Corporate Account Specialist

Corporate Account Specialist

About Cara Collective

Cara Collective seeks to fuel a courageous national movement to eradicate relational and financial poverty. Through our three entities - Cara, Cleanslate, and Cara Plus - we engage job seekers, employers, and other organizations across the country to break the cycle of poverty through the power and purpose of employment.

At present, we produce 1,000 jobs each year; however, our results don't just end with employment. Today, we take the insights gained over the past 30+ years to equip other organizations and employers with practices to help build a more inclusive economy. Learn more acollective.org.

About the Cara Collectives Employment Services Team

We are a fast moving and passionate team with two main focuses:
1) managing and growing relationships with Chicagoland employers, helping them fill high need entry to mid level roles, while keeping them excited about partnering with Cara.
2) working with our job seekers to help them secure meaningful employment.

About the Role

A Corporate Account Specialist is responsible for placing participants into quality permanent jobs by identifying, developing, and managing a participant pipeline while collaborating and maintaining relationships with established Cara Collective employment partners.

Qualifications

We are excited to offer this opportunity for a passionate individual to join our team and out Community. This role is ideal for a proactive, relationship-focused professional eager to contribute to workforce development and help individuals secure meaningful, permanent employment.

The ideal candidate will be inspired by Cara Collective's mission and committed to working in an environment dedicated to racial equity and breaking the cycle of poverty. They should be a self-starter, energized by fostering strong partnerships, highly organized with exceptional attention to detail, and committed to continuous learning. They should possess excellent interpersonal skills, a strong desire to collaborate as a team player, and approach challenges with a solutions-oriented mindset.

They should excel in interacting with participants and employer partners, demonstrating problem-solving skills to support successful employment placements.

While prior experience in a social justice organization or with workforce development is not required, it is considered a plus.

Requirements:

* 1
-2 years of experience in account management, workforce development, or a related field.

* Adaptability and flexibility in a changing environment.

* Strong organizational and communication skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.

* Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite;
Salesforce experience is a plus.

* Ability to maintain and build relationships with diverse stakeholders.

* Proactive approach and initiative-taking with a commitment to operational excellence.

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to Cara Collective's transformative work while growing your career in workforce development. If you are ready to make an impact, we encourage you to apply!

Key Responsibilities of the Position

Participant Support (55%)

* Manage a participant caseload, allowing for deeper coaching, stronger relationship-building, and individualized job matching.

* Source, pitch, and screen participants for employment opportunities that align with employer expectations, participant goals, and readiness.

* Coach participants through all stages of the job search process, including job readiness, application support, interview preparation, and offer acceptance.

* Provide clear, consistent guidance around job requirements, workplace expectations, and next steps to support strong placement and retention outcomes.

* Participate in in-person Cara Days and other engagement opportunities to build rapport with incoming job seekers and assess readiness for employment pathways.

* Support and co-facilitate trainings that prepare participants for successful employment.

* Execute a structured and intentional approach to marketing participants using Cara Collective's value proposition, tailored to employer needs and participant strengths.

Account Management (35%)

* Manage and grow a portfolio of employer accounts across multiple sectors, with a focus on long-term partnership development and sustainable talent pipelines.

* Serve as the primary point of contact for high-level employer and stakeholder relationships, ensuring consistent, professional, and timely communication.

* Lead employer engagement efforts, including bi-weekly, monthly, and quarterly calls with employment partners, job order development, site visits (virtual and in person), and ongoing partnership maintenance.

* Provide thoughtful, individualized candidate recommendations aligned with employer needs and Cara Collective's talent pool.

* Anticipate employer needs, address challenges proactively, and identify opportunities to deepen partnerships and improve placement outcomes.

* Play a key role on the Employment Services Team in…