Support Services Specialist

The Support Services Specialist assists individuals in finding and maintaining affordable housing and/or employment opportunities. Individuals in this role deliver direct core and intensive employment and housing services to assist in job and housing search, placement, and training activities, helping individuals with barriers to employment and/or housing find competitive jobs and affordable/sustainable housing in their local community.

Typical Work

• Builds collaborative community relationships with employers and landlords;
• Conducts group and individual employment and/or job training counseling, and outlines options with clients;
• Contacts employers to solicit jobs, promote agency services, develop specific openings for special client groups;
• Contacts landlords to develop professional relationships and advocate for low cost housing arrangements for clients;
• Provides outreach to and follow-up services for clients in the following programmatic areas: housing, rent payments, tenancy coaching, timeliness, employment, job development, and employment and training counseling or referral;
• Acts as a job coach, helping  the client learn to perform job tasks to the employer's specifications and to learn the interpersonal skills necessary to function in the job site;
• Interacts with other public and private agencies in the provision of services;
• Conducts vocational counseling with clients in order to eliminate barriers in achieving self-sufficiency; assists in achieving, housing, training and employment goals;
• Conducts intensive job search workshops and related support group activities;
• Assists job seekers and confirms work search activity; develops career development plans; administers skill, interest, and aptitude tests using formal tools; conducts file search to match applicants to openings; screens applicants for referral to jobs;
• Monitors and records data;
• Identifies customer needs/employment barriers and directs to appropriate internal or external resources;
• Provides employer outreach and job development services;
• Gathers feedback to ensure customer satisfaction and may assist in the analysis of data gathered; conducts follow-up contacts with customers;
• Ensures nondiscrimination and equity in the delivery of services;
• Complies with all HIPAA and 42 CFR privacy and security regulations;
• Performs other work as required.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of local social and employment services, interviewing techniques & principles, labor market trends, and social & economic conditions;
• Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, in both group and individual settings; 
• Ability to work in a team based environment;
• Establish and maintain effective interpersonal relationships with customers, peers, management, partners, community based organizations, private employers, and other state & public agencies; 
• Perform computer applications & internet operations; 
• Work with diverse populations; 
• Comprehend and interpret program provisions, regulations, and administrative policies; administer skill & interest tests; 
• Facilitate workshops; 
• Work in a fast paced environment demonstrating flexibility and ability to adapt to change; and 
• Recruit & engage customers into a system that provides a multitude of services to meet their needs. Possesses a friendly outgoing personality, able to create and maintain community relations with local landlords, employers, etc. 
• Work in a fast paced environment demonstrating flexibility and ability to adapt to change; 
• Recruit & engage customers into a system that provides a multitude of services to meet their needs;
• Knowledgeable in HIPAA and 42 CFR regulations;
• Must have a valid driver’s license and active car insurance;
• Must pass and maintain a clear background record as required for healthcare organizations under state and federal contracts; 
• At least two (2) years of experience providing support services, preferred;
• Must be able to life up to 25 pounds at a time;
• Must be able to sit at a desk and work on a computer for prolonged periods of time.