Supports Lead

Hope Served | Manheim, PA | Full-Time | $40,000–$45,000 DOE, Bonus Eligible

Lead the Growth of a Community Where Everyone Belongs

The Employment Supports Lead will lead the development and implementation of Hope Served's inclusive employment and workforce development program for individuals with disabilities.

This position is responsible for creating meaningful pathways from training → employment → skill development → increased independence → community employment.

The Employment Supports Lead will provide direct support to individuals with disabilities while also building the systems, partnerships, curriculum, coaching practices, and relationships necessary to create a sustainable workforce development program.

This is a direct-service leadership position. The successful candidate must have demonstrated experience working directly with individuals with disabilities and possess a strong understanding of supported employment, person-centered planning, job coaching, and workforce development.

The Employment Supports Lead will work closely with the Culinary Program Lead to integrate employment supports directly into the Cafe and Bistro.

• Develop and lead Hope Served's employment and workforce development program.
• Establish a comprehensive employment pathway for individuals with disabilities.
• Develop individualized training and employment plans.
• Create progressive skill-development pathways from entry-level training to competitive employment.
• Develop workplace readiness, soft-skills, customer-service, and professional development curriculum.
• Establish measurable employment outcomes and program performance indicators.
• Develop systems for tracking participant progress, skills, employment, retention, and advancement.
• Continuously evaluate and improve the employment program.

• Provide direct support and job coaching to individuals with disabilities.
• Work alongside employees and trainees in the kitchen, Bistro, community, and other employment environments.
• Assess individual strengths, interests, abilities, support needs, and employment goals.
• Teach workplace skills using individualized, person-centered approaches.
• Break complex tasks into teachable steps.
• Develop visual supports, task analyses, checklists, and other adaptive tools.
• Provide fading supports as individuals gain independence.
• Address workplace challenges through coaching, problem-solving, and positive behavioral supports.
• Support individuals in developing confidence, independence, communication, and self-advocacy.

• Build employment pathways for individuals with disabilities across culinary, hospitality, retail, food service, and other community employment opportunities.
• Identify transferable skills developed through Hope Served's social enterprises.
• Develop pre-employment and workplace-readiness programming.
• Establish career exploration and vocational assessment processes.
• Help individuals identify career interests and employment goals.
• Develop opportunities for internships, work experiences, job shadows, apprenticeships, and competitive employment.
• Support employees in progressing to greater responsibility and independence.
• Develop strategies for successful job retention and career advancement.

• Develop relationships with local employers willing to hire individuals with disabilities.
• Educate employers about inclusive employment practices.
• Conduct job development and employer outreach.
• Identify competitive employment opportunities beyond Hope Served.
• Build partnerships with vocational rehabilitation, school districts, disability-service organizations, workforce organizations, and other community…