Under the leadership of the Director of Opportunity Now, the Employment Skills Coach plays a key role in Opportunity Now’s Vocational Rehabilitation services. The Employment Skills Coach will be responsible for determining and addressing employment and personal needs of individuals using assessment, counseling, and other available resources in order to enhance growth and optimal performance. The Employment Skills Coach will support participants in their vocational attainments, introduce them to employment soft-skills, and encourage their career development including assessing skills, developing job search strategies, and providing on-the-job training and support.
- A Bachelor's degree in a human services field, education, or career/employment counseling or a related field.
- At least 2 years of career development, social work, workforce development, or education experience
- Demonstrated ability to perform job duties within the context of complex regulations and definitions and to complete extensive technical documentation
- Ability to work both independently, with considerable selfdirection, and as a contributing member of a team
- Experience working with a variety of populations, including atrisk youth and adults, and individuals with disabilities.
- Knowledge of government support services
- Knowledge of job market trends and employment strategies
- Must have reliable, independent transportation
- Special consideration for qualified American Sign Language (ASL) and/or Braille interpreters
Position offers 30hrs/ per week guaranteed with a possibility of more hours based on client demand.
- Provide support for the participants on the job sites
- Recognize and assist with the job customization
- Assist with developing employment and coaching plans based on clients’ goals and strengths
- Create or tailor a current curriculum to fit the needs of the participants
- Delivering engaging lesson plans focused on work readiness, skills, adapting content to meet the needs of different learners
- Enhance employability and labor productivity with participants
- Offer career exploration guidance to help clients identify suitable career paths based on their interests and skills.
- Submit weekly documentation of participants’ progress, including employment verification
- Establish and maintain safe and engaging learning environments, where participants are provided with a balance of support and structure.
- Monitor barriers to participants' active participation and engagement in the program, including those related to complex issues in their physical or social environment.
- Follow established policies and procedures for maintaining the integrity of the program with quality coaching, ensuring and following safety guidelines, and providing professional behavior management.
- Provide participants with professional oneonone feedback regarding their performance on the job.
- Attend employment meetings as needed with the participants.
- Apply strengthbased approaches with a traumainformed lens to counsel participants in academic, vocational, and employment issues. Mediate, problemsolve, and coordinate individual services for participants to help them overcome employment barriers.
- Monitor participants on the job and provide coaching and feedback to address both satisfactory and unsatisfactory performance issues.
- Develop and maintain relationships with employers
- Must be responsive to all forms of communications
- Ability to work with and be sensitive to a diverse cultural, ethnic, and racial population
- Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with individuals from a wide range of professional and cultural backgrounds
- Willingness to comply with the established company performance standards, which may include: productivity/personal responsibility, client/customer service orientation, embracing a team player orientation, and maintaining a professional demeanor
- Must be flexible and adaptable
- Must be Microsoft Proficient
- Problem Solving Skills
- Ability to motivate and encourage participants
- Interpersonal skills
- Excellent organization and time management skills
- Must be able to sit for extended periods of time
- May need to lift up to 15lbs
- Good vision for working on screens for an extended period of time
- Must maintain focus and concentration for extended periods of time
- Must demonstrate understanding and adaptability when working with people with different hygiene standards.
- Mental abilities needed include learning, remembering, focusing, categorizing, and integrating information for decision making, problemsolving, and comprehending.
