Employment Specialist

The Mental Illness Recovery Center (MIRCI) is a non-profit organization that assists homeless individuals, both adults and youth, with clinical needs and permanent housing, and is seeking an Employment Specialist.

Function:

Under the general supervision of the Development Director, the Employment Success Specialist is a community-based position responsible for developing employer relationships, identifying competitive employment opportunities, and helping individuals served by MIRCI obtain meaningful, integrated employment. This role is heavily focused on employer engagement, job development, and building strong partnerships with businesses, workforce partners, vocational rehabilitation, and other community resources. The Employment Success Specialist must have a genuine belief that individuals with mental illness, homelessness, or other barriers can succeed in competitive, integrated employment when provided with the right opportunities and support.

Employee Classification:

Considered a professional, non-exempt position that is regular full-time.

Examples of Work:

• Conducts employer outreach as a primary function of the role, including identifying potential employers, making community contacts, developing job leads, and building ongoing relationships with businesses to expand competitive, integrated employment opportunities for clients.
• Spends significant time in the community meeting with employers, visiting worksites, attending workforce events, and identifying employment opportunities. This position is community-based and is not primarily desk-based.
• Develops and maintains partnerships with employers, workforce development agencies, vocational rehabilitation, training programs, educational institutions, and other community organizations to expand access to employment opportunities.
• Educates employers and community partners on the value of competitive, integrated employment and promotes opportunities for individuals with mental health conditions, histories of homelessness, lived experience, recovery experiences, or other barriers to employment.
• Works with clients to understand their employment interests, skills, work history, goals, and support needs in order to identify appropriate competitive, integrated employment opportunities.
• Assists clients with employment-related activities, including applications, resumes, interviews, workplace expectations, job readiness, job placement, and job retention support as appropriate.
• Provides follow-up support to clients and employers after job placement to promote job retention, resolve employment-related concerns, and support long-term employment success.
• Maintains knowledge of Social Security, disability benefits, work incentives, income reporting, and benefits-related employment concerns, or demonstrates a willingness to complete training in these areas to better support clients pursuing employment.
• Completes timely and accurate documentation of employer contacts, job development activities, client progress, employment outcomes, service contacts, and other required documentation in accordance with agency standards.
• Participates in team meetings, supervision, training, and coordination of services to ensure employment goals are integrated into the client's overall recovery and service plan.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Demonstrated ability to conduct employer outreach, build relationships with businesses, develop job leads, and create employment opportunities within the community.
• Strong belief in competitive, integrated employment and the ability of individuals with mental illness, homelessness, recovery experiences, or other barriers to succeed in the workforce.
• Ability to work effectively in a community-based role that requires regular travel to employer sites, community partner locations, workforce events, and other non-office settings.
• Knowledge of job development strategies, labor market trends, employer engagement practices, and workforce resources that support successful employment outcomes.
• Ability to develop and mainta in collaborative relationships with employers, workforce development agencies, vocational rehabilitation, training providers, educational institutions, and community partners.
• Knowledge of Social Security disability benefits, work incentives, income reporting, and benefits-related employment concerns, or willingness to complete training in these areas.
• Ability to understand client employment goals, skills, interests, support needs, and barriers to assist with appropriate job matching and employment planning.
• Strong communication, networking, advocacy, problem-solving, organizational, and documentation skills.
• Ability to promote the value of hiring individuals with lived experience, mental health conditions, histories of homelessness, or other barriers to employment professionally and respectfully. 
• Ability to work independently in the community while maintaining regular communication with the team and completing required documentation promptly.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in human services, social work, psychology, rehabilitation counseling, business, workforce development, or a related field; or at least three years of equivalent experience in employment services, job development, workforce development, vocational rehabilitation, employer relations, behavioral health, homeless services, or a related area
• One year of experience in employment services, job development, workforce development, vocational rehabilitation, employer relations, behavioral health, homeless services, or a related area.

Preferred Requirements:

• IPS training, IPS certification, or experience using the Individual Placement and Support model.
• CWIC credential, benefits counseling coursework, or training related to Social Security disability benefits and work incentives.
• Established relationships with employers, workforce development partners, vocational rehabilitation, training providers, or community employment resources.
• Lived experience with mental illness, homelessness, recovery, or other barriers to employment.
• Prior experience in job development, supported employment, workforce development, vocational rehabilitation, behavioral health, or nonprofit community-based services.

Benefits:

• 3 weeks accrued vacation per year
• 3 weeks accrued sick time per year
• 13 paid holidays
• Generous benefits package including Health Insurance, Vision Insurance, Dental Insurance, Short-Term Disability Coverage, Critical Illness Coverage, Company-Paid Life Insurance, and Long-Term Disability
• 401K
• 401K employer match up to 6%
• Paid Parental Leave
• Paid Bereavement Leave

MIRCI is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all team members.