Workforce Development Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Job description:

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST, YOUNG ADULT RAPID REHOUSING

Location: Washington, DC
Employment Type: Full-Time
Salary: $70,000–$80,000 annually
Reports To: Program Manager

ABOUT PELENTI GROUP

Pelenti Group is a mission-driven social enterprise delivering human services, community-based programs, and essential facility operations. We have been recognized as an Inc. 5000 company for three consecutive years and as a Vet100 company.

Our work is grounded in professional excellence, accountability, measurable outcomes, and respect for the people and communities we serve.

POSITION SUMMARY

Pelenti Group is hiring an experienced Workforce Development Specialist to lead employment, education, occupational-training, and career-development services for young adults approximately 17–23 years of age who are experiencing homelessness or housing instability in Washington, DC.

This is a results-driven, direct-service position. The Workforce Development Specialist will assess participants’ employment needs, develop individualized career plans, deliver job-readiness services, build relationships with employers and training providers, and help participants obtain and retain meaningful employment.

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate actual employment placements, retention outcomes, employer partnerships, or comparable workforce-development results. General career counseling experience without evidence of measurable outcomes will not be sufficient.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Conduct comprehensive assessments of participants’ employment histories, education, skills, interests, career goals, workplace readiness, and barriers to employment.
• Develop individualized employment and career-development plans with specific, measurable milestones.
• Integrate employment and education objectives into each participant’s broader housing-stability and service plan.
• Provide individualized career counseling, job-search assistance, résumé development, application support, interview preparation, and workplace-readiness coaching.
• Help participants develop professional communication, time-management, workplace conduct, conflict-resolution, and job-retention skills.
• Facilitate workshops covering résumé writing, interviewing, job-search strategies, workplace expectations, financial capability, professional development, and career advancement.
• Connect participants with GED programs, postsecondary education, occupational training, apprenticeships, internships, subsidized employment, and industry-recognized credential programs.
• Identify and help address barriers involving transportation, identification, childcare, technology, clothing, scheduling, legal history, limited work experience, or educational attainment.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with Washington, DC employers, workforce agencies, educational institutions, unions, apprenticeship programs, and occupational-training providers.
• Develop employment opportunities that align with participants’ interests, abilities, experience, and long-term career goals.
• Conduct employer outreach and present qualified participants for appropriate job opportunities.
• Coordinate employer presentations, hiring events, job fairs, mock interviews, career workshops, and workplace tours.
• Prepare participants for interviews and provide support throughout the application, hiring, and onboarding processes.
• Provide post-placement coaching to improve attendance, workplace performance, job retention, wage progression, and advancement.
• Intervene promptly when workplace challenges place a participant’s employment at risk.
• Track job placements, starting wages, scheduled hours, benefits, retention milestones, educational enrollment, training completion, and credential attainment.
• Maintain accurate and timely participant records, case notes, referrals, employer contacts, service documentation, and outcome data.
• Enter required information into designated case-management and reporting systems.
• Use performance data to identify service gaps and improve workforce-development strategies.
• Collaborate with Case Managers, the Licensed Graduate Social Worker, and Program Manager to coordinate participant services.
• Participate in multidisciplinary case conferences, staff meetings, supervision, training, quality-assurance reviews, and program-performance activities.
• Prepare reports and supporting documentation for program management and the contracting agency.
• Protect participant confidentiality and comply with all contractual, organizational, and legal requirements.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates must satisfy at least one of the following qualification pathways:

• Bachelor’s degree in workforce development, human services, social work, counseling, education, business, public administration, psychology, sociology, or a closely related field, plus at least one year of professional experience in employment services, occupational training, career development, job placement, or a related area;
• At least three years of relevant professional experience in workforce development, employment services, career coaching, job placement, occupational training, or a closely related field; or
• A relevant professional certification or license in workforce development, career services, counseling, employment services, or human services.

Candidates must also demonstrate:

• Experience helping individuals prepare for, obtain, and retain employment.
• Ability to conduct employment-readiness, skills, and career-interest assessments.
• Experience developing individualized employment or career plans.
• Strong career-coaching, workshop-facilitation, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to establish productive relationships with employers, educational institutions, training providers, and community partners.
• Ability to maintain accurate participant records and document measurable outcomes.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple participant needs, employer relationships, deadlines, and reporting responsibilities.
• Ability to work effectively with young adults from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary service team.
• Ability to travel throughout Washington, DC for participant appointments, employer meetings, hiring events, and program activities.
• Ability to satisfy all required employment and background screening.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

The strongest candidates will possess several of the following:

• At least three years of successful workforce-development, employment-services, or job-placement experience.
• Direct experience serving young adults between approximately 17 and 23 years of age.
• Experience serving people experiencing homelessness, housing instability, poverty, or significant barriers to employment.
• Documented success achieving job-placement, employment-retention, wage-progression, or credential-attainment outcomes.
• Active relationships with Washington, DC employers, training providers, educational institutions, apprenticeship programs, unions, or workforce agencies.
• Knowledge of the Washington, DC labor market and workforce-development system.
• Experience with WIOA-funded services, American Job Centers, vocational rehabilitation, subsidized employment, apprenticeships, or occupational-training programs.
• Experience delivering services under a DHS, HUD, Department of Labor, or other government-funded program.
• Experience tracking employment placements, wages, hours, retention, educational enrollment, and credential attainment.
• Experience using HMIS, workforce-management software, or a comparable participant database.
• Training in trauma-informed care, motivational interviewing, positive youth development, or career-development counseling.
• A recognized workforce-development, career-coaching, or employment-services credential.

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

The Workforce Development Specialist will be expected to produce and document measurable results, including:

• Participants completing employment-readiness assessments and individualized career plans;
• Participants enrolling in education, training, apprenticeship, or credential programs;
• Participants obtaining employment;
• Participants retaining employment at established milestones;
• Increased wages, hours, benefits, or advancement opportunities; and
• Active employer and training-provider partnerships.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The salary range is $70,000–$80,000 annually. Placement within the range will be based on relevant experience, documented employment outcomes, employer relationships, Washington, DC workforce-system knowledge, professional credentials, and experience serving young adults experiencing homelessness.

The selected employee will be eligible for Pelenti Group’s benefits according to applicable plan terms and company policies.