Job Coach​/Retention Specialist

Job Coach/Retention Specialist Full-time, in-person availability at our Buffalo, NY office

Final date to receive applications:
March 6, 2026 5pm ET. May close before this deadline if application limit is reached.

One of CEO’s core program positions is the Job Coach/Retention Specialist (JC/RS). The JC/RS is essential to identifying and addressing our participants’ barriers to employment. Through early intervention and appropriate support services, they are devoted to helping participants stay motivated while working in temporary employment and focused on their efforts to retain permanent employment. The JC/RS has a caseload of participants to whom they provide support services to ensure they become job start ready.

They monitor participant progress utilizing weekly targeted case management, motivational interviewing, and connections and referrals to other support services agencies.

The JC/RS is also responsible for helping CEO achieve targeted retention outcomes. They will keep participants engaged in CEO services and in the labor force for twelve months from the start of the first full-time job placement. A successful JC/RS understands customer relationship management and the importance of quality data entry. They will be responsible for maintaining and documenting the status of the relationship between our participants and CEO in our case management system.

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 with released from incarceration. Across the United States, over 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. Since 2009, CEO has gained support to expand its programs through government, nonprofit, and private organizations including the Green Light Fund, the Pew Charitable Trust, and the Nonprofit Finance Fund.

• You have a valid Driver's License with a good driver's record
• You’re deeply dedicated to social justice and perhaps are already working in the re-entry space
• You're experienced in providing feedback and guidance to clients to encourage their growth and continued development of their knowledge and skills
• You’re passionate about making an impact on people's lives and interested in guiding them to achieving their career goals through a balance of accountability and empathy
• You are a people-person and love to inspire others to reach a goal and perform to the best of their ability
• You have strong customer service skills and take a human-centered approach when communicating with participants
• You have strong time management and prioritization skills
• You’re able to anticipate problems, evaluate them, and determine and implement solutions
• You’re computer savvy (demonstrated word processing skills, ability to use the Internet to research job opportunities, familiarity with Salesforce preferred)
• You come to CEO with 1-2+ years of related experience

Responsibilities of the Job Coach / Retention Specialist include but are not limited to:

• Transport participants to classroom training center for apprenticeship training as needed/up to 5 hours per week.
• In collaboration with colleagues, ensures that at least 70% of participants become Job Start Ready
• Guide and coach participants in key preparatory activities tied to employment, including writing professional resumes, networking, and mock interviewing
• Use motivational interviewing techniques as appropriate to help guide participants to goal achievement
• Maintain weekly contact with participants to track their progress to interview readiness
• Makes appropriate…