RISE Employment Specialist

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Full Time Specialist 1 New Orleans, LA, US

Salary: $50,000.00 Annually

The RISE Employment Specialist supports the RISE (Re-entering into Successful Employment) program by providing career development, job-readiness training, employment navigation, and employer engagement services to justice-involved young adults ages 18-24 served by Volunteers of America Southeast Louisiana. The position helps participants prepare for and obtain education, training, Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP), and unsubsidized employment opportunities in high-growth industries, AI infrastructure, information technology, healthcare, and transportation.

The RISE Employment Specialist uses a high-tech, high-touch approach, including Transition Connect, virtual reality (VR) career exploration, digital tools, and individualized coaching, while collaborating with RISE staff, workforce partners, training providers, and employers throughout the Louisiana service area of Jefferson, Plaquemines, Orleans, and St. Tammany parishes.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide foundational skills training including digital literacy, financial literacy, soft skills, workplace etiquette, professionalism, and resume and cover letter development
• Develop individualized job-search strategies using Transition Connect, VR career exploration, networking, social media, job boards, recruitment agencies, and community resources
• Provide career counseling and coaching to help participants identify career pathways, understand job responsibilities, wages, qualifications, and advancement opportunities, and make informed career decisions
• Connect participants to education, training, Registered Apprenticeship Programs (RAPs), work-based learning, and unsubsidized employment aligned with their skills, interests, credentials, and career goals
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with employers, recruiters, workforce and community partners, and training providers; identify second-chance employers and solicit employment, apprenticeship, job-shadowing, and work-experience opportunities
• Maintain current knowledge of local labor-market conditions and employer needs, with emphasis on VOASELA target industries
• Organize and support hiring events, labor exchanges, and career-readiness workshops, including partnerships with community colleges, universities, and workforce training providers
• Work to match participant skills and interests to appropriate job placements to support long-term job retention
• Use Transition Connect and approved program technology to support career exploration, employer and apprenticeship matching, and documentation of participant employment milestones
• Accurately and timely document RISE Employment Specialist services and participant progress in Bonterra Apricot; track employment outcomes, employer and position information, wages, verification, retention, and participant check-ins
• Coordinate with Reentry Specialists and RISE staff to align career services with each participant's Individual Development Plan (IDP), assessment results, credential goals, career pathway, and employment milestones
• Serve as the program's lead point of contact for employer engagement and job placement, coordinating with RISE Case Manager on participant readiness and referrals
• Collaborate with RISE staff and partners to maintain program fidelity, participant engagement, and achievement of employment, education, training, credential, and apprenticeship outcomes
• Perform other duties as assigned consistent with the RISE program

SUPERVISORY DUTIES:

• None

KEY CONTACTS

Maintains critical relationships with the following:

• Employers and recruiters; workforce-development and American Job Center partners; RISE training and Registered Apprenticeship Program partners; community-based service providers
• VOASELA RISE program staff, including RISE Case Managers

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Bachelor's degree in human services, workforce development, business, human resources, counseling, or a related field, plus relevant experience in workforce development, career navigation, case management, recruitment, or employment services; equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered
• Experience working with young adults and/or justice-involved populations preferred
• Knowledge of career development, workforce systems,…