Supported Employment Specialist

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* Job Description:

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* Job Title:

** Supported Employment Specialist    
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* Location:

** Springfield, Missouri    
** Department:
** Employment Services    
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* Employment Type:

** Full-time   
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* Job Summary:

** Build a meaningful career helping individuals with disabilities and other barriers achieve lasting vocational success. As a Supported Employment Specialist, you will have the opportunity to provide individualized career planning, connect clients with competitive and integrated employment, develop partnerships with local employers, deliver job-retention support, and become a knowledgeable resource on the Springfield labor market. Join a compassionate, collaborative team committed to treating every client, employer, referral source, stakeholder, and team member with dignity and respect.

Successful candidates are resourceful, adaptable, organized, and motivated by helping others reach their employment goals. In this role, you will guide clients through career exploration, job development, placement, accommodations, and ongoing employment support. You will evaluate vocational information, teach job-seeking and retention skills, build productive employer relationships, coordinate with community partners, and provide support at job sites when needed. This community-based position requires extensive local travel and flexibility to respond to client needs, including occasional evening, overnight, or weekend availability.

** This position offers...**
* ** Employee Assistance Program** – 24/7 counseling services, legal assistance, & financial consultation for you and your household at no cost
* ** Mileage Reimbursement** – Company paid for work functions requiring travel
* ** Employee Discounts** – Hotels, Theme Parks & Attractions, College Tuition
* ** Workplace Culture** - An environment cultivating employee wellbeing, valuing each individual's humanity, and actively promoting a healthy, joyful workforce
* ** Additional Perks & Benefits** - Scroll down to bottom of this post to learn more  
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* Key Responsibilities:

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* * Provide individualized career planning, vocational counseling, job placement, and retention services based on each client’s strengths, needs, abilities, preferences, and employment goals.
* Develop relationships with local employers and deliver employer services that create competitive, integrated employment opportunities while addressing recruitment needs.
* Teach and reinforce job-search, interviewing, workplace-readiness, and job-retention skills through interviews, coaching, and community-based activities.
* Review vocational, medical, psychological, and educational information to support informed career planning and employment services.
* Assist clients with benefits planning at the beginning of services, before starting a new job, and when considering changes in work hours or pay.
* Conduct client orientations covering available services, rights, responsibilities, and employment-related disclosure.
* Participate in team and planning meetings that use shared decision-making to support clients’ employment goals.
* Advocate for clients with employers, referral sources, family members, schools, social service agencies, and other community stakeholders.
* Educate employers about the benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities and help facilitate reasonable job accommodations, assistive technology, workplace adaptations, and job carving.
* Promote services and clients professionally through employer outreach, community events, awareness activities, presentations, and public speaking.
* Maintain frequent communication with referral sources to coordinate services for shared clients and identify potential referrals.
* Provide on-site or off-site job coaching and employment support,…