Employment Specialist

Abode, one of the largest and effective nonprofits working to end homelessness in the Bay Area, is seeking a (Part Time) Employment Specialist  for our RRH Alum Rock site program in San Jose, CA.  ** This is a Part Time position working 20hrs per week.

About the role:  The Employment Specialist will provide worksite placement, case management, as well as employment and retention services to participants in the program. The Employment Specialist will also be responsible for recruiting work sites for potential work experience placement and/or employment.  

The People and Culture: You will be surrounded by some of the most talented, supportive, smart, and kind leaders and teams - people you can be proud to work with Abode Services regularly recognizes employees’ efforts, seeks employees’ input, and cares for employees as people with lives outside of work. We believe that we make better decisions and provide quality services when our workforce reflects the diversity of the communities in which we operate. People of color make up nearly 70% of our workforce and we strive to recruit and retain employees from all backgrounds. 

Our Benefits & Perks:

• $28.85 - $34.62 per hour DOE
• This is a Part Time position working 20hrs per week.
• 100% paid health, vision, and dental options
• 19 PTO days & 12 Holidays per year
• Voluntary benefits: FSA, EAP, Commuter Checks, Life Insurance, Legal, and more
• 3% retirement match/contribution 
• Professional Development Trainings and Opportunities, Leadership Academy Programs, and All Staff Events
• Dynamic, mission-driven culture and supportive leadership. We support you in supporting others

How You Make an Impact:

• Be the on-site expert in Individual Placement and Support (IPS), an evidence-based practice. Develop supportive employment programs and deliver services per IPS guidelines. 
• Champion the belief that participants can participate in competitive employment if they have a desire; participants shall not be excluded on the basis of readiness, diagnoses, symptoms, substance use history, psychiatric hospitalizations, homelessness, level of disability, or legal system involvement. 
• Assess participants’ skills. Assist in increasing motivation to work and pairing participants with jobs that inspire, bring them satisfaction, etc. 
• Provide employment workshops to help participants increase their skills. 
• Assist participants in securing full and part-time employment. 
• Accompany participants to job fairs, job interviews and submitting applications. Work with participants to create and revise resumes. 
• Work with a team to develop employment related goals that are participant driven. 
• Coach participants on handling work-related issues and promote self-advocacy. Work with participants to increase success in job retention. 
• Assist participants and clinical team in helping people obtain personalized, understandable, and accurate information about their Social Security, Medicaid, and other government entitlements. 
• Outreach to local employers to develop permanent employment, short-term labor, paid internships, and job shadowing opportunities for participants. 
• Form partnerships with local employers to provide supportive work environments for participants who need more structured employment experiences. 
• Manage employer relationships to promote retention of participants and creation of new jobs. 
• Create and update promotional materials to be distributed to potential employers to highlight the benefits of employing participants. 
• Develop job opportunities for participants in the community by developing high level relations with business 
• Other Duties as assigned. 

How You Meet Qualifications: 

• Bachelor's degree in psychology, Human Services, Social Work, Sociology, or related field or equivalent field experience. 
• 2 years of experience providing employment and job development skills to people with disabilities.  
• 1 year of field experience working with people with serious mental illness, individuals with co-occurring disorder and/or the homeless population. 
• Use of personal vehicle and proof of valid California Driver's License and current auto insurance, along with a clean DMV record, is required.  

COMPETENCIES: 

• Excellent verbal & written communication, organizational, and time management skills. 
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with meticulous attention to detail. 
• Ability to work well independently and collaboratively with teams. 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs, systems, and platforms. 
• Experience in meeting the Medi-cal regulations documentation requirements.  
• Experience in effectively intervening in crisis situations, with de-escalation techniques, especially while on-call with the crisis emergency phone. 
• Knowledge of Psychiatric Disorders and the following evidence-based models: Housing First, Harm Reduction, individual placement, support, and Motivational Interviewing. 
• Experience in building supportive and respectful working relationships with individuals diagnosed with a serious mental illness and/or struggling with substance abuse that instills hope and promotes self-determination using a strengths-based approach. 
• Ability to learn and use required mobile devices and business-related applications. 
• Possess an understanding of and practice cultural sensitivity through open dialogue and self-exploration with diverse groups, while providing direct services. 
• Outstanding communication skills and high degree of emotional intelligence, cultural humility, with a proven track record to build and maintain effective relationships with a wide variety of internal and external contacts. 

Notice: This description is to be used as a guide only. It does not constitute a contract, commitment or promise of any kind. Abode Services reserves the right to change, add, delete, upgrade, or downgrade the position as dictated by business necessity at any time with or without notice.  

Notice: Abode Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Drug Free Workplace  

Salary : $29 - $35