Evening Shelter Counselor, Yawkey House
Listed compensation
$21.4-$30/hr
The week · per this posting
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, nights and shift pattern and time off.
Job Description
Description
SCEDULE: 40 hours, Sunday - Thursday, 245PM-1115PM. 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)
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 guest 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, ensuring a safe environment and assisting with housing pathways. They also connect guests to essential resources such as substance abuse, mental health, and medical services while maintaining accurate documentation in the HMIS system.
Key Skills
Counselor Career Context
Of the 50 active Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 40% are remote, 24% have no call, 72% require no weekends.
Counselor pay on WeekdayDoc is down 3.3% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).
The cost-of-living index for Massachusetts is 105.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$30k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $28k in an average-cost state. 63.2% of Massachusetts clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
Top Counselor Jobs
36 matches · ranked by paySalary Distribution36 jobs · 28 employers
Annual compensation range
Benefits & Perks34 jobs · 28 employers
Share of similar jobs offering each benefit
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT, LPC, LCSW)
LifeStance Health · Madison, Wisconsin
Remote Licensed Talk Therapist - Fee For Service
Thriveworks · Massachusetts
Licensed Talk Therapist - Fee For Service
$124kLicensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
$115k-$120kWork-life snapshot
Listing-based score, 0–10, across 579 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.
- On-site
- Includes weekends
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.