Employment Specialist

Center for Employment Opportunities • Albany, NY

7d • $49,000 - $49,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Job Developer increases the range of employment opportunities available to participants by using their interests, experience, and ambitions to guide job placements and by identifying and cultivating potential employers. The role operates on one of two tracks, depending on site and regional staffing needs. The Account Specialist track focuses on employer cultivation, engagement, and placement support in partnership with dedicated vocational staff. The Full Cycle track combines employer cultivation, engagement, and placement with direct participant case management, owning the relationship from job readiness through placement.

This is an in-person position based at a Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) site, where most participant interactions take place in person. The Job Developer develops and implements local placement strategies, cultivates employer partnerships, supports participant job searches and placements, and documents work in Salesforce. The position is expected to produce five placements monthly and support CEO in meeting participant placement metrics and contractual obligations.

CEO provides employment services to people recently released from incarceration. The organization encourages people with lived experience of incarceration or involvement in the justice system to apply. The role offers a salary of $49,000 and a comprehensive benefits package, including medical and dental coverage, professional development and training, paid parental leave, retirement plan participation, sick and vacation leave, and paid holidays.

Requirements

• At least 2 years of experience in workforce development, recruitment, or sales/account management in a role requiring regular performance goals.
• Networking and relationship-building skills, including cultivating lasting relationships with people and businesses and explaining how CEO’s work can support business strategies and goals.
• Experience using data or market research to guide practice and decision-making.
• Commitment to CEO’s mission and interest in working in a fast-growing, results-oriented nonprofit environment.
• Interest in reentry or criminal justice reform.
• Ability to guide people toward career goals through a balance of accountability and empathy.
• Ability to provide feedback and support that facilitates participant development of knowledge and skills.
• Ability to anticipate problems, evaluate them, and determine and implement solutions.
• Ability to analyze differing viewpoints and data to form context-appropriate perspectives.
• Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills, with the ability to adapt to different personalities and interaction styles.
• Self-motivation, diligence, resilience, stamina, and accountability for deadlines and outcomes.
• Comfort working under pressure and meeting deadlines despite setbacks or opposition.
• Strong organization and time-management skills, ability to manage multiple priorities, and willingness to seek prioritization support when needed.
• Comfort learning new technologies adopted or implemented by an organization.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a strategic plan for local placement services to help meet participant placement metrics.
• Review existing business partnerships, evaluate employer demand and use of CEO services, and identify improvements and opportunities to leverage employer relationships.
• Meet weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual placement goals in line with CEO’s contractual obligations.
• Research prospective employers, conduct outreach, and build relationships with employers whose hiring needs match participants’ skills, experience, and interests.
• Maintain relationships with existing employer partners.
• Schedule and conduct daily prospecting, cold calls, and face-to-face meetings.
• Serve as a liaison among employers, participants, and criminal justice partners.
• Screen and match participants with employment opportunities based on their skills, work experience, interests, goals, and aspirations.
• Customize participants’ resumes for identified opportunities.
• Support and coach participants as they apply for jobs, navigate hiring processes, and find and secure suitable employment.
• Produce five placements monthly.
• On the Account Specialist track, provide placement support in partnership with assigned vocational staff and communicate employer requirements and opportunity details to support participant matching.
• On the Full Cycle track, manage a participant caseload, coach participants through the placement process, and serve as the primary contact for assigned participants.
• Document participant and employer contacts, activities, and outcomes in Salesforce.
• Support the Site Director with administrative and operational duties to ensure smooth site operations.
• Perform other job-related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Benefits

• Medical coverage
• Dental coverage
• Professional development opportunities and training, including regular Motivational Interviewing training
• Paid parental leave
• Participation in a retirement plan
• Sick leave
• Vacation leave
• Paid holidays
• Lunch-and-learns, team outings, holiday gatherings, and other staff activities

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed