Career Counselor

For over 50 years, Good Shepherd Housing has been a cornerstone in Fairfax County, VA, turning the key to brighter futures for those at risk of being unhoused or priced out of their own communities. At the heart of our mission is a unique approach: purchasing properties and transforming them into affordable housing solutions. This strategy enables us to unlock the doors to safe, stable homes, laying the groundwork for our residents' personal growth and community resilience. With a $3.5 million annual budget and over 100 housing units throughout our community, we aid over 1,000 families and individuals in need. Our commitment extends beyond the walls of housing; we provide a comprehensive suite of support and financial services designed to catalyze the journey toward self-sufficiency. By intertwining affordable living with tailored assistance, we forge stronger communities, one home, and one future at a time.

Career Power is our program focused on 16 to 24 year-olds from our communities. We provide a tailored, one-on-one approach to coaching and guiding students toward education and trade opportunities they might not otherwise pursue. Started just 18 months ago, Career Power has doubled our anticipated enrollment, and we look to expand our Career Counselor function.

Our Career Counselors serve as coaches and accountability partners, walking alongside the students to avail them of opportunities and create goals-based paths to the future. We work with students—and their families—to understand options and reasons to take the step to the next level of education. We break down barriers to achievement by providing rental assistance, parking passes, laptops, and assistance filling out college and scholarship applications and the FAFSA. Most importantly, we earn trust and build relationships to prompt progress.

What You Will Accomplish

Change lives for the better

• Provide a path to students who may not pursue opportunities available
• Relate to students and empowering meaningful life decisions
• Build confidence and craft dreams for the next generation
• Provide a path to students who may not pursue opportunities available
• Relate to students and empowering meaningful life decisions
• Build confidence and craft dreams for the next generation

Couple data-driven results with trusting relationships

• Use data to increase inspiration, drive youth education and career possibilities, and demonstrate cause-and-effect realities for current life choices
• Empower first-generation students to pursue education and the “audacity” to have career type job
• Inspire students to pursue non-traditional paths

Build meaningful relationships

• Build relationships with students and families
• Establish positive partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, as well as educational and job connections to support youth’s success

Serve as an accountability partner

• Reinforce critical actions and comprehensive support and follow up
• Provide course correction when life throws curveballs
• Set a standard and expectation for success and a path to achieve those goals

Influence Expanding Program Design and Influence

• Think through and advise on program design
• Influence the growth of a successful but young program model

Experience You May Bring

We're seeking a charismatic counselor passionate about empowering the next generation to achieve beyond barriers.

The ideal candidate will:

1. Understand youth and young adult experience, especially those in at-risk families, and a belief in the ability of all youth to build better lives
2. Be comfortable forging connections with youth, families, and critical stakeholders to forge partnerships integral to progress, in both virtual and in-person settings
3. Knowledge of, or willingness to learn, training an employment resources in South Alexandria/Fairfax County.
4. General knowledge of, and ability to teach youth, financial literacy, budgeting and expense tracking.
5. Ability to teach general skills necessary for obtaining and maintaining a job.
6. Understanding of career and educational paths, especially related to technical skills that appear to be in future demand.
7. Bachelor's degree in counseling, social work, psychology, communications or related fields.

The following characteristics are a plus:

1. Lived-experience with immigrant, at-risk or low-income communities
2. Experience within public schools

Who Should Apply? Those Who Are…

Passionate about education | Strategic | Open-minded | Persuasive | Trustworthy | Independent Thinker and Doer | Expert at Navigating Educational Bureaucracy | Committed to Breaking Down Racial and Economic Barriers | Data-Driven | Culturally Fluent in Immigrant and Low-Income Communities | Interested in Driving Multi-Generational Change

Our Work and Our Values

At Good Shepherd Housing, we believe in and practice:

• Authenticity
• Equity
• Empathy
• Relationship Building
• Continuous Learning and Growth
• Collaboration
• Questioning the Status Quo
• Education’s Power to Transform Lives and Communities

Join Us in Transforming Lives

As we embark on this journey to create a brighter future for individuals and families in our community, we invite you to bring your passion, creativity, and expertise to Good Shepherd

Housing and Family Services, Inc. Together, let's build a world where everyone has a place to call home and the opportunity to thrive. Apply now and be part of a mission-driven organization making a difference, one family at a time.

●      Comprehensive healthcare coverage, including medical, dental, and vision insurance: Our medical insurance plans are customizable to individual needs and include options for different coverage tiers and age groups. Additionally, employees who choose an HSA medical plan receive a monthly contribution of $166.67 to their health savings account. Our dental and vision insurance plans offer similar flexibility, with coverage options available for employee-only, employee + spouse, and family needs. Furthermore, we offer Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) for health and dependent care expenses, enabling employees to save on eligible costs while maintaining flexibility in their healthcare spending.

●     Long-term Rewards: We offer a 403b retirement plan with an employer match of up to 3%, helping employees save for their future financial security.

●      Paid time off & Holidays: Employees enjoy a generous PTO policy, starting with 10 days in the first year and increasing to 15 days after 2 years and 20 days after 5 years of service. Employees receive 10 days of sick leave per year to support their health and well-being. Additionally, we observe 10 holidays per year, including the day after Thanksgiving, providing a total of 11 paid holidays annually.

●      Hybrid Work Environment: Opportunity to work 3 days in the office and 2 days from home. Hours may be flexible to accommodate connecting with youth and families at their available times.

●     Learning Reimbursements: We believe in investing in the growth and development of our employees. Therefore, we offer opportunities for continuing education through training programs and tuition reimbursement of up to $1300 per year. At GSH, we are committed to supporting our employees in achieving their professional and personal goals while making a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and families facing housing insecurity.