Employment Specialist, Homeless Employment Program (Part-Time)
About The Position
The Employment Specialist works with individuals experiencing homelessness to develop job readiness skills, access job search support, connect to education and training opportunities, and secure employment. This role conducts assessments, facilitates job readiness workshops, and supports clients with job retention, wage progression, and financial and time management skills. The Employment Specialist also connects participants to support services to help ensure they have the training, clothing, and tools needed to succeed in the workplace. Additional responsibilities include maintaining accurate client records, tracking progress toward program outcomes, and collaborating with life coaches, employers, and community partners to support client success. Note: This position requires full-time onsite presence. Remote and hybrid work arrangements are not available.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in social services, social work, education, or a related field OR an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience required
- One to two years of experience in areas such as client recruitment, enrollment, career planning, job placement, case management, or program reporting
- Knowledge of case management practices
- Familiarity with King County labor market trends, vocational training programs, and the WorkSource system
- Understanding of issues related to poverty, homelessness, and systems serving low-income communities
- Strong customer service and client engagement skills
- Ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those experiencing homelessness, limited English proficiency, domestic violence, or other employment barriers
- Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook) and online tools such as SharePoint and SurveyMonkey
- Ability to travel independently between multiple work sites within a workday
Responsibilities
- Work with community partners to recruit and screen applicants to determine eligibility for program services
- Identify employment goals and assess clients’ job readiness, occupational training needs, and need for additional community resources, and help develop clear and realistic employment and educational objectives
- Work closely with staff of the YWCA’s Homeless Intervention and Employment & Housing Stability programs, as well as WorkSource Renton and the broader WorkSource system
- Provide clients with support services for work-related needs and/or make referrals to other community agencies to resolve barriers to employment
- Provide individual and group job search preparation and training to explore and develop the habits and attitudes needed to be successful in the workplace
- Coach clients in developing job skills, resumes, cover letters, interview skills, and soft skills, and provide clients with job search and labor market information
- Assist clients with job retention, wage progression, housing stability, and financial literacy goals
- Maintain accurate client files and complete the Self-Sufficiency Calculator with participants
- Complete monthly and quarterly data and narrative reports on program performance and client demographics
- Will require occasional travel to multiple locations, including other offices, college campuses, housing programs, employer locations, and job and resource fairs
- May also assist in the development and delivery of job skills and employability workshops
Benefits
- We offer pro-rated paid sick time, vacation, floating holiday, and all 10 paid holidays.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Part-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Number of Employees
101-250 employees
