Based in San Francisco, operating nationally, we are a team of people with and without disabilities, creating a disability-forward housing future. The Kelsey advances disability-forward housing solutions that open doors to homes and opportunities for everyone. We both co-develop affordable, accessible, inclusive housing and lead advocacy and field-building efforts to create market conditions so inclusive housing becomes the norm.

In just six years, we have built over 240 homes, unlocked almost $190M in funding, and impacted over 6,000 community advocates. Residents with and without disabilities now live in communities that were in concept five years ago. Our Technical Assistance has supported projects across 16 states, and our open-source resources have been used in almost every state.
All new and existing team members are expected to embody our values in their everyday work:

Disability-Forward: We bring our lived experiences as disabled people and allies to everything we do. We seek to create spaces where disability is a valued part of human identity and communities. We center access, practice interdependence, and value diversity.
Intentional: We are thoughtful, curious, and deliberate. We deeply understand the systems impacting our work and willingly learn new strategies needed to advance our mission.

Joyful: We value joy even as we undertake serious work and challenges. We create space for ourselves and our partners to experience community, fun, purpose, and happiness.
Radically Inclusive: We are welcoming, care-centered, and accepting. We practice hospitality and foster belonging for all people in our community and networks, across their many identities and ideas.

Groundbreaking: We pave new ways to understand and approach the work we do, unconstrained by the status quo and stigma. We transparently and willingly share our knowledge with others to make more impact possible and open new opportunities.

About The Kelsey

Based in San Francisco, operating nationally, we are a team of people with and without disabilities, creating a disability-forward housing future. The Kelsey advances disability-forward housing solutions that open doors to homes and opportunities for everyone. We both co-develop affordable, accessible, inclusive housing and lead advocacy and field-building efforts to create market conditions so inclusive housing becomes the norm.

In just six years, we have built over 240 homes, unlocked almost $190M in funding, and impacted over 6,000 community advocates. Residents with and without disabilities now live in communities that were in concept five years ago. Our Technical Assistance has supported projects across 16 states, and our open-source resources have been used in almost every state.

All new and existing team members are expected to embody our values in their everyday work:

• Disability-Forward: We bring our lived experiences as disabled people and allies to everything we do. We seek to create spaces where disability is a valued part of human identity and communities. We center access, practice interdependence, and value diversity.
• Intentional: We are thoughtful, curious, and deliberate. We deeply understand the systems impacting our work and willingly learn new strategies needed to advance our mission.
• Joyful: We value joy even as we undertake serious work and challenges. We create space for ourselves and our partners to experience community, fun, purpose, and happiness.
• Radically Inclusive: We are welcoming, care-centered, and accepting. We practice hospitality and foster belonging for all people in our community and networks, across their many identities and ideas.
• Groundbreaking: We pave new ways to understand and approach the work we do, unconstrained by status quo and stigma. We transparently and willingly share our knowledge with others to make more impact possible and open new opportunities.

About the Role

This position is grant-funded for an initial 18-month term. The Kelsey may seek continued funding for the position, but employment beyond 18 months is not guaranteed.

The Inclusion Concierge Program Specialist brings specialized disability expertise to The Kelsey’s Resident Services program, grounded in experience supporting adults with a range of disabilities and support needs, including people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). A primary focus of this role is launching and strengthening The Kelsey’s Circles of Support practice for residents with higher or more complex support needs, co-facilitating Circles alongside Inclusion Concierge to strengthen residents’ natural and formal supports while centering their goals, choices, and self-determination.

The Program Specialist also serves as a disability services and benefits resource for residents and the Inclusion Concierge team, bringing deeper knowledge of disability systems, benefits, services, and community resources when more specialized support is needed. They will help strengthen disability-forward practice across Resident Services by sharing their expertise and developing practical tools, resources, and training that support current Inclusion Concierges and can be carried forward as The Kelsey opens new communities.

For this role, you will:

• Launch & Co-Facilitate Circles of Support
  • Lead the implementation and ongoing development of The Kelsey’s Circles of Support practice, incorporating input from residents and people with lived experience of disability, with a focus on residents with higher or more complex support needs.
  • Partner with Inclusion Concierge to identify residents who may benefit from a facilitated Circle of Support and co-facilitate the process alongside the resident’s IC.
  • Help residents identify, build, and strengthen their Circle of Support, including family, friends, neighbors, community connections, service providers, and others the resident chooses to involve.
  • Facilitate accessible, resident-directed Circle conversations that keep the resident’s goals, preferences, communication needs, choices, and self-determination at the center while helping their network strengthen communication and work toward resident-identified goals
  • Use Circles proactively to identify gaps in support, strengthen natural supports that complement formal and paid services, reduce isolation, foster interdependence, and build stronger networks that contribute to residents’ well-being and housing stability.
  • Develop practical tools and processes for documenting, revisiting, and strengthening Circles so the practice can be sustained and expanded across current and future Kelsey communities.

• Provide Disability-Forward Expertise & Specialized Support
  • Bring specialized knowledge and experience in disability-forward support, with particular expertise in supporting adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
  • Work alongside residents and their Inclusion Concierge when more specialized disability expertise would strengthen support, while the IC remains the resident’s primary Resident Services contact.
  • Bring person-centered and disability-forward practices—including self-determination, supported decision-making, dignity of risk, natural supports, and interdependence—to resident support and planning.
  • Help residents and ICs navigate more complex support needs, including identifying gaps in existing supports and exploring additional formal or natural supports that align with the resident’s goals and preferences.
  • Participate in resident case conferences and other collaborative planning as needed, bringing disability-specific knowledge and helping identify when needs are best addressed by outside providers or services.

