Employment Specialist

SUMMARY: (Summary description of the primary duties and objectives of the position.) 

The Employment Specialist is both a disability and employment expert who is adept at building strong rapport with a wide range of individuals including people with disabilities and businesses in the community for the purpose of facilitating quality job hires. The ability to champion success and to critically assess and synthesize individual client's wants, needs, experiences, and interests into focused job search and retention plans is an essential component of this role. Initiating contact with businesses to build relationships with hiring personnel who can provide insights about specific position tasks, follow-up processes, trends, and hiring needs that align with individual client’s employment goals is an equally critical component of this role. 

The Employment Specialist will engage with youth onsite at and around Daley College who identify as members of the disability community and who are completing adult learner education courses and seeking employment. Also, engage clients who are referred from Anixter’s internal service lines and community partners including the Illinois Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS). This is an exciting opportunity to use your networking and relationship-building skills in the community! Individuals who manage their time well, are adaptable and looking for growth opportunities to make a big community impact!

ESSENTIAL DUTIES: (Individual duties, assignments, and responsibilities required of the position.) 

• Achieve placement targets set by the Employment Director (2 new job starts per month with 50% resulting in at least 90 days of employment) by six months of beginning in the Employment Specialist role.
• Capture expected monthly target for Rule 132 Medicaid Billing 2hrs/day (specific to mental health members). 
• Engage and build a therapeutic alliance with clients who are in job seeking and exploration phases to promote job attainment and sustainment according to their skills, abilities, interests, and preferences.
• Develop relationships with employers through face-to-face job development activities based off client work skills, abilities, interests, and preferences.
• Provide tailored job retention planning and support to clients to support sustainment and growth within the workforce. Conduct task analyses of positions and plan for and provide tailored onsite job coaching and retention support.
• Cultivate strong relationships with client’s treatment team to promote wrap around support and to engage new referrals for employment services.
• Collaborate and communicate with coworkers, supervisor, Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) counselors, benefit planners, natural supports, family, and any other pertinent collaterals to support clients with job attainment and sustainment as desired.
• Present, promote and market programs to individuals, groups, community organizations and service providers.
• Actively participate in relevant Anixter and site meetings and committees.
• Comply with all agency and funder collaboration, reporting and billing requirements by deadlines.
• Participate in client/funder staffing progress meetings.
• Responsible for following all Anixter Center policies. 
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS (Competencies, skills, abilities, experience, education necessary.) 

• Bachelor’s Degree (preferred) or a high school diploma with at least 2 years of supervised experience in a mental health or human services setting.
• Valid driver’s license and daily access to a vehicle with $100,000/$300,000 liability insurance.
• Marketing, sales or customer service experience.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Self-directed, able to work remotely and autonomously within the community 65-70% of the time, and in an office setting, on occasion.
• Ability to shift between multiple priorities, excellent time management and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to navigate sensitive scenarios with multiple stakeholders.
• Diversity / cultural competence.
• Business-oriented professionalism.
• Networking savvy including cold-calling businesses in person, attending networking meetings and events, etc.
• Maintain CPR/First Aid/NCI and participate in any other training deemed mandatory or relevant by the agency and/or hospital system. 
• Submit to background and medical checks by hiring agency and hospital system as required for employment in healthcare setting.

Nonessential Skills and Experience:  

• Marketing, sales and/or customer service highly preferred but not required. A willingness to become trained in, adapt and utilize skills in these areas is necessary for the position.
• Proficient in American Sign Language (ASL) preferred but not required.
• Bi-lingual Spanish is preferred but not required.
• Ability to promote and adhere to company values.
• A commitment to a diverse, inclusive, and equitable work environment.

WORK ENVIRONMENT (Expected working conditions, physical effort required & approximate amount of travel.) 

Transportation: A valid Illinois Driver’s License, daily access to a well-maintained vehicle and $100,000/$300,000 liability insurance is required. Willingness to drive clients in personal vehicle and self-transport to Anixter Center and external partner sites, as required.  

Physical Demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral   vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. 

 Work Environment: Professional office work environments; the noise level in the work environment is low to moderate. This position is 65%-70% community based. 

 Geographic Area: North and West sides of Chicago metropolitan area; efforts to strategically alignment staffing, and referrals geographically are prioritized.