Employment Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

JOB SUMMARY:

The Employment Specialist assists candidates with employment barriers in securing stable
employment. The Employment Specialist initiates and maintains ongoing personal contacts with a
variety of business and industry representatives and job placement/training agencies to promote
participant placement; makes cold calls to potential employers; and provides job placement and
retention services.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS INCLUDE, but are not limited to the following:

• Meet established job placement and retention goals as contractually required.
• Connect candidates with sustainable job opportunities and placements, vocational training, job retention support, job development (liaising with employers as appropriate), with focus on employment and income resource connections.
• Assist with Skills & Jobs readiness cohort designed to enhance career development.
• Develop an individualized Employment Action Plan (EAP) with each candidate served
• Develop resumes, cover letters, and scripts for clients.
• Identify potential employers and develop employment opportunities for program participants by committing 5-7 hours per week on developing new sites.
• Contact employers and collect information detailing qualifications and work site requirements to ensure success on the job.
• Refer qualified applicants to employers and arrange interviews
• Transport participants to interviews, job fairs, and other organizations when necessary.
• Consult with job sites to identify and modify barriers, negotiate job carving, analyze sites and other job accommodations.
• Provide extra needed assistance and understanding of performance expectations and compensation for clients/participants.
• Be a liaison between employers and new employees; providing help to fine tune performance issues and concerns, and coordinate any additional services required.
• Connect candidates with basic education and vocational training, where appropriate, as well as unsubsidized and subsidized employment opportunities.
• Maintain relationships with employers, local job resources, and vocational training schools, to ensure effective employment linkage services and access to resources.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of and deep understanding of the three major systems serving jobseekers experiencing homelessness – homeless services, public social services, and workforce development, including the Coordinated Entry System (CES), as well as best practices in homeless services, and regional resources.
• Prepare documentation, forms and reports related to placement activities; track participant activity and progress data in a timely manner
• Attend and participate in team meetings, staff training sessions and all-staff meetings as scheduled.
• Work collaboratively with internal USHS teams to support program and organizational goals.
• Keep calendar updated with events and activities; share calendar with Manager
• Document services provided and completes accurate data entry into the appropriate record-keeping database.

• Provide trauma informed services that align with Housing First and Harm Reduction philosophies, are in accordance with agency and funder expectations, and abide by legal and ethical standards.

• Other duties as assigned by Director, Workforce Development.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Work indoors in a temperature-controlled environment with occasional exposure to outdoor weather and driving conditions. Stand and sit for long periods of time; move and walk to various locations; climb, stoop, kneel, reach, pull, push, bend, twist, and occasionally lift and or move objects.
• See, hear and speak clearly in order to give and receive information and instructions.
• Complex reading and writing skills, memorization skills, analytical / perceptive comprehensive capabilities.
• Good judgment and decision-making capability.
• Ability to interact effectively with other employees, clients, customers, and members of the public.
• Ability to multitask, prioritize, and manage time to meet deadlines and perform duties under time constraints.
• Ability to adapt to changing work demands.
• Ability to perform arithmetic functions, and gather, analyze, synthesize, and classify information.
• Requires use of computers for long periods of time.
• Travel to off-site locations.
• Detailed oriented and organized.
• Ability to work in an ‘open address’ environment

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Understanding of basic business operations and hiring processes.
• Strong knowledge of job search resources, including Internet and other media.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Good public speaking skills; ability to make effective presentations to clients, businesses, and community partners.
• Knowledge and experience in community and economic development, working in the social services field and/or job development industry.
• Knowledge of best-practices in both employment services and serving people experiencing homelessness.
• Demonstrate the ability to work effectively with a diverse range of people and organizations.
• Current California driver’s license and access to a vehicle with proof of insurance.
• Knowledge of the homeless population, substance abuse and mental health preferred.

EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

Minimum Qualifications

• Option I : Minimum of one year of experience providing direct employment support services for low income, disabled, homeless and/or other underserved populations, including but not limited to conducting initial interviews to determine client employment goals, barriers and skills; helping clients identify suitable career paths; providing individual coaching and job search assistance; coordinating referrals; and/or maintaining case follow-up.
• Option II : One year of experience in human or social services case management required.
• Option III : Successful demonstration of required skills through current or past USHS employment may be considered in lieu of the standard required years of experience.

Desirable

• BA degree in a related field strongly preferred

Union Station Homeless Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer