housing staff, including performance management, probation reviews, onboarding, professional development, and accountability.
- Provide direct case management to youth in SAP, including developing housing plans, supporting tenancy and independent living skills, coordinating referrals, and facilitating housing transitions.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for SAP landlords,



maintaining positive relationships and addressing tenancy concerns, property issues, communication needs, and conflict resolution.
- Oversee the day-to-day operation of SAP and Housing programs, including unit occupancy, move-ins and move-outs, unit readiness, housing standards, and ensuring staff have the resources needed to deliver effective programming.
- Monitor and support the quality and completion of case notes, housing plans, incident reports, tenancy documentation, and other required records and reports.
- Support responsible financial and resource management by monitoring program budgets, reviewing staff expenses and mileage, reconciling credit card transactions, and ensuring spending follows PYOA requirements and approval limits.
- Collaborate with Outreach, SLP, Wellness, Property, and other internal teams to coordinate services, communicate housing-related concerns, support transitions, and address shared youth needs.
- Ensure staff follow applicable safety procedures, emergency protocols, documentation requirements, and program expectations; respond to concerns within scope and escalate significant risks or issues to the Manager of Outreach & Housing.
- Identify operational, staffing, tenancy, property, and service-delivery issues and take appropriate action to resolve them or ensure timely escalation.
- Participate in program planning, team meetings, quality improvement initiatives, and organizational activities that support the effective delivery and ongoing development of PYOA's housing services.

Intended Impact When SAP housing operates smoothly, tenants feel supported, landlords feel informed and respected, and housing stability is maintained. This reflects the SAP and Housing Team Lead’s ability to effectively coordinate people, systems, communication, and day-to-day operations to ensure housing services are consistent, responsive, and youth-centred.

Success in this role is demonstrated through stable tenancies and reduced housing disruptions, strong and consistent landlord relationships, high-quality housing case management, clear documentation and operational oversight, supported and accountable SAP and Housing staff, and safe, well-maintained housing environments.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

- Post-secondary education in Social Services, Housing, Child & Youth Care, Human Services, or related field.
- Minimum 2–3 years of experience in housing support, case management, or youth services.
- Experience in a leadership, mentorship, or supervisory role preferred.




- Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation with $2 M liability insurance coverage

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

- Demonstrated ability to build collaborative partnerships with housing providers, community organizations, government departments, and service agencies.
- Understanding of housing instability, homelessness, poverty, and community-based support systems.
- Knowledge of diversion, prevention, housing stabilization, and Coordinated Access approaches.
- Strong relationship-building, communication, negotiation, and collaboration skills.
- Ability to work independently while coordinating activities across multiple organizations and stakeholders.
- Strong organizational, documentation, reporting, and data management skills.
- Ability to analyze situations, problem-solve creatively, and respond effectively to housing-related challenges.
- Understanding of trauma-informed, strengths-based, and person-centred approaches.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound skilled judgment.

Personal Characteristics

- Compassionate, adaptable, and solution-focused.
- Collaborative and relationship-oriented.
- Accountable, organized, and self-motivated.
- Resilient and able to work effectively in dynamic environments.
- Committed to equity, inclusion, and respectful engagement with diverse communities.

Working Conditions The SAP and Housing Team Lead is based in Waterville. Work occurs within office settings, community locations, housing environments, and partner agencies. The role is based on a full-time schedule of 37.5 hours per week and may require occasional evening meetings, community engagement activities, or travel throughout the region.

The Portal offers generous starting vacation and personal time allowances, in-house mental wellness support, RRSP contributions, and health/dental insurance as part of its employee benefits package.

Required Conditions of Employment

- Valid Class 5 Driver's License and reliable access to a vehicle.
- Successful completion of a Criminal Record Check, Vulnerable Sector Check and Child Abuse Registry Check.
- Ability to travel throughout Kings County, Annapolis County, and West Hants.
- Must not require sponsorship to work in Canada

How to Apply Please send your resume and cover letter to:

Char Gagnon

Executive Director [email protected]

Please include "SAP and Housing Team Lead" in the subject line of your email.

Applications will be accepted until Wednesday, September 30th at 4:30pm.

We thank all applicants for their interest in The Portal Youth Outreach Association; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Pay: $50,700.00 per year

Benefits

- Casual dress
- Dental care
- Extended health care
- Life insurance
- Mileage reimbursement
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- RRSP match
- Vision care

Work Location: In person

📌 SAP and Housing Team Lead (Waterville)
🏢 Portal Youth Outreach Association
📍 Waterville