Employment Specialist

Stone Soup PDX is a Portland-based nonprofit social venture that builds economic stability for people facing barriers to employment through hands‑on culinary training and our community meals program. Our approach goes beyond workforce development, offering our participants not only new skills but also greater confidence, an expanded network of support, and the opportunity to imagine a better future for themselves and their families.

Our 12‑week culinary program provides hands‑on culinary skills while feeding residents, businesses, and those on the front lines of food insecurity across the city.

Building economic stability for people experiencing barriers to employment, and nourishing Portland through culinary training and community meals.

We are seeking a motivated, outgoing, and resourceful Employment Specialist who is equally comfortable working directly with participants and actively engaging employers in the community. This role focuses on understanding each participant’s skills, goals, and readiness for work, and then proactively building employer partnerships to create strong job matches for our graduates.

The Employment Specialist plays a critical role in ensuring that individuals completing our culinary training program successfully transition into stable, long‑term employment. This position requires initiative, relationship‑building, and persistence, as the Employment Specialist will regularly reach out to local employers, promote the strengths of our graduates, and cultivate hiring partnerships that support economic mobility.

This role works closely with program participants, employers, and community partners to translate training into real employment outcomes.

• Provide individualized career coaching to participants, including resume development, interview preparation, and job‑readiness support, with a focus on successful job placement.
• Develop, cultivate, and maintain strong relationships with local employers to actively generate employment and internship opportunities for program graduates.
• Proactively engage and recruit employer partners by communicating the strengths, skills, and readiness of Stone Soup PDX graduates and encouraging their participation in hiring.
• Track participant progress, job placement, and employment retention to assess outcomes and provide follow‑up support as needed.
• Work closely with program staff to ensure training curricula align with employer needs, workforce trends, and industry expectations.
• Support participants in addressing employment barriers by connecting them to appropriate resources such as housing, transportation, childcare, and other supportive services.
• Plan and facilitate job fairs, employer networking events, and professional development workshops that connect participants directly with hiring partners.
• Maintain accurate documentation and reporting related to participant engagement, employer partnerships, job placements, and program outcomes.
• Represent Stone Soup PDX in the community by building and strengthening relationships with employers, workforce development organizations, and social service partners.
• Assist with grant reporting, data collection, and program evaluation as needed to support funding and continuous improvement.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, counseling, human services, or a related field preferred (equivalent experience considered).
• Experience working with individuals facing barriers to employment, including homelessness, incarceration, substance use recovery, or other challenges.
• Knowledge of workforce development strategies, job coaching techniques, and career counseling best practices.
• Experience building and maintaining employer relationships for job placements.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to track participant…