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Employment Services Specialist (2 Openings)

Employment and Education Services

At Father Joe’s Villages, Employment and Education Services help individuals build skills, increase income, connect with employment opportunities, and move toward greater stability, dignity, and self-sufficiency. This is meaningful, hands-on work that supports people as they identify goals, overcome barriers, and take practical steps toward long-term success.

Our Employment and Education Services team works alongside individuals experiencing homelessness and other barriers to employment, providing career coaching, workforce navigation, job readiness support, employer connections, and encouragement throughout the employment journey. Through community partnerships and employer engagement, we help create opportunities that strengthen individuals, families, and the broader San Diego community.

Two Opportunities Available

Father Joe’s Villages is hiring two Employment Services Specialists to support participants enrolled in our programs:

• Employment Services Specialist – Provides employment services, career coaching, workforce navigation, and job development support to individuals participating in Father Joe’s Villages programs.
• Employment Services Specialist – Older Adults – Provides employment services, career coaching, workforce navigation, and job development support with a specialized focus on adults age 55 and older participating in Father Joe’s Villages programs.

Both positions work closely with clients, employers, workforce development organizations, and community partners to support successful employment outcomes and greater financial stability. The Older Adults role includes additional focus on the unique employment needs, opportunities, and barriers experienced by older workers.

What Success Looks Like

This is a community-based role that combines individualized employment support, career coaching, workforce navigation, employer engagement, and resource coordination. Successful Employment Services Specialists are approachable, organized, and committed to building trust with individuals who may be navigating homelessness, employment barriers, limited income, changing workforce expectations, disabilities, or other challenges to stability.

Success in these roles means helping clients identify realistic employment goals, build confidence and job readiness skills, connect to meaningful employment opportunities, and access training, supportive services, and community resources. You'll strengthen employer and community partnerships, support positive employment outcomes, and help clients move toward greater financial stability, independence, and long-term wellbeing.

For the Older Adults position, success also includes supporting older workers in navigating workforce transitions, returning to employment, leveraging their experience and strengths, and connecting with employment opportunities aligned with their goals and abilities.

The Role

• Provide individualized employment services, career coaching, and workforce navigation support to program participants
• Support clients in identifying employment goals, building job readiness skills, and addressing barriers to employment
• Develop individualized employment plans based on client strengths, skills, interests, employment goals, and barriers
• Provide job search assistance, resume development, interview preparation, application support, and employment coaching
• Develop and maintain relationships with employers, workforce development agencies, community organizations, and service providers

• Identify job opportunities, coordinate referrals, and support successful employment placements and retention
• Facilitate or support workshops, hiring events, employer outreach activities, and other workforce development initiatives
• Maintain accurate, timely documentation of services, client progress, outcomes, and employer engagement activities
• Collaborate with internal programs and external partners to connect clients to training, supportive services, and employment resources
• Represent Father Joe’s Villages professionally in employer, community, and workforce development settings
• Support program goals by promoting client engagement, job readiness, employment placement, and long-term stability

Additional focus for the Older Adults position:

• Provide services primarily to adults age 55 and older
• Promote the skills, experience, and value of older workers
• Develop employer and community partnerships that expand opportunities for older adults
• Maintain knowledge of workforce trends, employment issues affecting older adults, and aging-services resources
• Support employers in recognizing the value of an experienced workforce and identifying opportunities appropriate for older workers

Desirable Candidate Profile

• Associate degree in Human Services, Social Services, Workforce Development, Vocational Rehabilitation, Business, Education, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience providing employment services, job development, workforce development, career coaching, job placement, vocational services, or related services supporting individuals who face barriers to employment
• Experience working with individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability, individuals with disabilities, or other populations facing barriers to employment preferred
• For the Older Adults position, experience working with older adults is strongly preferred
• Valid California Driver’s License and ability to safely operate a motor vehicle in accordance with organizational requirements
• Bilingual English/Spanish proficiency sufficient to provide employment services, conduct client assessments, facilitate workshops, communicate with employers and community partners, and document services in English and Spanish
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, databases, and other technology used to support employment services, documentation, and program reporting

Key Competencies

• Knowledge of employment services, job development, job placement, workforce development systems, and community employment resources
• Ability to assess employment needs, identify barriers, and develop individualized employment strategies that align client strengths and qualifications with employer needs
• Strong skills in career exploration, job search support, resume development, interviewing preparation, job readiness coaching, and employment-related workshop facilitation
• Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with clients, employers, workforce development agencies, community organizations, and internal partners
• Strong employer engagement skills and ability to communicate client skills, strengths, and qualifications to prospective employers
• Ability to navigate community resources and supportive services that promote employment, income growth, financial stability, and long-term wellbeing
• Organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage an active caseload, maintain multiple employer relationships, document services accurately, and meet program requirements
• Strong verbal and written communication, sound judgment, professional boundaries, confidentiality, and ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team

For the Older Adults position:

• Knowledge of employment needs, opportunities, and barriers affecting older adults
• Understanding of workforce transitions, return-to-work strategies, and employment resources that support older workers

Work Schedule

Both openings are full-time roles that operate in office, classroom, program site, community, and employer environments. Work is generally performed Monday through Friday during standard business hours; however, schedule flexibility may occasionally be required to support hiring events, employer outreach activities, workforce development initiatives, workshops, and community-based services. Regular travel throughout the community is expected.