Job Coach; San Jose

Position Title

Job Coach

San Jose, CA

$20 - $24 per hour (depending on experience)

Friends of Children with Special Needs (FCSN) is a Bay Area non‑profit organization founded in 1996 focused on helping individuals with special needs and their families find love, hope, respect, and support through integrated community involvement. The FCSN Supported Employment Program seeks an energetic, patient, detail‑oriented, and reliable Job Coach. The position is responsible for providing vocational training and supervision to adults with developmental challenges.

Under the supervision of Program Coordinator or Program Manager, the essential functions of the SEP Job Coach are to:

• Provide training, supervision and support and to optimize participants’ success in their life goals and employment.
• Offer tailored job coaching services to enhance participants’ proficiency in job tasks for employment retention.
• Drive to participants’ workplaces to provide job coaching services or transport participants from FCSN Center for work‑related activities and community engagement.
• Implement Person‑Centered Thinking (PCT) activities, promote participants’ job skills and personal growth, ensure their well‑being and safety, and foster a positive and inclusive environment.

• Assist participants in identifying career interests, desired job types, vocational skills, work experience, strengths, employment barriers and training.
• Conduct Job Club sessions to enhance participants’ job skills, interview techniques, work ethics, communication and interpersonal skills.
• Provide training, personal care and support to participants in maximizing their vocational skills, independence, optimal health, emotional stability and community engagement.
• Travel to participants’ workplaces to provide job coaching.
• Transport participants for volunteer work, job applications, interviews and community activities.
• Implement positive behavioral prevention strategies and interventions.
• Offer specific job training and assist participants in creating resumes, searching for jobs, submitting applications, and preparing for interviews.
• Network with potential employers and local industries for developing employment and paid internship opportunities.
• Provide intensive job coaching services for participants to learn and be familiar with required job tasks and maximize job independence.
• Act as an advocate for participants in the workplace, addressing any issues or accommodations needed to ensure a successful employment experience.
• Offer ongoing support to help participants maintain employment by addressing challenges, fostering a positive work environment, and offering strategies for successful employment.
• Assist participants in working on work‑related behaviors—communication, socialization and interaction with co‑workers/supervisors; greeting; workplace behavior; co‑worker relations; age‑appropriate job related activities.
• Collaborate with employers, vocational rehabilitation professionals and other stakeholders to facilitate successful employment outcomes.
• Maintain accurate records of participants’ job performance, challenges, interactions with co‑workers, supervisor comments/evaluations, objective tracking and any other relevant information.
• Complete semi‑annual and annual PCT IHSP reports in a timely manner and engage participants in achieving their IHSP.
• Effectively and respectfully communicate with participants, families, employers, team members and supervisors.
• Follow established safety protocols and emergency procedures, intervening as needed.
• Perform first aid, CPR, and other emergency services (e.g., evacuations) as appropriate to the participants’ needs.
• Engage in precautionary practices to mitigate health, safety and other risks to participants’ well‑being.
• Participate in team meetings and contribute to the development of care plans.
• Attend staff meetings and training (all staff training and meetings are mandatory).
• Communicate proactively with supervisors regarding participants’ employment status, well‑being, needs, incidents, concerns, etc.
• Be a supportive team player, support coworkers and promote team cohesion.
• Respect participants’ rights, dignity, and privacy; report observations or evidence of violations of personal rights and dependents’ rights in a timely manner.
• Comply with HIPAA law.
• Participate in FCSN special events.