Supportive Services Specialist

Supportive Services Specialist
San Diego, CA
Full-Time

In Person

Anticipated deadline to submit application: January 3, 2024  before 12:00pm PST. Position may close early if application limit is met. Apply promptly for full consideration.

The Opportunity

Our San Diego team is hiring a passionate, resilient, and social justice-minded Supportive Services Specialist (internally known as Community Services Navigator) 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, lived experience with mental health, substance abuse and sustained recovery, 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

• You have direct personal experience within the justice system and/or living in a high poverty urban setting
• You are committed to and passionate about working with justice-involved individuals and come to CEO with 1-2 years of related experience
• You 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 pride yourself in your ability to communicate effectively and develop trusting relationships with individuals of varying backgrounds and experiences
• You 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 with the ability to make connections within this space as needed
• You recognize the value of continuous communication, connecting with colleagues when work overlaps and raising challenges that arise for the group troubleshooting
• You take pride in your ability to juggle multiple priorities to deadlines
• You’re computer savvy (demonstrated word processing skills, ability to use the Internet to research job opportunities, familiarity with Salesforce preferred)

What You’ll Be Responsible For

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

• Develop and enhance relationships with organizations who provide services and resources that meet the needs of the participants; provides information and support to participants regarding access to these resources; Connect program participants to supportive services as needed
• Collaborate with additional members of CEO’s program team, including job coaches, job developers, and retention specialists, to support job searches and educational activities for participants
• Establish relationships with community building organizations serving justice involved individuals, presenting CEO’s programs and services to groups and individuals. Attend local events and meetings in the reentry community within the area, building relationships with organizations offering participant support
• Develop an organizational system to manage distribution of supportive services; track and report updates as needed
• Communicate with participants and CBOs in person or over the phone; provides information about Homeless Court and other supportive services
• Set up, organize, and maintain paper and electronic filing systems in accordance with recognized procedures and standards
• Draft, review and revise legal and non-legal documents including correspondence and memoranda, PowerPoint presentations, spreadsheets, etc.; Proofread documents for spelling, grammar, punctuation and formatting errors;
• File documents with Homeless Court and administrative bodies, including electronic filing where applicable
• Organize documents, and prepare binders and files to house relevant legal and non-legal materials; Maintain electronic and physical case files
• Demonstrate understanding of calendaring practices; Assist with tracking and management of various projects and their deadlines
• Plan and schedule appointments, conferences, meetings and travel arrangements for Homeless Court representatives; Assist with preparation for and scheduling of meetings, teleconferences, conferences and travel; Coordinate logistics for meetings and conferences
• Maintain composure and work efficiently and accurately during highly stressful circumstances
• Demonstrate excellent customer service
• Build relationships with key staff at partner organizations; Interview prospective partner organizations; provide training support to partner organizations; maintain records of partner organization point of contacts
• Maintain accurate expense account records; Prepare and process expense reports and reconciliations
• Perform other administrative and support duties as assigned by CEO San Diego Site Director that support the overall program and mission of CEO

Compensation and Benefits  

The salary for this position is $46,288. 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.

Please note that due to the volume of resumes received, we are unable to contact each applicant regarding the status of each position or reply to candidates' inquiries via phone or email.

IND 1

Salary : $46,288