Supported Employment Program Specialist

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Assist people with Intellectual / Developmental Disabilities with a small caseload obtain and retain jobs in the community. The Supported Employment Program Specialist conducts effective communication with Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors and ensures that case management is up to date with Department of Rehabilitation Services standards to ensure auditing meets their standards. Documents participant progress and activity through case notes, job coaching reports, staffing, and progress reports. The Supported Employment Program Specialist ensures intakes and follow-ups within the Youth Employment Programs. Assist in furthering Career Development for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Completes other duties as assigned to meet agency needs.

Reporting Relationships: N/A

Reports to:  Supportive Employment Coordinator

Supervises (Position Titles):  None

Principal Duties/Responsibilities:  

• Utilizes assessments and other applicable documents to learn about the participant’s strengths, interests, and support needs.
• Collaborates with Potential employers to maintain a relationship regarding the participant’s employment status.
• Collaborates with Community Day Services/Residential staff to identify consumers who may be interested in exploring community employment and assists with intake and assessments.
• Provides job coaching support to participants working as needed to ensure they are learning their job duties and completing them as required to maintain employment.
• Ensures that services are provided as required by the DRS Vocational Rehabilitation Employment Services Manual or the DDD Supported Employment Program.
• Hold a Maximum of 12 clients in a case load for SEP.
• Collaborates with grant youth provider to ensure all required documentation and information is provided.
• Build an ongoing relationship with program providers and ensure that that any feedback and/or concerns are addressed appropriately.
• Provide intakes for Programs such SEP and youth provider programs.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology, sociology, social work, or social services is required.
• DSP Preferably
• Case Management Experience Preferably
• Supportive Employment experience Preferably

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to work independently and to carry out assignments to completion within parameters of instructions and standard accepted practices.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to effectively work with internal staff and external customers.
• Organizational and time management skills.
• Knowledge of working with individuals with disabilities.
• Computer skills (MS Office- Word and Excel)

Mental/Physical Demands: Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations. Ability to read and interpret documents such as instructional manuals, operating instructions, books, catalogues and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups or employees of organizations. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, and sit. The employee is occasionally required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Environmental Conditions: The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Work is performed in an office or classroom environment.

This description documents the general contents and requirements of the job.  It is not to be construed as an exhausted statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements.  The principal duties and responsibilities shown are all essential job functions except for those indicated with an asterisk (*). The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.