Employment Specialist

Servicios de La Raza • Lakewood, CO

6d • $65,000 - $68,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Workforce Development Specialist plays a strategic role in advancing clients’ employment outcomes through individualized planning, job readiness training, and labor market alignment. Operating with a high level of autonomy, the Specialist collaborates with clients to develop comprehensive action plans that promote personal growth and career advancement. This position leads job development initiatives, cultivates employer partnerships, and designs employment-focused curricula tailored to workforce trends and industry needs. The role requires independent judgment, specialized knowledge of workforce systems, and a strong commitment to equitable economic opportunity.

Requirements

• High School diploma or equivalent

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in human services, psychology, social work, public health, or related field.
• Two years' experience in the human services field preferred.
• Bilingual Englis/Spanish prefered

Responsibilities

• Independently assesses client needs, strengths, and systemic barriers to develop and implement individualized, goal-driven action plans that align with organizational objectives for workforce participation and economic self-sufficiency.
• Designs and leads job development strategies, including conducting independent labor market analysis, identifying emerging industry trends, and aligning programmatic offerings with high-demand occupations to enhance organizational impact.
• Manages employer engagement strategy by cultivating high-value partnerships, independently negotiating collaborative agreements, and tailoring workforce solutions to meet employer needs while advancing program goals.
• Develops, implements, and evaluates job readiness training curricula, using adult learning theory, evidence-based practices, and participant outcome data to drive continuous improvement and innovation in service delivery.
• Identifies and implements supportive service interventions that address structural and individual barriers to employment; uses data analysis and stakeholder input to refine service models and recommend policy or procedural improvements.
• Provides strategic consultation to internal teams on employment-related matters, contributing subject matter expertise to cross-functional program development, integrated service delivery, and organizational capacity building.
• Maintains a high level of autonomy in day-to-day decision-making, including adjusting program approaches, prioritizing initiatives, and influencing resource deployment to optimize service outcomes.
• All members of the SDLR workforce are expected to support the agency’s community outreach, civic engagement, and recruitment efforts.
• Support the agency’s fundraising objectives, which may include tasks such as active fundraising, grant development, solicitation of donations, agency ambassadorship, informational outreach, and public speaking.
• Commitment to and experience with equity, cultural relevance, diversity, social justice, and disparity reduction practices with persons of color, agencies of color, and underserved communities.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, co-workers, agency partners, and the public.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• An eager, thriving organization committed to serving with excellence.
• SDLR supports Fair Chance hiring and employment practices.
• Generous benefit package including Health, FSA, Dental, Vision, Short-term Disability, Long-term Disability, Life Insurance, Employee Assistance Program, and Paid Time Off,401K, etc.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED