Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counsel

Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

This position performs advanced-level work under the limited supervision of the Vocational Rehabilitation Supervisor in Area 2 Unit 11B Orange City, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Position is responsible for providing independent professional vocational rehabilitation counseling to identified individuals with disabilities, which may include those identified as potentially eligible Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) youth customers ages 14-21, to support the overall goal of employment.

This includes providing and coordinating complex services and providing technical assistance on vocational rehabilitation internal and external stakeholders and requires accessing client information, maintaining case records, tracking open authorizations and other case-specific activities and reviewing caseload data regularly. Provides technical assistance to internal and external stakeholders.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assesses medical, psychological, and vocational information to determine eligibility for services.
• Develops, with full participation of the customer with a disability, an Individualized Plan For Employment to determine employment outcomes.
• Conducts in-depth interviews of individuals with disabilities requiring rehabilitation strategies to determine eligibility for vocational rehabilitation services and the feasibility for achieving an employment outcome.
• Provides professional vocational rehabilitation counseling to individuals with a diversity of disabilities in order that they may attain appropriate employment outcomes.
• Provides information to assist individuals with disabilities in making informed choices regarding services, service providers, and employment outcomes.
• Authorizes, coordinates and/or negotiates services leading to successful employment outcomes.
• Negotiates with individuals with disabilities regarding plan development.
• Develops and utilizes job placement opportunities to assist eligible individuals with disabilities to obtain appropriate employment.
• Develops employer contacts and serves as liaison with employers.
• Provides selective job development and placement.
• Collaborates with team members in placement activities.
• Utilizes the resources of community rehabilitation providers in securing appropriate job placement for eligible individuals with disabilities.
• Manages resources to ensure financial accountability according to state and federal regulations.
• Collaborates with community partners to assure appropriate use of available resources.
• Participates in training experiences designed to enhance professional competency in vocational rehabilitation.
• Performs other duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Four years of professional experience in Vocational Rehabilitation, Psychology, Business Administration, Special Education, Human Resources, or other related field.
• Proficient in using Microsoft Office software, such as Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Word.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the theories and practice in vocational rehabilitation guidance and counseling.
• Knowledge of employment resources and vocational rehabilitation resources.
• Knowledge of the program requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and state and federal laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Ability to use automated systems.
• Ability to use and analyze information from the management information system.
• Ability to understand and use State and Federal vocational rehabilitation regulations and policies.
• Ability to gather, analyze and organize information into logical format for presentation in reports, documents, and other written materials.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Direct experience working with individuals with disabilities.
• Both professional and educational experience.

Working for the State of Florida has benefits including state group insurance coverage options, retirement plan options, paid holidays, leave benefits, student loan forgiveness program, flexible spending accounts, tuition fee waivers, comprehensive training, career growth, maternity and parental leave benefits.

Leave Information:

• Annual Leave
  - All full-time Career Service employees filling established positions earn annual leave in varying increments dependent upon years of creditable service.
• Sick Leave
  - Career Service employees earn 8.667 hours of sick leave credits per month.

Background Screening Requirement:

It is the policy of the Florida Department of Education that applicants for employment/volunteer undergo Level 2 background screening in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 435, Florida Statutes, as a condition of employment or being permitted to serve as a volunteer.

Selective Service System (SSS) and Requirement:

Male applicants born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion in the Other Personal Services (OPS) or Career Service, or appointment in the Selected Exempt Service (SES) or Senior Management Service (SMS) unless they are registered with the Selective Service…