Disability Program Navigator

Description

JOB SUMMARY:

This position works with the Ticket to Work program and provides services to persons with disabilities. This position is responsible for ensuring the integrity of the Ticket to Work program service delivery and achievement of all established performance outcomes, as well as enhancing public awareness and community partnership building of the services available through the One-Stop system. This position serves as the contact liaison between outside agencies and the CareerSource Tampa Bay Ticket to Work program and provides effective and well-defined Work Incentives support to all beneficiaries who are interested in working and help them make informed choices about work and earnings while preparing their Benefit Summary and Analysis. The Disability Navigator assists those persons with disabilities on how to navigate the various programs within the system, enter, re-enter, or retain unsubsidized, and competitive employment. This position will be supporting team members and customers in all locations of CareerSource Tampa Bay.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

(The following duty statements are illustrative of the essential functions of the job and do not include non-essential or marginal duties that may be required. CareerSource Tampa Bay reserves the right to modify or change the duties or essential functions of this job at any time).

• Provide outreach information to individuals with disabilities on programs that support successful entry or re-entry into the workforce.
• Enroll and case manage individuals with disabilities in the Ticket to Work Program to meet identified program enrollment goals. Monitor and evaluate the outcomes and impact of the program and identify opportunities for improvement and increased revenue generation.
• Assist program participants with gaining meaningful, self-sufficient employment that decreases their dependency on Social Security benefits by providing job leads, referrals, information on job fairs, etc. 
• Provide referrals for program participants to CSTB WIOA and other special grants training and/or other programs. 
• Enter data in the local management information system and maintain accurate and confidential case files. Conduct presentations to the public on the Ticket-to-Work program, employment services, Social Security incentives, job accommodation, and benefits of employment for persons with disabilities and attend events to promote services to the general public.
• Assist the Workforce Board in developing expertise on state-of-the-art rehabilitation technology and locating resources that facilitate their application in the One-Stop Center(s) and employer workplaces to accommodate diverse functional disabilities.
• Collaborate with the Career Source Tampa Bay (CSTB) Business Services team on developing partnerships with employers to connect program participants with employment opportunities.
• Network and maintain positive working relationships with community-based and faith-based organizations that serve individuals with disabilities.
• Serve as a point of expertise on career services and workforce development programs and services that impact the employment or employability of people with disabilities.
• Ensure and safeguard human and legal rights of consumers, their families, and co-employees always by adhering to company information confidentiality practices at all times.
• Track customer milestones and request payments through the SSA portal to meet CSTB programmatic goals.
• Assist management with Ticket-to-Work technical expertise as needed.
• Coordinate and conduct in-service training and staff development for One-Stop Center staff with respect to the Ticket-to-Work program.
• Responsible for maintaining an accounting system of SSA funds.
• Complete full suitability and core competency requirements as specified by SSA.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS:

Minimum Education and Training 

• Bachelor of Arts/Science degree in human services or social services
• Three (3) years of direct experience in a disability related/social services/job placement/rehabilitation setting Or Combination of five (5) years of education in human services or social services and direct experience in the above fields in lieu of education.
• Community Work Incentives Coordinator (CWIC) Certification preferred.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS:

• Knowledge of a broad range of federal, state, local and private work incentive and other employment support programs
• Knowledge of diverse disabilities
• Extensive knowledge with the disability community in Hillsborough and Pinellas  County
• Extensive knowledge of SSA disability benefits
• Extensive knowledge of workforce development system and job search assistance
• Knowledge of current supported employment techniques and rehabilitation technology
• Ability to deal professionally, courteously, and efficiently with people.
• Ability to complete paperwork in a timely fashion.
• Proficient in the use of computers and computer programs (i.e., excel, Word, databases, Internet, etc.)
• Knowledge of assessment tools and techniques
• Ability to communicate effectively with people of all socioeconomic and situational backgrounds and employers.
• Ability to identify participant needs and appropriate support services.
• Ability to motivate program participants.
• Ability to organize and prioritize work to be performed.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to organize work around broad organizational goals and processes.
• Ability to work in a dynamic environment that requires the incumbent to be sensitive to change and responsive to changing goals, priorities, and needs.
• Ability to perform professional level work dealing with data, people, and technology that relates to technical, scientific, engineering, accounting, legal, or managerial skills.
• Ability to use small office equipment, including copy machines or multi-line telephone systems.
• Ability to use computers for data entry, word processing, and/or accounting purposes.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: 

• Stooping. Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. This factor is important if it occurs to a considerable degree and requires full motion of the lower extremities and back muscles.
• Walking. Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another.
• Talking. Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word. Those activities in which they must convey detailed instructions to other or important spoken workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Hearing. Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discriminations in sound.
• Repetitive motion. Substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.
• Sedentary work. Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.