Retention Specialist

Starting Salary Range $45,000 - $49,000

The TeamWorks Retention Specialist provides professional follow-up and retention services to Out-of-School Youth (OSY) participants who have exited WIOA Title I-funded programming. The primary goal of this role is to support participants in sustaining unsubsidized employment, post-secondary education enrollment, or registered apprenticeship placement for a minimum of 12 months following program exit.

Aligned with Agape's mission, this role helps ensure that participants who have transitioned out of TeamWorks continue to experience hope-centered support, stability, and forward momentum toward long-term self-sufficiency. The Retention Specialist works collaboratively with program staff, employers, educational partners, and community resources to remove barriers, administer supportive services and incentives, and maintain accurate documentation of post-exit outcomes.

Key Responsibilities:

Participant Follow-Up & Retention Support

• Proactive Follow-Up: Conduct regular, mandated contacts with former participants via text, phone, or letter to monitor progress and offer support, including weekly or monthly check-ins during the first 90 days after exit and quarterly contacts thereafter for a full year.
• Re-Engagement Services: Engage unemployed former participants in job search activities and help re-establish contact with non-responsive individuals.
• Crisis Response: Respond appropriately to participant needs and crises that arise during the post-exit period, providing guidance and appropriate referrals.

Barrier Removal & Supportive Services

• Barrier Identification: Identify ongoing barriers to retention-such as transportation, childcare, housing, or healthcare needs-and provide immediate referrals to internal or external resources.
• Supportive Service Administration: Assess ongoing participant needs and process requests for supportive services, including transportation vouchers (gift cards), uniforms, and work tools, to remove financial barriers to maintaining employment or education.
• Financial Tracking: Maintain detailed records of all supportive service expenditures within the VOS case management system to ensure internal controls and prevent duplication of services.

Incentive & Milestone Management

• Incentive Voucher Management: Manage the timely completion, documentation, and distribution of incentive gift cards awarded to participants for reaching key milestones, such as obtaining a GED, completing educational training, or securing employment.
• Milestone Tracking: Track participant progress toward milestone-based incentives to ensure accurate and timely processing and payout.

Employer, Educator & Career Coaching Support

• Employer and Educator Liaison: Serve as a resource to identify and address issues that arise for participants, employers, and educators in post-placement settings to prevent job loss or training dropout.
• Career and Education Coaching: Counsel youth in long-term career planning and help them realize their educational goals, including assistance with promotions or additional placements as needed.

Data Integrity & Compliance

• Data Integrity and Documentation: Maintain accurate case notes and enter post-program outcomes (employment status, wages, and credentials) into VOS and other required systems within established timeframes.
• Compliance: Ensure all activities and documentation pertaining to follow-up contacts and supportive service distribution comply with WIOA regulations, grant requirements, and local policies regarding personally identifiable and confidential information.
• Quality Assurance Alignment: Support alignment of retention practices with Agape's Performance Quality and Improvement (PQI) standards, and assist with related audits or monitoring as needed.

Core Competencies & Attributes

• Mission-Driven: Demonstrates commitment to Agape's mission of fighting poverty so families can flourish, ensuring former participants remain connected to stability and opportunity.
• Retention & Stability Champion: Sustains participant success beyond program exit through consistent follow-up, encouragement, and problem-solving.
• Relationship Builder: Builds trust and rapport with youth who may have experienced trauma or disengagement, serving as a consistent and positive point of contact.
• Detail-Oriented Administrator: Maintains a high level of accuracy in supportive service and incentive processing to ensure timely, compliant payouts.
• Resourceful Problem Solver: Identifies and addresses barriers to retention using available community and agency resources.
• Clear Communicator: Communicates program expectations, milestones, and next steps clearly to youth, families, and partners.
• Integrity & Operational Excellence: Upholds data accuracy, privacy standards, and Agape's PQI processes with professionalism, accountability, and attention to detail.

Key Performance Indicators

The Retention Specialist's success is measured by the program's ability to meet WIOA primary indicators, including:

• Retention Rate: Percentage of participants in education, training, or employment during the fourth quarter after exit.
• Median Earnings: Participant earnings during the second quarter after exit.
• Credential Attainment: Percentage of participants obtaining recognized post-secondary credentials or high school diplomas within one year of exit.
• Voucher Completion Rate: Accuracy and timeliness in processing supportive service and incentive requests, as measured by internal audits.
• Participant Engagement: Increased, sustained engagement in follow-up services driven by the effective use of milestone-based incentives.

Education & Experience:

Required:

• Associate's degree required; Bachelor's degree in social services, human services, business administration or a related field preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Minimum of one year of experience in customer service, administrative data entry, or providing support services specifically to youth populations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for diverse audiences.
• Basic understanding of budgeting and voucher processing to assist youth in managing their incentive awards.
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 applications, including Outlook, Teams, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Experience working with case management, data, or client information systems.
• Exceptional organizational skills and time management to meet strict reporting deadlines and manage multiple priorities.

Preferred:

• Experience with WIOA-funded or other grant-funded workforce development programs.
• Experience with platforms such as CaseWorthy, Jobs4TN - Virtual One Stop (VOS), Smartsheet, or similar case management systems.
• Experience supporting compliance, audits, or performance improvement efforts.

Additional responsibilities include reliable transportation, a valid driver's license and insurance, flexibility for evenings and weekend activities as needed, and active participation in Agape's Performance Quality and Improvement (PQI) standards of quality & excellence.

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of sitting and working at a computer.
• Prolonged walking, standing, and climbing stairs at program sites and events.
• Must be able to lift up to 20 pounds at a time.

Core Values Alignment

This role reflects and reinforces Agape's VOICES values:

Valuing Others Openness Interconnected Communication Empathy Seeking to Glorify God

This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties or responsibilities. Agape leadership reserves the right to modify the role to meet organizational needs.

Agape Child & Family Services, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.