Employment Specialist, (1191)

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW: At Catholic Charities of the  Archdiocese of Washington, your knowledge and service in areas such as  immigrants and refugees, mental health, social work, employment and  adult education, legal and financial services, health care, food  assistance, shelter and housing, developmental disabilities and prison  outreach can make a profound difference in the lives of many. Through  more than 50 programs across the district and five surrounding counties,  Catholic Charities is opening doors to help and hope. At CCADW, we  continue to build an inclusive culture that celebrates a diverse  workforce. We offer so much more than just a job. We offer careers. We  take pride in our “promote from within” culture. We offer professional  development, a comprehensive benefits package, and a passion for  building and motivating world class, high performing teams. Explore your  career opportunity with Catholic Charities. Join us in Inspiring Hope  and Building Futures. 

JOB SUMMARY:  The Employment Specialist provides case management and employment training related services to program participants in the Prince George’s County community. This includes, but is not limited to, assisting program participants to identify 

barriers to employment, identifying and securing services to reduce barriers, meeting emergency needs, job development and placement, job coaching as needed, and providing on-the-job supports. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Implements job related curriculums for adults with developmental disabilities and other significant barriers to employment that focuses on work related skills and other “soft skills training” such as resume writing, interviewing skills, interpersonal communication, etc. 
• Provides case management/wrap around support services to program participants with consistent and timely follow-up to identify barriers and challenges, and to assist them in the accomplishment of identified goals. 
• Assists consumers, in conjunction with other program staff and the referring agency, to acquire appropriate documentation/ identification for employment and assist with travel needs of consumers to interviews, training sites, emergency needs, as required and necessary.
• Identifies and develops potential internships, training and employment opportunities for participants with employers (this is geared toward specific vocational areas of interest), corporations, and other appropriate agencies, to foster community inclusion and integration through on-the-job training. 
• Works closely with consumers, staff, and other partners to develop jobs through various methods such as conducting online job searches, setting up job interviews, accessing One Stop Systems, cold calling, accessing other available community-based job banks.
• Maintains established collaborative relationships and communication with other project staff, referring agencies, family members, and other support persons, to ensure consumers’ needs are addressed to support their accomplishments of vocational/personal outcomes. 
• Provides on the job support and follow-up activities in a timely, consistent manner to support successful employment outcomes for the program consumers.
• Conducts situational assessments and evaluations of program participants’ work adjustment and on-the-job training.
• Completes monthly and quarterly progress reports of program participants’ program participation.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned. 

EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE: 

• High school diploma or equivalent. 
• Two years of work experience specific to developmental disabilities, with one year preferably in employment services.
•  Case management experience desired. 

SKILLS and COMPETENCIES: 

• Possess a valid, local driver’s license and maintain a clean driving record.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in the English language. 
• Ability to work autonomously, flexible hours, and strong problem-solving skills are necessary for successfully accomplishing program outcomes. 
• Knowledge of MS Office software package and web browsing.

Work Schedule:  Monday - Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm