Vocational Coach

Eisenhower Center•Ann Arbor, MI

9d•Onsite

About The Position

The Vocational Coach advances Eisenhower Center’s commitment to neurobehavioral rehabilitation by helping residents develop purpose, independence, confidence, functional skills, and meaningful community participation. Using trauma-focused, evidence-based, and person-centered practices, the coach provides individualized vocational assessment, coaching, skill development, productive engagement, and community-based opportunities tailored to each resident’s abilities, interests, behavioral needs, service plan, and personal goals. The role involves building respectful therapeutic relationships, supporting vocational and employment goals, applying behavioral and safety plans, developing workplace and community opportunities, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams, documenting services and outcomes, and protecting resident rights and confidentiality. When assigned to the Manchester program, the coach also supports resident skill-building through gardening, greenhouse activities, animal care, and farm responsibilities. This is an onsite position in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with some travel to Manchester, Michigan. The full-time schedule requires Tuesday–Sunday availability, including at least one weekly shift from 11:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., based on program needs. Hourly pay is $20.00. Benefits begin after 30 days, subject to the terms described in the posting. Offers of employment are contingent on applicable background screens.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Experience or demonstrated ability supporting individuals in behavioral health, rehabilitation, developmental disabilities, autism services, vocational services, human services, or residential care.
Ability to facilitate structured individual and group activities.
Persuasive communication, organization, judgment, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to maintain professional boundaries and confidentiality.
Ability to work independently and effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team.
Ability to safely support residents in facility and community settings.
Valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record when driving is required.
Availability Tuesday–Sunday, including at least one weekly shift from 11:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., based on program needs.
Ability to stand, walk, and move through residential, vocational, clinical, community-based, and outdoor environments for extended periods.
Ability to bend, stoop, reach, and lift or carry materials, supplies, equipment, and gardening or greenhouse items as needed.
Ability to set up, facilitate, and clean up individual and group vocational activities and participate in hands-on vocational tasks.
Ability to monitor resident activities, surroundings, and safety needs and respond promptly to changing needs, behavioral situations, and safety concerns.
Ability to perform duties requiring verbal and written communication, observation, documentation, and interpersonal interaction.
Ability to safely perform assigned duties in community settings and, when applicable, farm, greenhouse, garden, and animal-care environments.
Successful completion of applicable background screens as a condition of employment.

Nice To Haves

College coursework or a degree in human services, psychology, social work, rehabilitation, education, therapeutic recreation, behavioral health, or a related field.
Experience in vocational rehabilitation, supported employment, job coaching, autism or developmental disability services, or neurobehavioral rehabilitation.
Experience with positive behavioral supports and person-centered planning.
For Manchester assignments, experience with gardening, greenhouse programming, agriculture, or animal care.

Responsibilities

Build respectful, therapeutic relationships grounded in dignity, choice, strengths, and resident preferences.
Help residents identify meaningful vocational interests, abilities, and personal goals.
Provide individualized coaching to develop confidence, independence, work readiness, and life skills.
Adapt activities to residents’ cognitive, physical, behavioral, sensory, and communication needs, and promote progress toward independence.
Follow individualized service plans, behavioral protocols, safety plans, and clinical recommendations; use approved positive behavioral supports and de-escalation strategies.
Recognize and communicate changes in resident behavior, motivation, functioning, or vocational participation.
Use vocational engagement to support routine, emotional regulation, confidence, responsibility, and productive behavior.
Develop internal and community-based vocational opportunities and build partnerships with local businesses and community organizations.
Coach residents in workplace expectations, interpersonal skills, punctuality, communication, task completion, problem-solving, and professional behavior.
Provide side-by-side coaching while progressively encouraging resident independence; support vocational exploration, job readiness, employment searches, and productive engagement.
Coordinate vocational goals with the interdisciplinary team and each resident’s individualized plan; share objective observations about strengths, barriers, progress, and support needs.
Participate in care planning, program development, and quality-improvement activities as assigned.
Document vocational services, participation, progress, barriers, and significant observations accurately and on time; maintain accurate records and submit resident payroll information within required timelines.
Protect resident confidentiality and maintain complete, objective, professional records; support measurement of vocational and community participation outcomes.
Protect resident dignity, confidentiality, safety, and rights; follow organizational policies, plans, emergency procedures, transportation requirements, and infection-prevention practices.
Maintain required training and competencies, support regulatory and accreditation readiness, and promptly report safety, rights, abuse/neglect, clinical, or compliance concerns.
Use staff time, transportation, supplies, equipment, and program funds responsibly; maintain accurate payroll and program records and identify efficiency improvements without compromising resident care.
When assigned to Manchester, integrate gardening, greenhouse activities, animal care, and farm responsibilities into structured resident skill-building; support humane animal care and maintain safe, organized environments.
When assigned to Manchester, collaborate with the Day Treatment Program and clinical team to ensure activities align with resident goals and support needs.