Reentry Workforce Consultant - Kalispell

State of Montana•Kalispell, MT

About The Position

Be part of Montana’s movement to rebuild lives and strengthen communities. The Montana Department of Labor and Industry is launching a new Reentry position at the Flathead Valley Reentry Center — a role built to empower individuals returning from incarceration with the tools, connections, and confidence to succeed. You’ll help break down barriers to employment, link people to high-demand industries through the 406 JOBS initiative and spark lasting change. Join a statewide network of local businesses, state partners, and community organizations working together to open doors, restore opportunity, and build a stronger Montana — one career at a time MISSION STATEMENT: Empowering all Montanans through work and opportunity. DLI CORE VALUES: Responsiveness Respect Integrity Excellence Cohesiveness It's about the people and the impact we make in our communities every day. We are proud of our open, team-based, supportive, and collaborative work environments. Learn more about DLI here. Position Overview: As a Reentry Workforce Consultant, you’ll serve as a key connector between individuals, employers, and community partners, helping Montanans rebuild their lives and strengthen their communities. In this role, you’ll coordinate efforts among local businesses, state agencies, and support organizations to provide career readiness, reemployment, and essential services for people transitioning from incarceration back into the Flathead Valley and communities across Montana. Through the 406 JOBS initiative, you’ll help create clear pathways into high-demand industries, expand opportunities, and foster a stronger, more inclusive Montana workforce.

Requirements

Justice System Knowledge: Strong understanding of the criminal justice system, including corrections, probation/parole, reentry housing, and community-based services.
Reentry Best Practices: In-depth knowledge of reentry challenges and best practices related to employment, housing, education, behavioral health, and transportation for individuals returning after incarceration.
Recidivism Strategies: Familiarity with recidivism reduction strategies and the critical role of workforce development in successful reentry.
Program Policy Knowledge: Working knowledge of state and federal programs and policies related to workforce development, vocational rehabilitation, corrections and human services.
Partnership Development: Proven ability to build and maintain effective partnerships with diverse stakeholders, including government agencies, nonprofits, business leaders and community organizations.
Collaboration: Experienced in working within various organizational systems to encourage cooperation and support collaboration across departments and partner agencies.
Effective Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage a wide range of audiences and present clear, evidence-based recommendations.
Program Evaluation: Ability to identify service gaps, design responsive solutions, and evaluate the effectiveness of reentry-related programs and policies.
Public Speaking: Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in public settings by delivering clear, engaging and informative presentations tailored to diverse audiences, including staff, leadership, and external stakeholders. Skilled in developing professional presentation materials that convey complex information in an accessible and visually compelling manner, ensuring audience understanding and engagement.
Experience providing direct employment or workforce support services to those exiting incarceration or other underserved populations, including individualized job placement, job readiness assessments, career planning, and supportive service referrals.
Familiarity with reentry, criminal justice, workforce development, or human service systems, including knowledge of common barriers to employment, housing, education, and community reintegration.
Skill in engaging a wide range of partners—such as employers, social service providers, government agencies, or nonprofit organizations—to connect individuals with training, education, and job opportunities.
Ability to communicate clearly and professionally in writing and public settings, including preparing reports and presentations for participants, partner agencies, and supervisors.
Experience identifying service gaps, collecting participant or program data, and providing feedback or suggestions to management in support of continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

Build strong community connections by leading local outreach and engagement with businesses, prerelease facilities, law enforcement, nonprofits, workforce partners, and Department of Labor & Industry (DLI) program staff to expand career pathways and resource access for returning citizens. As you do this work, you'll strengthen your relationship-building, stakeholder engagement, and coalition-management skills across justice, workforce, and community systems.
Empower employers and job seekers by partnering with local businesses to highlight the value of hiring returning workers as a strategic workforce solution that aligns with Montana's evolving economy. In the process, you'll sharpen your ability to educate employers, address bias, and build business cases for inclusive hiring practices.
Deliver impactful workforce services by providing hands-on support through career coaching, job placement, and transition planning to help individuals prepare for meaningful employment before and after release. This direct service work will deepen your case management, coaching, and career development skills with a highly motivated and resilient population.
Open doors to learning and growth by connecting participants with job training opportunities in skilled trades, apprenticeships, online certifications, education programs, and entrepreneurship initiatives. You'll grow your knowledge of Montana's training landscape and your ability to match individuals with the right pathways based on their interests, strengths, and local labor market needs.
Facilitate work readiness at every step by supporting employment preparation within prerelease facilities to ensure individuals are job-ready upon reentry. This will build your expertise in pre-release programming, job readiness curriculum, and preparing former offenders for successful employment transitions.
Promote long-term stability by coordinating with community partners to assist with housing, transportation, and food security planning that supports successful reintegration. You'll strengthen your cross-sector coordination skills and your understanding of how wraparound supports drive sustainable employment outcomes.
Shape the future of reentry services by offering expert insights and recommendations to agency leadership and partner organizations to continually strengthen reentry strategies and outcomes. Over time, you'll develop your strategic thinking, policy recommendation, and systems-change skills as you influence how Montana serves job seekers including those individuals exiting incarceration.
Drive Montana's workforce vision forward by collaborating with DLI program teams and stakeholders to align local reentry efforts with statewide goals under the 406 JOBS initiative, helping build a stronger, more inclusive Montana workforce. This cross-agency work will expand your understanding of state workforce systems and your ability to integrate local efforts into broader strategic initiatives.

Benefits

Work/life balance with hybrid schedules or partial telework may be available within the state of Montana.
38 paid days off a year including vacation, sick leave and holidays.
Military leave: You’ll get up to 15 days of military leave with full pay.
Longevity raises with continuous service, as well as any negotiated market increases and state statutory raises.
Health, dental, vision, life insurance coverage, flexible spending accounts, EAP
Free telehealth and access to free employee medical clinics through our medical plan
Choice between two retirement plans with an employer contribution between 8.73%25 - 9.07%25 of your annual salary. A third optional 457(b) deferred compensation plan is also available.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness- Employment with the State of Montana may qualify you to receive loan forgiveness
Career progression, training opportunities and room for professional growth.
State employee discounts at various businesses across the state.
This position may be eligible for a statutory $1.00 an hour base pay increase effective on July 1, 2026.
This position may be covered by a Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA)