Outreach and Retention Specialist, CRED

Title: Outreach and Retention Specialist, CRED

Unit: Employment Services

Reports to: Program Director, CRED


Status: Full Time; Regular, Non-Exempt

Salary: $27.48 $30.22 hourly (approximately $50,000 to $55,000 annually)


Location: 3230 Third Avenue, Bronx, NY 10451

Days/Hours: Monday - Friday , 9am-5pm; Some evenings and weekends may be required

Organization Overview:

The Fortune Society, Inc. (Fortune) supports successful reentry from incarceration and promotes alternatives to incarceration, thus strengthening the fabric of our communities. The organization has evolved over 58 years into one of the nation's preeminent reentry and criminal legal-informed service organizations, providing formerly incarcerated people with the skills and wrap-around services needed to reenter their communities and build productive lives .


Fortune has grown steadily over the years to an agency with close to $100 million in annual budget with just under 600 staff. Fortune is dedicated to supporting its mission through both services and advocacy . Our advocacy focuses on building a just criminal legal system and reducing the barriers to reentry . The service side of Fortune has evolved to encompass a broad range of programs that started with employment and education and now includes a robust array of services, among them: alternatives to incarceration, supervised release, court advocacy, discharge planning within correctional facilities, licensed substance use and mental health treatment, a housing continuum ranging from emergency and transitional through permanent congregate and scattered site housing, assistance in obtaining benefits, a care management unit, HIV services, a food and nutrition program, and an arts program. Each service we provide is informed by the needs of the population we serve. Fortune currently serves approximately 18,000 people a year. We have locations in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan and Queens.

Position Summary:

The Outreach and Retention Specialist will focus on participant recruitment and supporting case managers with program retention under Fortune's contract with the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development's Community Resources for Employment and Development (CRED) program, which is designed to provide pathways to employment and economic mobility for people who reside in communities where community violence is most prevalent and address the system feedback loop by offering job readiness, training for sustainable and emerging industries, and supported job placement for continued success, coupled with strong wraparound supports and follow up services tailored towards these communities. The Outreach and Retention Specialist, dedicated solely to this program, should have the skills and personality to forge relationships with participants and encourage their participation and continuation in the program by ensuring participants have access to supportive services, especially during the follow up period, in coordination with case management staff. They should also be a "credible messenger" with strong community connections.

Mission and Fit:

Embodies Fortune's mission and values and will be an effective member of the team in furthering both. The candidate should exhibit compassion and understanding for our participants (wherever they are in their re-entry process) and embrace Fortune's core value that none of us should be measured against the worst things we have done.

Multitasking:

The Outreach and Retention Specialist must have the ability to meet various demands simultaneously and effectively. Will have the ability to offer intense concentration on complex tasks. The Outreach and Retention Specialist will be able to rotate concentration to prioritize most critical and pressing demands first and can determine when the need arises to seek guidance and support with prioritizing from leadership.

Participant Centered:

The Outreach and Retention Specialist will focus on identifying the key needs and support opportunities for participants. They have the ability to illustrate the highest level of customer care and empathy while thriving to resolve participant concerns and issues. They will also act as a liaison between Fortune and our community partners that refer individuals to our agency for social service support.

Attention to Detail:

The Outreach and Retention Specialist must demonstrate competency to develop systems and processes to organize and keep track of retention, case management efforts, employer research and work progress; is routinely conscientious, thorough, accurate and reliable when performing and completing job tasks; and recognizes trends, detects inconsistencies, and determines essential details.


Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Recruit, screen, and enroll participants into the program, including assisting participants in completing program applications and modifying their resumes;
• Assess career interests and aptitudes, guiding participants toward the most suitable transitional work placement sites;
• Act as an intermediary between interns and employers to resolve workplace issues and promote successful completion;
• Collect documentation related to employment retention and distribute incentives to participants sharing employment outcomes;
• Regularly document all retention outcomes in Client Record Management system, and work with the Program Director to ensure data quality is accurate to support with reporting to internal and external stakeholders;
• Complete timely and accurate documentation of all services;
• Co-facilitate weekly Job Club Sessions for transitional work program participants and assist the Program Director with regularly updating the curriculum as needed to enhance the program model;
• Participate in collaborative meetings with Employment Services' staff to assess participant progress and plan services;
• Co-facilitate transitional work program orientations;
• Visit participant work sites to understand behaviors in various settings and hear feedback from employer host sites;
• Review employer and participant feedback and performance reports, identify barriers to participant success in the program, and provide coaching and support to promote attendance, safe behavior, and effective participation in job club sessions and transitional employment;
• Screen current interns throughout the internship to determine if they will be ready to seek employment post completion of the internship and communicate feedback with their assigned Case Manager and the Program Director;
• Follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and program performance guidelines as outlined by the Program Director;
• Ensure records are accurate, maintained, and updated regularly to align with ongoing changes;
• Assist with administrative tasks, such as updating referral trackers, data entry, reporting, typing, filing, and scheduling appointments;
• Support with creating, revising, and editing resumes to include Fellowship experience for placement support;
• Maintain regular phone, email, and in-person communication with participants and supervision officers who are making referrals to Fortune; document all pertinent discussions, events, and incidents in real-time in the agency database system(s) (within 24 hours); and
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent required;
• At least 2 years of successful and relevant experience providing services to individuals involved in the criminal legal system;
• Exceptional attention to detail and talent for accuracy and precision, with strong organizational skills and the ability to facilitate workshops;
• Adequate computer skills; proficient in Microsoft office: Outlook/365, Word, Excel;
• Skilled communicator who is able to liaise interdepartmentally, as well as with community partners and stakeholders; Strong writing skills;
• Administrative experience and strong time management and customer service skills;
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite applications, including Excel, Outlook and Office 365;
• Ability to apply skills learned from prior work experience, or formal academic training in a related subject area, to the day-to-day project activities;
• Demonstrated success in being participant-centered, self-motivated with excellent relationship skills.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule;
• Ability to work independently and on a team;
• Responsive to feedback, having the ability to seek support when needed and remain in communication for guidance;
• Experience and/or desire to work with a diverse population.

We seek talented, dedicated individuals from all walks of life who possess a strong commitment to this mission. Relevant personal experience is a plus.

Travel Requirements: Travel to Long Island City office, other Fortune offices, conferences and other relevant events.


Physical Demands:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The responsibilities and requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skills, minimum education, training, licensing, experience and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.


The Fortune Society is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will be afforded equal employment opportunities without discrimination because of conviction history, race, religion/creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status, predisposing genetic characteristics, victim of domestic violence status or marital status.