Employment Specialist

Position Summary

The Employment Specialist/Job Developer serves as a key role in delivering direct employment services to people experiencing homelessness. Utilize the LAHSA approved Employment Assessment Tool, create an Individualized Employment Action Plan (EAP) to prepare homeless jobseekers for specific available positions with expedited training, job readiness, and job applications. This position’s focus is on employment and income resource connections and designed to support housing Case Manager’s work in achieving housing and economic stability.

Essential Job Functions

• Work one-on-one with the participant to assess interests, barriers, and strengths using the Employment Assessment Tool, provide career counseling, facilitate Job Readiness Trainings, and develop an individualized employment plan according to the participant’s interests, skills, and capabilities.

• Connect participants 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.

• Continually reassess the client and provide additional support or re-placement as new barriers emerge.

• Participate on the in-house meetings, support housing Case Manager’s work in achieving housing and economic stability, communicate Job opportunities, training opportunities, and hiring events data.

• Participate in (biweekly / monthly) regular cluster meeting and case conferencing meetings, and other meetings as required.

• Maintain relationships with employers, local job resources, 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 periodic reports to track progress of strategic goals and evaluate work performed.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge and experience in community and economic development, working in the social services field and/or job development industry, and have experience in complex political environments and in negotiating with education, business, civic and other key stakeholders at local and regional level.

• Knowledge of complex, public systems of care for homeless populations, including mainstream resources.

• Demonstrate the ability to work effectively with a diverse range of people and organizations.

Training & Experience

• Minimum of 3 years of experience. Successful candidate will have demonstrated experience in community and economic development, working in the social services field and/or job development industry.

• Bachelors’ degree (Preferred) or an equivalent combination of applicable training and experience is required.

• Strong interpersonal skills and the dynamic ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders.

• Must be able to exercise initiative, independent good judgment, flexibility, discretion, and solid decision making.

• Must be able to utilize creative strategies to engage stakeholders and maintain effective working relationship with key stakeholders.

• Must be able to successfully manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, adjust to changing; circumstances, and demonstrate confidence working with diverse stakeholders

Other Requirements

● Minimum of two years experience working with a low-income, culturally diverse population.

● COVID vaccination required

● Must be proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including: Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint; familiar with Database functions and reporting.

● Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer

● Ability to walk, stand, bend, squat, climb, kneel, and twist on an intermittent or sometimes continuous basis

● Ability to grasp, push, pull objects such as files, file cabinet drawers, and reach overhead ● Occasionally lift and/or move, push and pull up to 25 pounds

● Hold a California Driver’s license, with required insurance and a reliable vehicle. ● Bilingual (Spanish), preferred

● HMIS (homeless database)