Customized Employment Specialist

People and Culture Specialist @ Open Door Group | Master’s Degree

Open Door Group (ODG), a trailblazing non‑profit organization serving communities across Canada, is looking for a Customized Employment Specialist to join our team!

Salary: $31.56 to $33.28 per hour (Grid 34, Health Sciences Association Community Bargaining Agreement)

Status: Full‑Time, Permanent

Hours of Work: 36 Hours per week

Schedule: Flexibility will be required to work evenings or weekends, as required. This position will have flex‐time scheduling. This means that the staff will work 72 hours over a two week period. Employees are expected to provide availability to work evenings or weekends as needed to best meet the needs of their clients.

Location: The primary work location for this position will be the Open Door Group office at 134 East Hastings Street, Vancouver but will have secondary work locations of all Open Door Group sites in the Vancouver area as needed.

The Customized Employment Specialist is dedicated to supporting individuals who face significant challenges entering the traditional workforce. This role focuses on guiding clients with disabilities, complex needs or multiple barriers to successfully access and maintain community‑based employment. By conducting comprehensive Discovery assessments, this role develops and implements individualized employment plans and collaborates with employers to carve or create unique work opportunities customized to a client’s ideal conditions of employment.

The work is delivered in the community using non‑traditional employment approaches.

Customized Employment is an individualized and flexible approach that personalizes the relationship between job seekers and employers to benefit both parties. The Specialist supports clients through completion of the customized employment discovery process by interviewing and observing clients to identify their strengths, interests and employment barriers, obtaining required information from a variety of sources such as families and care providers. Based on the client Discovery and Employment Profile, the Specialist collaborates with employers to carve or create Customized Employment opportunities to align with the client’s ideal conditions of employment or explores Self‑Employment options, where most appropriate, to meet the client’s unique needs and abilities.

Your day will be spent engaging with clients in their community, conducting Discovery Assessments to assess their skills, interests and preferences, collaborating with employers to negotiate job placements, and providing job coaching to clients on worksites.

This role involves working with clients in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES), a community known for its cultural diversity, resilience, and strong sense of activism. Many residents face complex challenges like poverty, homelessness, addiction, and mental health issues. Success in this role requires empathy, flexibility, and a non‑judgmental approach as you support individuals working to overcome personal and systemic barriers. This is meaningful work in a community that is actively striving for social justice, inclusion, and positive change.

Please see the full job description for a detailed description of the responsibilities included in this position. Full posting and job description are available here: https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).-team

Champion of Great Workplaces: ODG proudly holds the title of one of Canada’s Certified Great Places to Work, fostering a culture of compassion and authenticity. Join a team that values your unique contribution and believes in the boundless potential of every individual.

Competitive Compensation and Benefits: As a Certified Living Wage Employer, ODG is committed to offering more than just a job. Enjoy a comprehensive 100% employer‑paid benefits package and enrollment in the Municipal Pension Plan. Your well‑being matters, and we provide an Employee and Family Assistance program to support you. Invest in your future with our professional development fund. Pursue courses, workshops, or certifications to enhance your skills and advance your career.

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