Goodwill Industries of Northeast Indiana, Inc.
Employment Specialist
13 days ago
Fort Wayne
Job DescriptionDescription: Goodwill Industries of Northeast Indiana, Inc. is hiring a full-time Employment Specialist to provide employment services to clients in Northeast Indiana! ABOUT GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF NORTHEAST INDIANA, INC. Founded in Boston, MA in 1902 by Reverend Edgar J Helms, Goodwill has been providing opportunities for men and women across America and around the world ever since. The Fort Wayne Goodwill can trace its roots back to 1936 when Reverend Helms proposed a federation of Goodwill Industries across northern Indiana. Today, we continue to flourish as we serve 9 county area in Northeast Indiana. As a 501c3 nonprofit organization, our mission is to create opportunities for people to achieve economic stability and build strong communities by offering job training, employment services, and other community-based programs. We support this mission through the eco-friendly collection and sale of donated goods. National watchdog groups and publications consistently give us high ratings for our prudent and innovative use of funds. Every job in our organization contributes to our vocational training and employment programs. In order to hire and retain employees who believe in our mission, we offer competitive wages, great full-time benefits including medical, vision, dental, a 401(k) plan, life insurance, an employee assistance plan (EAP), holiday pay, paid time off (PTO), and store discounts. A DAY IN THE LIFE AS AN EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST This is what our organization is all about! As an Employment Specialist, you are helping people with disabilities or other employment barriers achieve their goal of gaining employment. You will guide your client through a discovery process to create and implement an individualized plan for employment based on the clients interests, skills, availability, needs, etc. At the same time, you are building relationships with area employers to research job opportunities and market our placement programs and services. Once the client is in his/her new job, you could provide job support services as needed. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS • Denotes Core Competency, • Researches and targets local businesses for job opportunities for clients as defined in the Individualized Plan for Employment.*, • Markets placement programs and services to targeted businesses through the use of direct mailings/emails, personal/phone presentations, relationship building and networking.*, • Obtains job orders from local businesses identifying the essential job functions, required qualifications, salary range, benefits, and environmental conditions of open positions., • Matches clients to job openings that are commensurate with their skills, abilities, interests and needs., • Provides discovery activities to assist clients in determining appropriate vocational goals, including vocational testing, job shadows, informational interviews and situational assessments. Creates and maintains the client Discovery Profile.*, • Develops work experience sites for individuals to help determine vocational interest., • Instructs individuals with pre-employment training and services such as career exploration, job seeking skills, interviewing, self advocacy and dealing with disclosure., • Provides other Job Readiness Training services tailored to help individuals overcome barriers to employment as requested by referral sources., • Provides job placement related services as defined in the Individualized Plan for Employment., • Schedules and follows up on all interviews and employer contacts., • Works closely with the client and the employment site to recommend and implement reasonable accommodations.*, • Provides referral services and advocacy support to clients when needed and as approipriate.*, • Responsible to meet established job placement goals and other benchmarks., • Schedules and conducts case conference reviewing client progress towards goals.*, • Interacts cooperatively and professionally with other Employment Services Staff members, clients, and from referring agencies.*, • Completes all required reports, paperwork, and billing, thoroughly, accurately, and .in a timely manner., • Assists in maintaining billing authorizations for assigned clients during the job development phase., • Serves as back-up during absences of other Employment Specialists., • Serves as emergency back-up for the Job Support Specialists., • Follows all safety rules and practices., • Complies with all policies, procedures, goals, and objectives of Goodwill Industries and the Employment Services Department, • Participates in Worker of the Day to answer customer inquiry calls., • Maintains reliable mode of transportation to conduct and coordinate job development contacts with clients, businesses and referral sources., • Performs all other duties as may be assigned by the CMO & VP of Workforce Development in the process of carrying