Career Center Consultant - Multiple Limited Period Vacancies

State of Maine•Portland, OR

6d•$21 - $29•Hybrid

About The Position

This position serves as a dedicated case manager on the Competitive Skills Scholarship Program (CSSP) Intake Team. The role involves determining program eligibility, helping participants develop individualized career and training plans, and providing customer-focused career counseling. The consultant will evaluate eligibility under program laws and policies, work with applicants to gather documentation, and guide participants in selecting education and training aligned with their skills, interests, and Maine's workforce needs. Successful candidates will balance customer service with sound judgment, independently evaluate applications, interpret program requirements, and provide career counseling for comprehensive employment and training plans. Attention to detail, strong communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple cases are essential.

Requirements

Ability to interpret and apply statutes, regulations, policies, and procedures with consistency and sound judgment.
Strong career counseling, interviewing, and customer service skills.
Ability to analyze complex information and make accurate eligibility determinations.
Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple cases and competing priorities.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Experience using electronic case management systems and Microsoft Office applications.
Ability to build rapport with participants from diverse backgrounds while maintaining professionalism, confidentiality, and impartiality.
Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively working with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences, effectively communicates and works with coworkers as team members.
Customer/Quality Skills: Anticipates, monitors, and meets the needs of customers and responds to them in an effective, appropriate manner. Demonstrates commitment to identifying customers’ apparent and underlying needs and continually seeks to provide the highest quality service and product to all customers.
Accountability Skills: Holds self accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results. Determines objectives and sets priorities. Accepts responsibility for own actions and decisions. Accountable to own development including learning necessary job knowledge and associated laws, rules, and policies. Identifies and participates in learning opportunities. Complies with established control systems and rules.
Planning/Organization Skills: Organizes work, sets priorities, and determines resource requirements; determines short- or long-term goals for self and strategies to achieve them. Using flexibility and resiliency skills, appropriately and effectively adjusts work, plans and priorities to changing circumstances. Monitors own progress and evaluates outcomes.

Nice To Haves

Excellent communication and customer service skills.
Education or work experience in career guidance and planning or related vocational experience.
Experience in case management.
Experience using virtual communications platforms such as MS Teams and Zoom.
Bilingual or multi-lingual skills in English in addition to any of the following languages: Arabic, French, Khmer, Portuguese, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary case manager for applicants throughout the CSSP eligibility and enrollment process.
Review applications and supporting documentation, interpret program statutes, rules, policies, and procedures, and make independent eligibility determinations.
Communicate with applicants by phone, email, Microsoft Teams, and electronic messaging to explain program requirements, request documentation, answer questions, and communicate eligibility decisions.
Provide individualized career coaching to help participants identify education and training pathways that align with their interests, skills, experience, and career goals.
Develop comprehensive employment and training plans, identify barriers to success, and connect participants with appropriate education providers, supportive services, and community resources.
Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential electronic case records, including case notes, eligibility determinations, correspondence, and other required documentation.
Monitor caseloads and application timelines to ensure timely processing and compliance with program requirements.
Collaborate with CareerCenter staff, education and training providers, and community partners to coordinate services and support participant success.
Utilize electronic case management systems, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, and other technology platforms to effectively manage cases and deliver customer service.
Participate in continuous quality improvement efforts to promote consistent application of CSSP policies and enhance program effectiveness.