Employment Specialist

Job Summary

This job is a key team member of our expanded supported employment mission to provide a sense of purpose and community for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This role is responsible for building a pipeline of business and clientele for employment services, performing as a job coach to new clients, and ensuring proper documentation and compliance.

• Identify, develop and maintain positive community and business relationships for the purpose of finding people gainful employment and advancement that provides a meaningful experience.
• Identify secure new clients to receive employment services through Able Light.
• Develop a pipeline of clients by forming strategic partnerships with School Districts to develop and implement pre-employment transition services.
• Maintain positive and open lines of communications with employers / businesses to identify areas of success and opportunity. Partner with them to effectively remove employment barriers and resolve issues related to community integration and independence for people with disabilities.
• Coordinate with School districts and Colleges to develop and promote pre-employment transition services, ultimately building a pipeline of clients.
• Maintain cooperative working relationships with the vocational rehabilitation division and other funding and referral sources.

• This individual will be responsible for also acting as a Job Coach and will be responsible for a caseload of varying clients.
• Responsible for full‑cycle support including but not limited to career counseling, evaluation, skills training / assessment, ensuring job readiness training and other activities related to employment transition and successful job placement.
• Be a creative problem solver based on the needs of the individuals and the job duties.
• Participate as an active member of any team in developing and implementing person‑centered employment related goals and objectives, including an employment plan (IPE).
• Regular site visits / support to ensures quality of work at job site as well as client success / satisfaction.
• Responsible for timely and thorough program / case documentation.
• Follows licensing regulations, agency policies, best practices and protection of individual rights. Observe, evaluate, and record job performance to make recommendations concerning goals and objectives.
• Break tasks down to achievable components.
• Advocate for people receiving supports among community co-workers assist individuals in advocating for themselves; promote inclusion in community work sites.
• Transport individuals to job site if defined by contract.

• Assure monitoring and documentation of each client’s progress by developing and maintaining tracking and progress reports in a professional and timely manner as it pertains to the person’s employment, individuals support plan goals, licensing / certification and billing requirements.
• Ensure timely placement of clients, meet retention goals, and ensure compliance with all employer contracts and billable hours requirements.
• Responsible for ensuring compliance and proactively addressing any gaps.

The above reflects the general details necessary to describe the principle and essential functions of the position and shall not be construed as the only duties that may be assigned for the position.

Knowledge
:
Theoretical or practical understanding of a subject acquired and increases through experience.

Skills
:
The proficiencies developed through training, practice, or experience.

Abilities
:
The level and quality of being able to do something improved with training and experience.

• Outstanding oral and written communication skills, including the ability to interact and communicate clearly and effectively with internal and external audiences and colleagues. Proven ability to draft clear, concise and culturally aware business correspondence.
• Working knowledge of marketing and public relations and their implications for and relationship to business growth.
• Ability to think strategically, multi‑task, prioritize, respond promptly, and meet deadlines and performance goals.
• Self‑starter comfortable in a remote working environment.

Mission First
- We exist to serve the developmental disabilities community.

Excellence Always
- We strive for excellence in all we do.

Team Together
- We are ONE team, all together, for our mission.

• Education
  :
  Bachelors’ Degree in related field or commensurate experience.
• Experience
  :
  Two years of relevant experience with 6 months of IDD experience.
• Schedule
  :
  Ability and willingness to work a flexible schedule, as needed, including occasional evenings and weekends.