Project Coordinator; Inclusive Internship Coordinator Albany

Inclusive Internship Coordinator

The essential function of the Inclusive Internship Coordinator for the Partnerships for Inclusive Internships (PII) is to create opportunities for people with disabilities to gain meaningful experience and career opportunities in the New York State (NYS) government. The Inclusive Internship Coordinator will be an integral member on the Employment First (E1st) team of the Office of the Chief Disability Officer and will work with NYS agencies to create internship opportunities, develop a pipeline of qualified internship candidates and coordinate placement activities with employment services providers, ACCES-VR and the Commission for the Blind.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Create Internship Opportunities:
• Market the PII program to different offices and programs within state agencies to develop internship opportunities for people receiving VR services.
• Support NYS and related agencies in the design and detailing of meaningful internship opportunities that lead to long-term competitive integrated employment.
• Advocate for permanent, competitive integrated employment opportunities for qualified individuals prior to and after each internships end point.
• Follow-up on internship development leads and identify and pursue partnerships within NYS and related agencies.
• Maintain the project infrastructure to effectively and efficiently facilitate program processes.
• Conduct regular check-ins with internship supervisors to assist, support, and to address any potential barriers that they may observe that are keeping the intern from succeeding.
• Track all internship placements and outcomes to provide periodic statistical reports to NYSDOL and the Office of the Chief Disability Officer.
• Outreach to Interns:
• Attend job/career fairs and provide other informational presentations on PII, and the benefits of hiring a PII Intern.
• Initiate contact with SUNY, CUNY and independent college and universities, trade schools, and BOCES programs to provide information on PII.
• Develop relationships and/or partnerships with providers and other disability-related organizations to seek out other potential interns.
• Coordination with state vocational rehabilitation and employment services providers:
• Maintain regular, timely communications with agencies, state vocational rehabilitation representatives, interns, and employment service providers, including Career Centers and Employment Networks.
• Work in concert with state vocational rehabilitation agencies and employment services providers to coordinate intern matching, resume submission, and interview processes.
• Provide guidance, support, and education to job coaches, internship supervisors, and other staff as needed who oversee internship activities to ensure adequate supervision of interns.
• Other:
• Contribute to the overall functioning of the E1st team and Office of the Chief Disability Officer
• Explore and implement prospects for intern learning opportunities
• Support the planning and implementation of Office of the Chief Disability Officer events.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Eight years of specialized experience working with people with disabilities. Experience including job-placement is preferred. One year of experience must have been at a supervisory level.
• A Bachelor's degree
  * may substitute for four years of specialized experience. A master's degree
  * may substitute for five years of specialized experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Lived disability experience.
• Ability to initiate and maintain relationships across a diverse set of stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal and writing skills, as well as the ability to conduct effective training and presentations to staff and other key stakeholders.
• Proven ability to develop and maintain strong working relationships with a wide range of internal stakeholders (including line staff, managers, department heads) and external resources (including other partners, funding sources and referral sources).
• Prior program management experience and/or human resources experience.
• Must exhibit excellent organizational and coordination skills and ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, while exercising independent judgment and problem-solving abilities.
• Strong communication and social media platform skills.
• Willingness to work flexible hours as needed.
• Persistent, results oriented stakeholder engagement skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace applications

* Your degree must have been awarded by an educational institution accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the United States (U.S.) Department of Education/Secretary of Education. If awarded by an institution outside of the U.S. and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency.

This position may require a fingerprint background check prior to appointment. Position specific job duties may include occasional altered work schedule or job assignments which require availability and willingness to work…