Vocational Specialist

Skookum•Bremerton, WA

9d•$26 - $34•Hybrid

About The Position

Join Tessera and make a difference. Tessera is a national leader in creating meaningful employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities and veterans. We are a dynamic and growing organization of social entrepreneurs dedicated to building strong communities and delivering exceptional service. About Tessera: A recognized leader in inclusive employment and workforce development. A mission-driven team of innovative and passionate professionals. Operating self-sustaining businesses across 15 states and the District of Columbia, with a workforce of more than 2,000 employees. Committed to providing outstanding customer experiences across all service lines. Focused on supporting employee growth through robust training, development, and support programs. Our Bremerton, Washington Home Office supports nationwide operations with a highly skilled and motivated team specializing in finance, human resources, vocational and workforce development, information systems, strategy, business development, communications, marketing, quality, safety, learning, and more.

Requirements

At least a year of previous Vocational Support experience is required
CPR and First Aid required within the first six months of employment
A valid state driver’s license is required with the ability to obtain and maintain coverage by Tessera’s insurance.
Access to a federal military installation requires a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or an acceptable alternative, such as a U.S. passport or military ID, in accordance with the REAL ID Act.
Must be able to obtain and maintain applicable security clearances and installation access.
A background check and E-Verify will be conducted for this position.
Excellent time management, problem-solving, professional writing and oral communication skills.
Self-directed and can work independently.

Nice To Haves

Associate’s Degree in Human Services is preferred
Previous experience in workplace accommodations and community support services is preferred

Responsibilities

Meet with every AbilityOne-qualified employee throughout their Tessera life cycle to ensure they are thriving and productive members of our workforce.
Assist with obtaining disability documentation during recruiting.
Partner with their supervisor to develop an effective accommodation plan.
Conduct frequent check-ins during their probationary period and scheduled check-ins each year.
Assist with identifying and implementing safety considerations.
Connect employees to Tessera Career Advisors and resources for their career aspirations.
Ensure compliance with AbilityOne and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) documentation requirements.
Travel to supported Tessera worksites for approximately two weeks each quarter, or more frequently as business needs require, to provide direct vocational support, training, consultation, employee engagement, and operational partnership.
Promote the Tessera purpose and educate supervisors, managers, and employees on disability awareness and the requirements of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) for Tessera workplaces.
Work as a member of a diverse Cross Functional Team consisting of professionals dedicated to servicing a large and diverse number of Tessera sites.
Develop collaborative relationships with Tessera site management and supervisors to support all Tessera employees of all abilities.
Ensure job accommodations for employees are effective and that federal AbilityOne reporting is accurate through monthly meetings with site management and supervisors.
Support the Regional Vice President (RVP), Recruiters, Human Resource (HR) Partners, functional Vocational leadership, and site managers in maintaining the AbilityOne disability ratio.
Manage a caseload of approximately 70-100 Tessera employees with a wide variety of disabilities, ensuring they are provided job customization and individualization as well as the most appropriate accommodations to allow them to perform their work successfully and safely.
Provide job coaching as needed for employees to learn job tasks/functions.
Partner with Tessera’s Career Advisors to ensure career conversations and support are creating opportunities for upward mobility within Tessera and outward mobility beyond Tessera, depending on employee career aspirations.
Work with site leadership, safety personnel and Tessera’s Workers’ Comp team to ensure that employees returning to work after an injury are provided with any additional accommodations as deemed necessary by medical personnel.
Review and assess disability documentation for applicants and current employees to ensure they qualify under the AbilityOne program.
Make phone calls to physicians, mental health providers, state Voc Rehab agencies, and Veterans Affairs offices to assist applicants and employees with obtaining qualifying AbilityOne documentation.
Upload data into the Source America portal on a timely basis, typically two weeks before the stipulated federal deadlines.
Assist with crisis intervention, suicide prevention, and suicide safety planning to support employees who are struggling or in crises.
Assist employees with paperwork, including benefits enrollment and accessing their information within the Workday system.
Assist employees in applying for internal positions within Tessera.
Connect employees with internal resources such as HR, Career Advisor, CES, Benefits, Security, etc.
Perform check-ins with all employees on caseload during their first 30/60/90 days of employment and minimum of twice annually thereafter, documenting these check-ins with case notes in Workday, Tessera’s HRIS.
Discuss safety considerations and career mobility in all check-ins.
Oversee, respond, and follow up on accommodation requests in a timely manner, including providing employees with ADA packets when accommodations require additional documentation from provider.
Assist managers and supervisors with determining if limitations can be accommodated upon receipt of completed ADA packets.
Gather, promote, and coordinate Veteran resources to ensure Tessera employees are supported.
Assist in the development and support of innovative job positions.
Establish relationships with local nonprofits or government organizations to assist recruiters in finding applicants.
Collaborate with Job Coaches from external agencies.
Support and occasionally attend recruiting functions to assist the cross-functional team members in networking with local employment vendors.
Act as an advocate, participant and/or consultant in employee relations matters that are being managed by Tessera’s HR staff.
Maintain and promote collaboration with all employees, departments, and service providers in a team-oriented environment.
Create and present trainings on a quarterly basis to all supported sites, including topics such as Disability Awareness, How to support employees through accommodations, Tessera resources, Overview of ADA federal law, Physical, Mental health and other trainings for specific disabilities.
Maintain knowledge of disability-related topics and trends such as person-centered planning, supported employment, systematic instruction, ADA, suicide prevention, mental health, mandatory reporting, and ability awareness.
Follow Tessera processes for mandatory reporting, ADA, suicide safety planning, etc.
Perform all Other Duties as Assigned.

Benefits

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life & Short-Term Disability Insurance
Elective 401(k) retirement plan with a 3% employer discretionary contribution after 90-days of employment
Flexible Spending Accounts for both medical and dependent care
11 paid federal holidays
Accrual of 12 paid days of vacation
Paid sick leave
Potential shared earning bonus
Tuition assistance is available after 1 year of employment
Potential scholarships for qualified dependents
Professional development, certifications, and training opportunities
Verizon wireless discount
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Engaging wellness program
Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility for full-time employees