Community Employment Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Description :

This is a full-time position with some overtime, generally day hours Monday-Friday, but may require some evening and weekend shifts. Based out of Shenandoah, Iowa.

This position qualifies for $4000 hire-on bonus

Specific Job Duties and Responsibilities :

• Provide Career Exploration Activities to individuals of all ages receiving services.
• Meeting with individuals and families / guardians to introduce supported employment, as well as explore the individual's employment goals.
• Work with individuals to develop a formalized career plan. This will be accomplished by utilizing discovery techniques, business tours, job shadowing, informational interviews, work site assessments, and other job exploration activities.
• Work with individuals to develop soft-skills. This may include working on interviewing skills, conducting / organizing mock-interviews, working on co-worker relations, how to communicate with supervisors, improving customer service skills, etc.
• Work with individuals to explore topics on and improve their financial literacy.
• Document individual performance daily. Keep all charts and daily reports up to date and accurate. Submit data to supervisor as requested.
• Develop relationships with local business and industry in order to offer a variety of sample of career options, employers must be willing to allow Nishna staff and clients into their businesses to observe and interact with employees.
• As need, manage transportation for individuals receiving Career Exploration services.
• Provide direct support (job coaching) to individuals placed on community jobs. Document client performance daily on appropriate paperwork.
• Work with employers in working through employment problems. Advocate for employees.
• Communicate with supervisor regarding the development of any necessary behavior intervention data.
• Attend and participate in any staff meetings.
• If Job Coaching & Career Exploration do not provide full-time employment, the person in this position can be an agency floater & gain additional hours of work by working in other departments of the agency. The floater will teach, train, & assist individuals receiving services in other agency departments, which include Supported Community Living, Organizational Employment, or Day Habilitation. Completing service documentation in these areas will be required.
• Handle any other duties assigned by the Team Leader and / or Executive Director as specified and within the time frame given.

Requirements :

1) High School Diploma or GED. Prefer post-secondary education in a human-services related field.

2) Must have six months work experience in direct support capacity.

3) Be flexible in hours and days willing to work.

4) Ability and capability to obtain and maintain valid Iowa Chauffeur’s license. Maintain acceptable driving records, as required by agency insurance company.

5) Adaptability to new work conditions and change.

6) Ability to apply job training methods such as cues, behavior reinforcement, prompting techniques, and other training concepts.

7) Ability to assess client performance and record accurately.

8) Must exhibit ability to meet people and to carry on social, as well as professional conversations.

9) A professional and personal image and attitude is needed to represent persons served , as well as the agency itself.

10) Individual “must not have or be a carrier” of a serious infectious or communicable disease, such as but not limited to, incurable, fatal, or debilitating diseases, which cannot be eliminated or reduced by reasonable accommodation. Current examples would include, but not be limited to, tuberculosis. Determination of the existence of a serious disease is to be made by the proper medical authorities.

11) Physical ability to travel to required sites, transport materials, and complete the on-site work.

12) Ability to teach people with disabilities to do these tasks.

13) Ability to work in a variety of environments, including industrial, fast food, motels, hospitals, restaurants, grocer / retail stores, etc.

14) Must not have been legally convicted of any type of assault, abuse or bodily injury.

15) Ability to exercise sound judgment when the situation requires immediate decision-making.

16) Physical exam prior to employment and every four years thereafter.

17) Ability to complete 10-hour med-management class.

Physical Requirements

1) Must be able to travel from place to place, up to 70 miles.

2) Must be able to enter and exit facilities that may or may not be accessible to everyone.

3) Must be able to carry necessary paper and supplies to perform functions.

4) Must be able to provide physical care necessary to individuals when performing job

coaching duties.

5) Ability to physically assist an individual to regain his balance or to transfer from a

sitting, standing or prone position.