Youth Service Navigator

Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania and North Central West Virginia is a nonprofit organization that funds job training, education, and other community programs by selling donated clothing and household items in Goodwill stores and online. We offer life-changing work on a mission-minded team. We are 1,000 working as one, and each of us is essential to helping our community thrive. For three years running, Goodwill has been named to Forbes’ list of America’s “Most Inspiring Companies”.

We offer a wide range of career opportunities from entry-level to management in retail, human services, and administrative fields. Learn more about working at Goodwill. You can help. We can show you how.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Youth Service Navigator supports youth and young adults in the YouthWorks programs by helping them access, coordinate, and sustain connections to essential services that promote stability, well-being, and long-term success. This role serves as a consistent point of contact for youth, providing individualized guidance, advocacy, and follow-up as they navigate systems such as education, workforce development, housing and social services.

The Youth Service Navigator builds trusting relationships with young adults, conducts strength-based assessments, and develops individualized service plans aligned with each participant’s goals. Working collaboratively with internal teams and community partners, the Youth Service Navigator reduces barriers to employment, ensures continuity of services, and empowers young adults to develop self-advocacy and life skills. This position plays a critical role in improving outcomes for young adults by ensuring timely access to resources and fostering positive, supportive connections across service systems.

Duties will also include but are not limited to:

• Conduct comprehensive, strength-based assessments to identify participants’ needs, barriers, skills, and goals using in-depth information about their personal, educational, and employment circumstances.


• Provide ongoing case management through regular check-ins, coaching, encouragement, and problem-solving support to promote engagement, persistence, and goal attainment.


• Participate in case reviews, supervision, team meetings, and required trainings to support quality service delivery.


• Initiate, update, and coordinate Service Plans as needed to reflect changes in participant needs, goals, or service engagement.


• Advocate with internal teams and external systems on behalf of participants to address systemic and logistical barriers to services, including eligibility requirements, scheduling conflicts, transportation challenges, and documentation needs.


• Deliver job search, placement, and career development services using labor market information, employer partnerships, and job search technologies (including CareerLink, JumpStart Success (JSS), and supplemental workshops).


• Provide job-specific training, guidance, and support to promote workplace readiness, performance, and safety.


• Represent the program at community meetings, coalitions, and outreach events to promote program visibility and strengthen referral networks.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• High School Diploma AND 4+ years of required experience OR


• Associates degree AND 2+ years of required experience


• Bachelors degree AND  0-1 years of required experience

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE:

• Working with youth and/or young adults, with low-income and at-risk youth, and/or experience with foster care and/or adjudicated youth

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:

• Familiarity with workforce systems (Onet, CWDS and PA CareerLink), youth development, or trauma-informed practice

External Hiring Range:  $20.00-$20.81

 REQUIRED CLEARANCES, LICENSES, AND CERTIFICATIONS:

• Candidates are expected to provide current, valid clearances (Child Abuse Clearance, FBI, and PA PATCH)