Employment Specialist

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Full Time 1945 W Wilson, Chgo, 60640, Chicago, IL, US

Salary Range: $45,000.00 To $50,000.00 Annually

Join us! Come to work with Purpose. We are a passionate team of social change-makers, diverse thinkers, and problem solvers. Our purpose is to provide the best possible services that ensure full access to quality living and spread the power of inclusivity. We serve over 7,000 people with disabilities, behavioral health challenges, and those who are Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing.

If you don’t want just any job—if you want to work where you can create truly transformational change—then Anixter is the place for you. Take a look at the job description to learn more!

SUMMARY:

(Summary description of the primary duties and objectives of the position.)

The Employment Specialist is a disability and employment expert whose primary focus is to initiate and maintain ongoing contact with a variety of businesses and industry representatives with the goal of identify hiring needs, facilitating hires, and supporting individuals with maintaining employment via the provision of tailored job retention supports. Approximately 70% of this role is dedicated to working directly with clients on job development, placement, and ongoing employment support, while 30% of time is focused on building and maintaining partnerships with employers, community partners, and other stakeholders to expand employment opportunities.

The Employment Specialist has knowledge of the Americans with Disabilities Act and a proven track record in creating strategic partnerships that advances employment opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as individuals managing mental health conditions. The Employment Specialist is business savvy, demonstrates effective written and verbal communication skills and has expert knowledge of workforce development models and best practices.

The Employment Specialist will also engage clients who are referred from Anixter’s internal service lines and community partners including the Illinois Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS). Individuals who manage their time well, are adaptable and who desire opportunities for growth and want to make a big community impact do well and historically report they enjoy the Employment Specialist role!

• Achieve placement targets set by the Employment Service Program Manager (2 new job starts per month with 50% resulting in at least 90 days of employment) by six months of beginning in the Employment Specialist role.
• Capture expected monthly target for Rule 132 Medicaid Billing 2hrs/day (specific to mental health members).
• Meets recruitment, hiring, training and retention goals for people with disabilities; advises on disability-hiring and retention best practices, supporting requests for reasonable employee workplace accommodations as required under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Engage and build a therapeutic alliance with clients who are in job seeking and exploration phases to promote job attainment and sustainment according to their skills, abilities, interests, and preferences.
• Cultivate strong relationships with client’s treatment team to promote wrap around support and to engage new referrals for employment services.
• Collaborate and communicate with coworkers, supervisor, Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS) Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) counselors, benefit planners, natural supports, family, and any other pertinent collaterals to support clients with job attainment and sustainment as desired. Support the development of internal mentors to leverage natural workplace support.
• Cultivates and maintains collaborative relationships with partner, community, and industry- related organizations and identifies potential collaboration efforts to reach target customers/job seekers.
• Develop relationships with employers through face-to-face job development activities based off client work skills, abilities, interests, and preferences.
• Presents…