Career Navigator & Industry Engagement Specialist; Solar & Roofing

Career Navigator & Industry Engagement Specialist (Solar & Roofing)

Center for Sustainable Careers - Baltimore, MD

Salary Range $50,000.00 - $60,000.00 Salary/year Category Staff Member

Civic Works strengthens Baltimore's communities through education, skills development, and community service. Our Center for Sustainable Careers (CSC) department expands access to family-sustaining careers through hands-on learning, on-the-job training and job quality initiatives. We have sector-based career tracks in solar installation, roofing and utility infrastructure. Our program model has proven powerfully successful, with over 1,000 CSC graduates since 2003, an impressive average job placement rate of 85% and starting wages of over $20 per hour.

Our innovative work has been highlighted by the White House, the National Fund for Workforce Solutions, Green for All, The Baltimore Sun, The Washington Post, and the US Conference of Mayors. Join us in creating a more just and equitable green economy.

The Career Navigator & Industry Engagement Specialist plays a critical role on the Career Services team, guiding solar and roofing trainees toward family-sustaining careers through hands-on career coaching, high-quality employment readiness instruction, and relationships with industry employers. This role combines a dedicated coaching caseload with delivery of the program's employment readiness curriculum and employer outreach and engagement – conducting initial outreach to prospective solar and roofing partners and supporting ongoing engagement to open and sustain hiring opportunities.

The Navigator coaches participants throughout their entire career development journey, from initial skills building through job placement and beyond, including graduate retention and advancement support. In coordination with employer engagement staff, the Navigator identifies participants for industry openings and facilitates and tracks applications, interviews, job offers, and related milestones. Through coaching, curriculum delivery, employer connections, and industry insight, the Navigator delivers career outcomes that last well beyond placement.

This role advances Civic Works' commitment to expanding career access for residents excluded from quality employment, including people impacted by the criminal justice system, housing instability, and other systems, and reflects our belief in the capacity of every participant to build a lasting career.

Primary Responsibilities:

I. Support participants in building their professional development skills

• Achieve and maintain fidelity in the motivational interviewing framework, applying evidence-based coaching techniques to support participant motivation, self-direction, and progress.
• Provide individualized, strength-based coaching that builds participants' workplace communication, interview, networking, and strategic career planning skills.
• Sustain participant engagement and momentum across the full career development journey, from early skill-building through placement.

II. Coordinate participants' progress toward job placement

• Conduct comprehensive assessments and provide targeted coaching to evaluate participants' strengths, identify development areas, and support their ongoing professional growth.
• Partner with the Job Readiness Manager to evaluate participant readiness for employment transition and coordinate seamless handoffs between program phases.
• Facilitate strategic job matching and placement support by connecting participants with suitable employment opportunities and providing guidance through all stages of the application, interview, and hiring process.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation in Salesforce including participant engagement metrics, application and interview progress tracking, job placement outcomes, and other critical placement and retention milestone data to ensure program accountability and continuous improvement.
• Transport participants to interviews and appointments as needed.

III. Conduct employer outreach and industry engagement

• Conduct initial outreach to prospective solar, roofing, and related construction/green-energy employers to introduce the program and build a pipeline of hiring opportunities.
• Support ongoing engagement with industry partners, maintaining regular communication and a positive partner experience that drives repeat hiring.
• In coordination with employer engagement staff, understand employer talent needs, role requirements, and hiring cycles to align participant preparation and referrals.
• Conduct labor market analysis and industry mapping for the solar and roofing sectors to identify in-demand roles, growth areas, and emerging employers, using that insight to guide participants and inform outreach.
• Attend industry events, trade association meetings, job fairs, and networking functions to build program visibility and develop new employer relationships.
• Plan and execute employer engagement events, such as open houses, employer showcases, and site visits, that connect industry…