Pine Street INN logo
Pine Street INN
Boston, Massachusetts

Overnight Shelter Counselor, Yawkey House

CounselorFull-Time

Listed compensation

$21.4-$30/hr

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 1mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

  • SCHEDULE: 40 hours, Sunday- Thursday 10:45pm-7:15am Essential position during weather or other emergencies.
  • Pays $21.40 - $30.00 per hour DOE - (Salary ranges provided are based on relevant experience and skill set)
  • Plus $2.00 (shift differential pay) for every hour worked between 11:00pm – 7:00am

LOCATION: 363 Albany Street, Boston, MA; this role works 100% on site.

Summary of the Position

The Guest Services Specialist (GSS) works from the Pine Street Inn policy and procedures developed to ensure a safe shelter environment for guests and staff.

The Guest Services Specialist has a primary focus on the direct care of guests and, as such, responds to guests in a timely and professional manner based on the prioritization of guests’ needs.

The GSS assists with the development and implementation of a housing pathway by motivating guests to rapidly work on housing and connecting guests to appropriate resources.

The Guest Services Specialists will also assist guests in connecting with substance abuse, mental health and medical resources when the shelter cannot safely accommodate a guests needs. The GSS is required to stay energized and focused even when demands are ambiguous and strenuous.

The GSS is required to enter data into the Homeless Management Information (HMIS) system and to document reports in keeping with agency policy. The GSS is required to make sound decisions and appropriately seeks guidance from a supervisor.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education/Training

Required

High School diploma or GED

Preferred

  • Valid MA driver’s license in good standing
  • Bilingual English/Spanish

Knowledge/Experience

Required

Minimum of one (1) year of experience in the Human Services field

Preferred

  • Administering Narcan and CPR in a work setting
  • Knowledge in the areas of addiction, recovery, and mental illness
  • Knowledge of issues pertaining to the homeless
  • Knowledge of area resources

Key Responsibilities

The Guest Services Specialist provides direct care to shelter guests while ensuring a safe environment in accordance with agency policies. They assist guests in developing housing pathways and connecting them with essential substance abuse, mental health, and medical resources.

Key Skills

Crisis interventionCase managementData entryReport documentationAddiction supportMental health supportResource coordinationHomeless servicesSafety protocolsCommunicationProblem solvingNarcan administration

Counselor Career Context

Of the 50 active Counseling listings this role was benchmarked against, 42% are remote, 12% have no call, 70% require no weekends.

The cost-of-living index for Massachusetts is 105.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$53k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $51k in an average-cost state. 63.2% of Massachusetts clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Counseling pay on WeekdayDoc is up 9.8% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Top Counselor Jobs

39 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution39 jobs · 29 employers

13
<$80k
10
$80k-100k
5
$100k-120k
10
$120k-140k
1
$155k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks36 jobs · 29 employers

401k / retirement match
94%
CME allowance
50%
Sign-on bonus
28%
Loan repayment
17%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

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From $155k
#2

Mental Health Therapist

Brightways Counseling Group · Portland, Oregon

$131k
#3

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT, LPC, LCSW)

$92k-$125k
#4

Remote Licensed Talk Therapist - Fee For Service

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+ 37 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.4this job 3.0
Better work-life than 10% of Counseling listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 561 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site

Living in Boston

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$813k
Typical market rent
$3,338/mo
Residents’ average commute
30 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
108.3
State income tax
Up to 5%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.