Employment/Retention Specialist

JOB TITLE: Employment/Retention Specialist

DIVISION: Adult Services

DEPARTMENT: Reentry Program

LOCATION: SEMCA, Highland Park AJC

REPORTS TO: Reentry Program Manager

FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt/Hourly

CLASSIFICATION: Full-Time Regular

APPROVED DATE: 04/03/2024

JOB SUMMARY: Responsible for establishing relationships with employers to develop unsubsidized and subsidized (Temporary Work Experiences) employment opportunities for Wayne County justice involved residents. Responsible for preparing reentry participants for the workforce by identifying and eliminating training and employment barriers, as well as vetting and preparing jobseekers for placement. In addition to its home office, this role also serves participants from other participating AJCs.

1. Serves as the liaison between employers, staff and participants in a regional program supporting the underrepresented population of returning citizens.
2. Collects and maintains employer agreements to become Temporary Work Experience Host Sites.
3. Develops and cultivates employer relationships and promotes the program to local employers in need of permanent and Temporary Work Experience (TWE) candidates or permanent staff.
4. Coordinates with the Career Coaches to determine job match, referral process, TWE opportunities and employment services.
5. Identifies and secures work experience and employment/career opportunities that match the skills and career interests of participants, by conducting employer site visits, using the Internet and social media, networking with community agencies and post-secondary institutions among other related activities.
6. Documents all aspects of subsidized and unsubsidized job opportunities in LaunchPad including employer account creation, job order development, required skills, and creates matches to qualified jobseeker contacts.
7. Secures employment verifications and other necessary documentation to ensure satisfactory placements and inputs data into LaunchPad and OSMIS, as necessary.
8. Develop marketing materials and conduct presentations and recruitment activities inside of Detroit Reentry Center and Lawton Parole Office.
9. Conduct and lead recruitment efforts at multiple DAW Career Center locations as needed to build a pipeline of qualified justice involved candidates to fill open positions.
10. Maintains a current understanding of economic and employment trends and emerging career opportunities for returning citizens.
11. Demonstrates in-depth understanding of the unique challenges and barriers faced by the justice involved residents of the City of Detroit.
12. Exhibits willingness to engage with parole or probation agents, as necessary in order to ensure positive employment outcomes for participants.
13. Participates in scheduled SERCO and DESC hosted employment specialist meetings and trainings.
14. Provide direct coaching and intensive support to jobseekers via in-depth assessments to determine specific barriers to be eliminated to facilitate employment retention.
15. Provide career navigation coordination services consisting of employment retention planning and referrals to community resources and information dissemination to support employed jobseekers to achieve employment stability.
16. Connect jobseekers to education opportunities and other support resources to help maintain and advance employment.
17. Respond diligently and confidentially to address customer crises and retention challenges.
18. Develop and maintain an active and complete network of resources, referrals and training opportunities to assist in removing customer barriers to successful employment retention and career advancement.
19. Keep abreast of related professional employment retention best practices and opportunities.
20. Maintain consistent communication with employers for data gathering, reporting and support.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Bachelor’s degree in a human services, related field or equivalent education and experience in employment and training Programs.
2. One to two years of experience in recruitment, employment, training, marketing or a related field.
3. Interpersonal skills necessary to effectively communicate and build professional relationships with employers and program participants.
4. Familiarity with Human Centered Design principles, including Motivational Interviewing.
5. Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access); Familiarity with Salesforce-like data platforms and the state’s OSMIS system to manage federally funded programs.
6. Computer skills necessary to maintain required documentation and to access information on the Internet.
7. Mental ability to handle pressures related to meeting placement and retention goals and dealing with multiple individuals from diverse backgrounds and varying levels of need.
8. Bilingual language skills are a bonus, but not required.
9. Valid Michigan Driver’s License. Candidate must have a reliable means of transportation to travel to and from employer locations, MDOC correctional facilities, parole office and Detroit at Work Career Centers.
10. Must be willing to work a flexible schedule.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to see, talk and hear. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit for extended periods of time, and have sufficient hand, arm, and finger dexterity to operate a phone, computer keyboard, and other office equipment. Must be able to lift a minimum of 10 pounds.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. -This job operates in a normal school environment with a noise level, which is at times, moderately loud with little discomfort due to noise, dirt, dust and the like. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Equal Opportunity Employer

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by a person assigned to this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties and responsibilities that may be performed by a person so classified. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.