Employment Specialist

* At least 18 years of age

* Education:

* Tier 1:
Prefer AA degree or one year experience
* Tier 2:
Bachelor’s Degree or two years’ experience
* Tier 3:
Bachelor’s Degree and two years’ experience or five years’ experience
* Effectively communicates and understands, reads, and writes in English
* Willing to submit to for-cause drug testing
* Pass a DSHS background check
* Fulfill non-standard work hours to meet immediate, short-term coaching needs
* Work well with people and demonstrate leadership qualities
* Make quick and independent decisions
* Return phone calls and emails in a timely manner
* Work independently and in a team environment
* Represent Cascade Connections professionally in the community
* Be organized and efficient
* Use strong problem-solving skills
* Use Microsoft business applications
* Believe that all people can and should work
* Experience working with people with diverse backgrounds and ethnicities preferred
* Meet the “Additional Requirements” below
* Onsite job coaching and training to ensure the people we support are successful in their jobs and are able to work as independently as possible.
* Identify opportunities for customers' career growth. Responsible for job and community development efforts, including identifying employment opportunities and building relationships with employers.
* Work closely with employers, community partners, and agencies to create job opportunities and career pathways for Cascade customers.

Assist those we serve in navigating and utilizing community resources.
* Assist those we serve in navigating and utilizing community resources.
* Support those we serve in achieving goals and objectives based on the individual’s Employment Plan and the goals they have set for themselves.
* Assist in social skills development, communication, on-the-job training, verbal cues, transit training, money management, personal choice, task breakdown, personal safety, reasonable accommodations, informed choice, self-esteem, personal empowerment, and self-advocacy.
* Provide community-based assessments to help identify a person's marketable skills, interests and identify any potential barriers or support needs for employment.
* Support customers to overcome barriers to employment & receive the support they need.
* Provide training and support when a job task changes or a support need is identified.
* Understand that each individual is unique in their need for supports, and provide individualized supports that reflect understanding the nature of a person’s skills, abilities, vocational goals, disability, values, culture, history, strengths, and weaknesses.
* Identify solutions to issues and implement them. This includes behavior supports, communication systems, and adaptive technology.
* Provide appropriate training/coaching for individuals one-to-one using training methods such as job analysis, task analysis, positive behavior supports, cue and prompting strategies.
* Identify potential barriers/support needs for employment and provide support to overcome them.
* Provide assessments of vocational skills and work readiness.
* Professionally navigate working with a variety of customers, their support team, and the coworkers/supervisors at their employment sites whose background or values may differ from staffs’.
* Support those we serve to set goals and create action steps through the Employment Planning process.
* Maintain daily activity logs and other documentation to demonstrate the outcomes and progress on behalf of our customer.
* Create a Progress Report outlining the outcomes of services in relation to each action of the employment plan a minimum of every six months.
* Coordinate logistics with all parties involved (people we serve, family, residential, transportation, and employer).
* Implement and coordinate transportation supports.
* Maintain accurate data and documentation of job placement, including location, length of placement, contact name and number, job retention, wage and work hours, pay stubs, and other pertinent information.
* Manage caseload and required monthly service hours to meet customer needs.
* Maintain billing of 70% of hours.
* Participate in scheduled staff meetings and…