• Strengthen Benefits & Disability Systems Navigation
  • Maintain strong, current knowledge of benefits, services, and systems available to adults with disabilities locally, regionally, statewide, and federally, including Regional Center services, IHSS, SSI/SSDI, Medi-Cal and Medicare, HCBS, transportation, employment supports, and other disability-specific resources.
  • Help residents understand and navigate benefits and services they may be eligible for, particularly when needs are complex, services are interrupted, or additional support is needed beyond a routine referral.
  • Serve as a resource to Inclusion Concierge when deeper systems knowledge is needed, helping identify additional options and pathways while ICs continue to make referrals and maintain ongoing relationships with residents and their service partners.
  • Build relationships with disability organizations, public agencies, Regional Centers, benefits resources, service providers, and other community partners to stay connected to available resources and emerging opportunities for residents.
  • Develop and maintain practical benefits and resource information that can be used by residents and Inclusion Concierge across The Kelsey’s communities.

• Strengthen & Share Disability-Forward Inclusion Concierge Practice
  • Translate lessons from Circles of Support, disability services navigation, and direct resident work into practical tools and resources that strengthen The Kelsey's Resident Services program, including a clear, replicable framework that other inclusive communities can adapt.
  • Support recruitment, training, and retention of volunteers who support Resident Services programming and residents across The Kelsey's communities, building a pipeline for future growth.
  • Partner with Resident Services leadership to identify opportunities to deepen disability-forward practices and incorporate effective approaches into the broader Inclusion Concierge model.
  • Develop and support training for current and new Inclusion Concierges on Circles of Support, disability services and systems, person-centered support, and other disability-forward practices.
  • Provide backup Inclusion Concierge support across The Kelsey’s communities as needed, including resident engagement, service navigation, and community programming.

Within the first 3 months, as an Inclusion Concierge Program Specialist, you will have built strong working relationships with residents and Inclusion Concierge staff at both communities and developed a deep understanding of The Kelsey’s Resident Services model. You will begin co-facilitating Circles of Support with ICs for residents with higher or more complex support needs, while building your knowledge of the disability services, benefits, and resources available to residents in San Francisco and San Jose.

Within the first 6 months, you will have established a consistent Circles of Support practice for residents with higher or more complex support needs and be regularly co-facilitating Circles alongside Inclusion Concierges. You will be a trusted disability services and benefits resource for residents and the IC team, have strong working knowledge of relevant disability systems and community resources, and begin translating what you are learning into practical tools and training that strengthen disability-forward practice across the Inclusion Concierge program.

About You

We’re looking for someone who brings meaningful experience supporting adults with disabilities and a deep commitment to person-centered, self-determined community living. You understand disability service systems, know how to build trusting relationships, and can bring specialized expertise while working collaboratively with residents, colleagues, families, and service partners.

The key traits that are most important in this role are:

• Experience working directly with adults (18+) with a range of disabilities and support needs, including meaningful experience supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and people with co-occurring mental health and/or substance use support needs.
• Experience with person-centered planning, Circles of Support, service coordination, or similar approaches that center the goals, preferences, and choices of people with disabilities.
• Working knowledge of disability services and public benefits systems, such as Regional Centers, IHSS, SSI/SSDI, Medi-Cal, Medicare, and other community-based supports.
• Understanding of disability-forward practices, including self-determination, supported decision-making, dignity of risk, natural supports, and interdependence.
• Strong facilitation and relationship-building skills, including experience adapting approaches for people with different communication styles, cognitive and access needs, and levels of support.
• Ability to make complex systems and information understandable and accessible to residents, families, colleagues, and partners.
• Resourcefulness, sound judgment, and ability to work independently when navigating complex systems, identifying resources, and determining new pathways when residents encounter barriers.
• Ability to translate your expertise into practical tools, resources, and learning opportunities that strengthen the work of others.
• Commitment to delivering resident services with social justice lens and an understanding of systemic barriers that impact housing security of residents of diverse backgrounds and identities

We need people with and without disabilities from diverse backgrounds, lived experiences, and skill sets to live out our mission at The Kelsey. We strongly encourage people who have felt the impacts of the nation’s housing crisis to apply. This includes but is not limited to people most impacted by racism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, classism, and other forms of oppression.

Even if you don’t meet these traits 100%, but are aligned to The Kelsey’s values, please feel free to apply. We will be recruiting for similar positions in the coming months.

Please note that you must be authorized to work in the United States.

What We Offer

This position is grant-funded for an initial 18-month term. The Kelsey may seek continued funding for the position, but employment beyond 18 months is not guaranteed.

The base salary for this position is $75,000 to $80,000, depending on experience. We offer benefits such as robust health coverage, vacation, and family leave.

This role supports residents at both The Kelsey Civic Center in San Francisco and The Kelsey Ayer Station in San Jose, and will work regularly at both communities. The selected candidate can choose which community will be their assigned office.

The Application Process:

1. Please fill out this application form. It consists of a few questions to gauge whether you meet the key traits listed above. We are reviewing applications on a rolling basis.
2. We will schedule interviews starting the week of October 26th. We’ll be evaluating everyone for the qualifications listed in the job description and values fit. We want to see you at your best and fairly assess the candidates, so we’ll tell you our interview questions in advance!
3. For candidates that make it to the final round, we’ll ask you to spend 2 hours on an assignment related to the role. We aim to extend a final offer for this role at the end of February.

If you have any access needs or accommodations for the interview process, please don't hesitate to email us at molly@thekelsey.org. Requests will have no impact on the selection process.