Title: Employment Placement Specialist
Program: Next Step ACE
Salary Range: $48,000 to $54,000
Program Description:
Next Step ACE is an Assisted Competitive Employment program for individuals with serious mental illness who seek meaningful jobs in the competitive employment market. ACE provides supported employment services delivered through the evidence-based model of Individual Placement and Support (IPS). ACE serves approximately 175 clients annually and is part of Project Renewal’s Next Step Employment Program. Next Step provides job readiness training, job placement, and retention services.
Overall Responsibilities:
The Placement Specialist is primarily responsible for job development and placement of clients in the ACE program. This includes establishing a network of employers who provide job opportunities aligned with the skills and interests of ACE clients, assisting participants individually and in group settings with job search and job preparation, supporting them with job retention and career advancement, and maintaining timely and accurate records of all participant-related services.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Reporting to the Assistant Director of ACE, the essential duties of the position include, but are not limited to the following:
- Preparing clients for employment and placing them into jobs that result in achieving job placement and retention milestone goals.
- Establishing a network of employers who will provide job opportunities that are aligned with the skills and interests of ACE clients.
- Managing a caseload of clients
- Following up on job placements to monitor job retention and satisfaction of employers/clients.
- Conduct intakes and assessments and develop employment plans in conjunction with team members.
- Meeting job placement and retention milestone goals
- Developing employer partners in specific sectors to support training and placement initiatives.
- Developing job orders specifically aligned with the skills and interests of clients.
- Collaborate with the Vocational Case Managers and meet with clients individually to develop a customized job search plan.
- Preparing clients for specific job interviews by means of activities such as mock interviews, and ensuring that clients have all necessary applications, resumes, documentation, and job search paperwork.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in human service, social work, business, or marketing preferred. Other degrees will be considered.
- One to three years of previous experience in job development, vocational counseling, and working with individuals with serious mental illness or similar populations is essential.
- Excellent communication skills and strong interpersonal skills
- Strong attention to detail
- Ability to produce clear and accurate case notes.
- Computer proficiency in Microsoft Office
- Work in the office at least three days a week.
- Ability to work independently to effectively provide services remotely as needed.
All newly hired Project Renewal staff must provide verification of being fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