out the mission of Goodwill Industries., • Provides departmental expertise and guidance regarding social security benefits and programs affecting the employment of clients. NON-ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS • Participates in case record review functions, • Provides transportation assistance to clients, when needed, for job placement related activities. ATTENDANCE As a corporate non-exempt employee Goodwill depends on you to be at work as scheduled. Some flexibility is needed. JOB PERFORMANCE Reviewed upon initial hire at 30, 60 and 90 days, and annually thereafter, by the CMO & VP of Workforce Development SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES None EDUCATION • Bachelor’s degree and one year related experience ((staffing, recruiting, job placement services preferred). EXPERIENCE Three years related experience (staffing, recruiting, job placement services Preferred); One year if substituting Bachelor’s Degree) KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/COMPETENCIES • Must demonstrate excellent interviewing and report writing skills., • Must have the ability to respond immediately to crisis situations., • Ability to obtain CPR/first aid certificates., • Must be creative, resourceful, and be able to organize and follow-through on responsibilities without close supervision., • Ability to work within the team concept., • Excellent written communication, verbal communication, and interpersonal skills., • Ability to attend meetings held at business sites located in Northeast Indiana., • Must be willing to attend and successfully complete Employment Specialist Training and become BIN (Benefit Information Network) certified. Training provided by Indiana University’s Indiana Institute on Disability and Community., • Must be able to meet with persons served at locations outside of the normal place of business and outside of normal business hours, as appropriate., • Must maintain reliable mode of transportation to conduct and coordinate job development contacts with clients, businesses and referral sources. CREDENTIALS/LICENSES/SCREENING REQUIREMENTS • Must provide proof of insurance for personal vehicle at approved levels (100/300.000 liability; 50,000 property damage.), • Must have suitable driving record and be insurable by Goodwill Industries insurance carrier., • Subject to random alcohol and drug testing as specified in the Drug Free Workplace Program., • Fully comply with Goodwill policy regarding values and ethical behavior with special emphasis on the Code of Ethics. COMMUNITY INTERACTION Contact with clients, employers, co-workers, funding sources. EQUIPMENT • Computer, • Telephone, • Fax, • Copier/Scanner COMPLEXITY Work that requires listening skills, planning, and ability to problem solve. Employee will make major decisions that could affect the delivery of service, CONFIDENTIALITY Confidential information involved. WORKING CONDITIONS Physical Activities: • Substantial: vision, hearing, grasping, repetitive motions, • Considerable: reaching, • Moderate: walking, carrying, • Occasional: pushing, pulling, lifting Other Activities: The time spent traveling on agency business is; Frequent. Physical Requirements: Light work: Sitting; walking, carrying; lifting Environmental Conditions: The worker is subject to mostly indoor environmental conditions. CODE OF ETHICS All employees are responsible for being knowledgeable about Goodwill’s code of ethics and respective policies and procedures, and for conducting themselves accordingly. Ethical conduct is expected at all times in all matters, whether or not a particular issue is specifically addressed in agency policies or procedures. Employees are expected to bring any questions about whether or not a specific situation presents a potential conflict with this policy to the attention of their manager. EEO CLAUSE It is the Agency's policy to afford equal opportunity to all regardless of disability, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, veteran status, or any other class protected by law, and to provide a work environment free of bias based on such categories. Any and all employment decisions will be administered in a non-discriminatory manner. SAFETY STANDARDS All employees are responsible for adhering to all published safety policies as well as the implementation of specific standards that may be assigned. Employees are expected to report unsafe conditions and unsafe acts. Supervisors are responsible for safety issues in assigned areas — ensure that all employees are informed and adhere to all safety policies/issues, use proper reporting mechanisms for dealing with safety hazards or incidents, and personally adhere to safety rules. HARASSMENT All employees are responsible for avoiding offensive or inappropriate behavior at work and are responsible for assuring the workplace is free from any type of harassment at all times. Employees are expected to be familiar with and follow all published procedures, including reporting incidences and cooperating with investigations. Requirements: