Employment Specialist

Employment Specialist
Cincinnati, OH

In-Person

Anticipated deadline to submit application:
Wednesday, January 21, 2026 before 3 pm EST. Position may close early if application limit is met. Apply promptly for full consideration.

CEO is currently seeking to hire an Employment Specialist for our local office, a role that’s crucial to CEO’s work to help individuals coming out of incarceration regain the skills and confidence needed for a successful transition to stable and productive lives.

Employment Specialists increase the range of employment opportunities available to our participants using participant interests, experiences, and their ambitions as foundation for participant job placements, and more broadly, for the identification and cultivation of potential employers for prospect portfolios.

The most rewarding part of being an Job Developer is the joy you feel upon making the “right fit” match between participant and employer. Your expertise and insight lead not only to successful matches in the now, but to participant longevity in the workforce which often drastically reduces the rate of recidivism.

As part of our mission, we strongly encourage individuals who have lived experience of incarceration or involvement in the justice system to apply for this role.

The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) provides employment services to people recently released from incarceration. Across the United States, 8,000-9,000 people participate in CEO each year, transitioning to employment that supports themselves, their families, and their communities.

What began as a demonstration project of the Vera Institute of Justice in the 1970s to address employment barriers facing the formerly incarcerated following release in New York City has grown into the leading reentry employment organization in the country, where over 30,000 formerly incarcerated individuals have secured full-time employment since 1996.

• You’re deeply dedicated to social justice and perhaps are already working in the re-entry space
• You come to CEO with experience in workforce development, recruitment, or sales/account management, a role in which you needed to meet performance goals on a regular basis
• You’re passionate about making an impact in people's lives and interested in guiding them to achieve their career goals through a balance of accountability and empathy
• You enjoy networking and cultivating lasting relationships with people and businesses, helping them understand how our work can help them achieve their business strategy and goals
• You have excellent interpersonal and written communication skills with the ability to adjust to particular personalities and interaction styles on the spot
• You’re resilient and never give up, anticipating and addressing challenges along the way while keeping your eye on the end goal
• You’re comfortable working under pressure and meeting deadlines despite opposition or setbacks
• You’re able to look at a set of data or market research and use it to guide your practice and decision-making

Key responsibilities of the Employment Specialist include but are not limited to:

• Envision, develop, and implement a strategic plan for placement services that ensures CEO meets its participant placement metrics
• Conduct reviews of existing CEO business partnerships regularly, evaluate employer demand and usage of CEO services, and determine improvements and ways to leverage relationships with employers
• Achieve weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual placement goals in accordance with CEO’s contractual obligations

• Research, conduct outreach to, and build relationships with prospective employers willing to hire CEO participants and who have hiring needs that match the skills, experience, and interests of our overall participant cohort
• Maintain relationships with existing employer partners
• Schedule and conduct daily prospecting, cold calls, and face-to-face meetings
• Serve as the liaison among employers, participants, and our criminal justice partners

• You are expected to produce up to5 monthly placements.
• Screen…