Workforce Development Specialist - Community Based

Workforce Development Specialist - Community Based Job Description

Posted Monday, August 10, 2026 at 4:00 AM

Enjoy making a difference? Join the team at FREE, enriching the lives of others, one individual at a time.

Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE) benefits and proudly supports more than 4,000 individuals with intellectual / developmental disabilities, mental illness and traumatic brain injury. It is the mission of FREE to support people of all abilities reach their full potential and thrive in their communities. FREE provides a diverse array of supports and services including: housing; recovery services; transition to work;

employment; day, community and family services; respite; crisis services; education and after school support; specialty health services; and advocacy.

The primary role of the Workforce Development Specialist is to assess the abilities of FREE clients in all vocational programming. To accomplish this, the Specialist will collaborate with FREE employment staff across all programs to discuss the skills and abilities of the client, while also identifying areas where support is needed. The Workforce Development Specialist will develop and maintain connections to businesses and other organizations in the community that all employment programs can utilize to place program participants in paid positions, volunteer opportunities, or situational community assessments.

• Establishes and develops relationships with businesses and organizations in the community to provide program participants with job placements, assessments, and volunteer opportunities.
• Collaborates with all staff in vocational and employment programming to ensure quality service provision to clients.
• Continuously assesses participants in all vocational and employment programming via skill assessments and observational tools to properly match the correct services and placements to the clients’ current needs.
• Monitors ACCES-VR and Career Specific Vocational Training students and their progress with their curriculum of choice to properly guide them through the continuum of services and job placement.
• Assists clients with completing service applications such as ACCES-VR, ETP, and internal applications to services within FREE
• Completes daily documentation of both direct and indirect services into appropriate electronic health systems.
• Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to coordinate services and enhance individual vocational skills.
• Ensures that all required documentation (paper and electronic) is completed /processed appropriately, in a timely manner, and meets quality and compliance thresholds.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Always communicates in a respectful manner with all people including the people we support, supervisors, other valued team members, and members of the community.
• Complies fully with FREE’s confidentiality policies by holding in strictest confidence all information pertaining to members, residents, the people we support and their families, clients, providers, contractors, and employees.
• Meets all safety training requirements; adheres to all safety policies and reports any and all unsafe conditions; takes measures to prevent accidents and/or eliminate conditions that pose a safety or health risk.
• Coordinates, supports, attends and participates in all required events/ meetings/ reviews/ committees, including ones outside of standard working hours.
• Meets all job requirements and stays in compliance.
• Adheres to FREE’s standard of ethical behavior as outlined in the Employee Handbook and Code of Conduct as well as applicable laws and regulations

Please note the above duties, responsibilities, and essential functions are a non-exhaustive list, and may be changed by FREE at any time, with or without notice to the employee.

• Education & Experience:
• Must meet one of the following criteria:
• High School Diploma or equivalent and three (3) years of experience supporting individuals with disabilities and/or mental health disorders in a supported employment and/or vocational setting required.
• Associates degree in human services or another related field and two (2) years of experience supporting individuals with disabilities and/or mental health disorders in a supported employment and/or vocational setting required.
• Bachelors degree in human services or another related field and one (1) year of experience supporting individuals with disabilities and/or mental health disorders in a supported employment and/or vocational setting required.
• Experience completing assessments for vocational evaluation preferred.
• Specialized Training, Licenses,
  
  Certifications:
  
  
  • Not required, training will be provided upon hire as needed
• Knowledge, Skills, Competencies, and Abilities:
  • Proficient computer skills
  • Proficient writing skills with grasp of basic grammar and spelling
  • Must be efficient, well organized, and have excellent…