Supportive Services Specialist

Oklahoma City, OK 

Full Time, In-Person

Anticipated deadline to submit application: August 10, 2024. Position may close early if application limit is met. Apply promptly for full consideration.

The Opportunity

Our Oklahoma City team is hiring a passionate, resilient, and social justice-minded Supportive Services Specialist to assist our program participants in navigating barriers around mental health, education, housing, and legal issues. The Supportive Services Specialist will work closely with the program participants to provide connections to direct services, education about the health and social service system, advocacy and care coordination. You may be the ideal candidate if you have lived experience of incarceration or involvement in the justice system and are deeply committed to connecting underserved individuals with the support and resources needed to become self-sufficient and successful. 

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.

Who We Are

The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) provides employment services to people recently released from incarceration. Across the United States, 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.

Who You Are

• Committed to and passionate about working with justice-involved individuals and come to CEO with 2 years of related experience
• You enjoy networking and cultivating lasting relationships with people and organizations, helping them understand how our work can mutually benefit the populations served
• Are a people-person and love to motivate and inspire others to achieve their goals, helping individuals identify, capitalize upon, and apply their strengths
• You’re comfortable with providing the feedback and support necessary to facilitate the development of participant knowledge and skills
• Pride yourself in your ability to communicate effectively and develop trusting relationships with individuals of varying backgrounds and experiences
• Have experience identifying and assessing client needs, determining potential resources or supports, and connecting clients to these; you’re knowledgeable about the social services system in OKC and have the ability to make connections within this space as needed
• Comfortable conducting stakeholder outreach and skilled in relationship building
• Strong time management and prioritization skills
• Recognize the value of continuous communication, connecting with colleagues when work overlaps and raising challenges that arise for the group troubleshooting
• You’re self-motivated, diligent, resilient, and demonstrate stamina and vigor as you hold yourself accountable to deadlines and outcomes, even in the face of adversity or setbacks

What You’ll Be Responsible For:

Key responsibilities of the Supportive Service Specialist include but are not limited to:

Supportive Services

• Connect participants that have multiple and/or immediate barriers, such as mental health, substance abuse, housing, education, or legal issues, with local agencies and resources
• Meet with participants regularly around supportive service needs related to their progress in the program
• Initiate internal documentation process for referral follow up and collaborate with other staff to track progress and outcomes
• Maintain participant confidentiality and privacy by protecting participant personal and health information
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with external supportive services partners and update/maintain external resource contact information
• Attend local events and meetings in the reentry community within the area, building relationships with organizations offering participant supports

Vocational Services & Administrative Support

• Conduct Job Coaching, Job Development and Retention meetings as needed to support the progress of participants in the program in partnership with other vocational staff.
• Document all participant and partner agency contact, activities, and outcomes in our case management system
• Perform other job-related duties and responsibilities assigned from time to time

Compensation and Benefits

The salary for this position is $44,100. In an effort to be both equitable and transparent, CEO's compensation philosophy considers a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, experience, internal equity, and home office location in making a final determination on our salary offer.

We recognize that salary is a part of the overall compensation package and also provide a comprehensive benefits package, including medical and dental coverage, as well as professional development opportunities and training, including regular training opportunities in Motivational Interviewing (MI). MI is one evidence-based skill that reentry and human service professionals can utilize when supporting participants to achieve their goals.

We also offer paid parental leave, participation in a retirement plan, sick and vacation leave, paid holidays and more. We are a workplace that promotes continual learning and teamwork, offering lunch and learns, team outings, holiday gatherings and more for our staff.

More About Us

The Center for Employment Opportunities believes that everyone deserves the chance to shape a stronger future for themselves, their families, and their communities. Our commitment to being an anti-racist organization that is inclusive across all identities and experiences drives us forward every day. We exist to create greater opportunities for people who face multiple barriers to personal and professional success, and we’re passionate about being agents of change who promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and access to opportunities for all.

People who are justice involved, people of color, people who identify as LGBTQ , and people with disabilities are highly encouraged to apply for vacant positions at all levels. CEO’s commitment to DEI aligns with the CROWN Act, creating an open space where our employees can present as their true authentic selves. We are an equal employment opportunity for all regardless of race, color, citizenship, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran or reservist status, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

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