Employment Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

Summary

Opportunities Unlimited is seeking a Supported Employment Specialist / Job Coach-Developer to provide individualized employment services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This community-based role supports clients in identifying career goals, preparing for employment, developing job opportunities, learning job tasks, building workplace relationships, and maintaining competitive, integrated employment.

The ideal candidate is reliable, proactive, organized, and comfortable working independently in the community. Services may occur at client homes, local businesses, job sites, and community locations across Multnomah, Clackamas, Columbia, and Washington Counties. The position requires strong communication, professional judgment, flexible scheduling, timely documentation, and a commitment to helping each client increase independence while building natural workplace supports.

Essential Responsibilities

? Build trusting, person-centered relationships with clients and support them in identifying strengths, interests, skills, employment goals, and preferred work environments.

? Provide job readiness support, including resume development, applications, interview preparation, professional communication, workplace expectations, and soft-skill development.

? Conduct job development activities by researching employers, contacting businesses, meeting with hiring managers, identifying job leads, and advocating for employment opportunities that match each client’s goals and abilities.

? Support clients during onboarding, orientation, training, and transition into competitive, integrated employment settings.

? Provide individualized job coaching at worksites, including task analysis, systematic instruction, prompts, job aids, accommodations, safety supports, and strategies that promote independence.

? Collaborate with employers to support successful job integration, address workplace challenges, clarify expectations, and encourage natural supports from supervisors and coworkers.

? Monitor client progress, job satisfaction, performance, and retention; adjust coaching strategies as needed to support long-term employment success.

? Gradually fade paid job coaching support when appropriate while maintaining follow-along support and scheduled check-ins.

? Coordinate with clients, families, case managers, Vocational Rehabilitation, ODDS/DHS partners, employers, and other members of the employment support team.

? Maintain accurate, timely, and detailed documentation of services, progress notes, schedules, outcomes, and billing-related information.

? Attend required staff meetings, supervision, trainings, and continuing education related to supported employment and developmental disability services.

? Follow all applicable agency policies, confidentiality requirements, safety practices, and Oregon employment service standards.

Requirements

· Prior experience in job development, job coaching, workforce development, vocational services, human services, or related community-based support work is helpful.

· Experience supporting people with intellectual or developmental disabilities is preferred.

· High school diploma or equivalent required; college coursework or degree in human services, social work, psychology, vocational rehabilitation, education, or a related field preferred.

· Current CPR certification required by the first day of client service.

· Ability to pass all required background checks, criminal history checks, and drug screening.

· Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, clean driving record, and ability to travel throughout assigned service areas.

· Ability to work a flexible schedule based on client and employer needs, including community-based appointments and job-site visits.

· Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Word, email, internet research, scanning, printing, attachments, and electronic documentation.

· Ability to produce detailed, accurate progress notes and service documentation after each client visit.

· Smartphone required for scheduling, communication, and field-based work.

· Must be state-certified to provide job development and/or job coaching, or be willing to complete paid state-certified training if selected.

· Commitment to remain in the position for at least one year preferred.

Core Competencies

· Person-Centered Practice: Builds services around each client’s preferences, strengths, interests, communication style, culture, goals, and informed choices.

· Discovery and Career Planning: Assesses skills, interests, support needs, transferable abilities, and employment goals to guide individualized job matches.

· Job Development and Employer Engagement: Networks with employers, identifies job leads, communicates client strengths, and develops customized opportunities that meet both client and business needs.

· Workplace and Job Analysis: Evaluates job duties, workplace culture, task requirements, safety expectations, natural supports, and potential accommodations.

· Instruction and Job Coaching: Uses task analysis, modeling, prompting, cueing, visual supports, job aids, repetition, and systematic instruction to help clients learn job duties.

· Independence and Fading Supports: Promotes client independence by reducing paid supports over time when appropriate and strengthening natural supports in the workplace.

· Communication and Collaboration: Communicates professionally with clients, employers, families, case managers, agency staff, and community partners.

· Advocacy and Inclusion: Supports disability rights, workplace inclusion, reasonable accommodations, equal opportunity, and respectful treatment.

· Problem Solving and Crisis Prevention: Identifies barriers early, responds calmly to challenges, uses positive support strategies, and seeks supervisor guidance when needed.

· Documentation and Compliance: Completes accurate records, progress notes, schedules, and billing information while following confidentiality, ODDS/DHS requirements, and agency procedures.

· Professionalism and Reliability: Demonstrates punctuality, follow-through, ethical judgment, confidentiality, flexibility, and accountability in independent field-based work.