Employment Specialist

Abode • San Francisco, CA

20d • $29 - $35 • Onsite

About The Position

The Employment Specialist provides worksite placement, case management, employment services, and retention support to program participants. The role also recruits worksites for work-experience placements and employment opportunities.

The specialist serves as the on-site expert in Individual Placement and Support (IPS), an evidence-based practice, and develops supportive employment programs consistent with IPS guidelines. The position champions access to competitive employment for participants who want to work, without excluding them based on readiness, diagnoses, symptoms, substance-use history, psychiatric hospitalizations, homelessness, disability level, or legal-system involvement.

The specialist assesses participants’ skills and helps them build motivation, find work suited to their interests, and improve employment skills. They work with participants and the program team on participant-driven employment goals, job searches, applications, resumes, workplace challenges, self-advocacy, and job retention. The role also helps participants and the clinical team obtain understandable and accurate information about Social Security, Medicaid, and other government entitlements.

The position develops relationships with local employers to create permanent and short-term jobs, paid internships, job-shadowing opportunities, and supportive work environments. It manages employer relationships, promotes participant retention, develops new jobs, and creates promotional materials for potential employers.

This is an onsite position. Hybrid or remote work may be possible with supervisor approval, depending on job responsibilities, location, and employee suitability.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology, human services, social work, sociology, or a related field, or equivalent field experience.
• Two years of experience providing employment and job-development skills to people with disabilities.
• One year of field experience working with people with serious mental illness, individuals with co-occurring disorders, and/or the homeless population.
• Use of a personal vehicle, a valid California driver’s license, current auto insurance, and a clean DMV record.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the on-site expert in Individual Placement and Support (IPS), develop supportive employment programs, and deliver services in accordance with IPS guidelines.
• Promote the belief that participants who want to work can pursue competitive employment without exclusion based on readiness, diagnoses, symptoms, substance-use history, psychiatric hospitalizations, homelessness, disability level, or legal-system involvement.
• Assess participants’ skills, increase motivation to work, and help match participants with satisfying and inspiring jobs.
• Provide employment workshops to help participants increase their skills.
• Assist participants in securing full-time and part-time employment.
• Accompany participants to job fairs and interviews, assist with applications, and help create and revise resumes.
• Work with the team to develop participant-driven employment goals.
• Coach participants through work-related issues, promote self-advocacy, and support job retention.
• Assist participants and the clinical team in obtaining personalized, understandable, and accurate information about Social Security, Medicaid, and other government entitlements.
• Conduct outreach to local employers to develop permanent employment, short-term labor, paid internships, and job-shadowing opportunities.
• Build partnerships with local employers to provide supportive work environments for participants needing more structured employment experiences.
• Manage employer relationships to promote participant retention and create new jobs.
• Create and update promotional materials for potential employers highlighting the benefits of employing participants.
• Develop community job opportunities by building high-level relationships with businesses.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive pay of $28.85–$34.62 per hour.
• 19 days of paid time off per year, increasing with tenure.
• 12 paid holidays per year.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage options for employees at 100% coverage.
• Employer-subsidized dependent health-care options.
• Employee Assistance Program offering legal and financial services.
• Mental health care service through Teledoc.
• Flexible Spending Account options for commuter, health-care, and dependent-care expenses.
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer match and contribution programs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level