Employment Specialist

The Employment Specialist supports individuals in achieving economic stability and self-sufficiency through employment assistance, workforce development, and case management services within supportive housing programming. This position assists participants experiencing homelessness, housing instability, or other barriers to employment by providing individualized support, employment readiness services, and referrals to community resources. The role works collaboratively with supportive housing staff, workforce development partners, and community providers to help participants increase income, secure and retain employment, and support long-term housing stability.

This position also supports workforce development cohorts participating in employment training opportunities connected to the agency’s Thrift Boutique program.

• Conduct employment screenings, assessments, and skills evaluations to identify participant strengths, barriers, interests, and employment goals.
• Develop individualized employment and service plans in collaboration with participants.
• Provide structured job readiness and job-seeking skills training, including resume development, interview preparation, workplace communication, customer service, and professional conduct.
• Coordinate or facilitate classroom, online, computer-assisted, and on-the-job training opportunities.
• Support participants in developing learning skills necessary to secure and retain employment, including obtaining vocational licenses and certifications.
• Provide pre-vocational training, tutoring, literacy support, and employment-related instructional resources.
• Assist participants with employment applications, documentation, job search activities, and employment placement support.
• Provide counseling, encouragement, and job coaching to support participant success and employment retention.
• Support workforce development cohorts participating in the Thrift Boutique program through training coordination, participant support, coaching, attendance tracking, and skill development activities.
• Assist participants in developing transferable workplace skills through hands-on training opportunities within the Thrift Boutique environment.
• Coordinate with workforce agencies, training providers, employers, and community partners to support participant employment opportunities.
• Track participant progress toward employment and training goals and maintain required program documentation.
• Assist with coordinating participant stipends related to eligible employment and training activities in accordance with program guidelines.

• Provide trauma-informed, participant-centered case management services.
• Conduct intake, assessment, referrals, advocacy, and follow-up services.
• Coordinate with housing navigators, supportive housing staff, and community providers to align employment goals with participant stabilization plans.
• Support participants with barriers related to homelessness, mental health, substance use recovery, justice involvement, limited work history, or disability.
• Maintain accurate and timely case notes, data entry, and program reporting.
• Support participant safety planning, crisis intervention, and de-escalation when necessary.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to coordinate participant services.
• Ensure confidentiality and ethical handling of participant information in compliance with agency and funding requirements.

• Bachelor’s degree in social work, human services, psychology, counseling, workforce development, or related field preferred; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Experience providing employment services, workforce…