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Employment Specialist III

Central City Concern
dental insurance, paid time off, short term disability, long term disability, 403(b)
United States, Oregon, Portland
Jan 16, 2025
Description

Central City Concern is an innovative nonprofit agency providing comprehensive services to single adults and families in the Portland metro area who are impacted by homelessness, poverty and addictions. We hire people that are skilled and passionate to meet our mission to end homelessness through outcome-based strategies which support personal and community transformation.

Central City Concerns (CCC), Employment Access Center (EAC) has provided employment services and workforce development programs for low-income individuals since 1992, targeted to the highly challenged homeless population of downtown Portland, for close to 30 years.

The Employment Specialist III is responsible for supporting clients in all areas of their employment journey, including career exploration, employment preparation, assistance with finding employment, and job retention. This position focuses primarily on supporting clients in their employment goals through industry specific education, training, and employment pathways. Individuals in this role will develop a deep understanding of the industry their program focuses on through the development of relationships with training partners, industry liaisons, and employers. They will provide upfront and long-term support to their clients to demonstrate professional growth through employment in response to the work experience, education and/or skills training gained.

We are currently hiring for 2 opportunities. One focused on referrals for participants interested in training and careers in Clean Energy. The other is intended to increase diversity and equity in the construction workforce and contracting; enrolling individuals into Educational, Pre-Apprenticeship programs and Construction jobs.

Location: Employment Access Center (2, NW 2nd Ave. Portland, OR, 97209)

Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm

Compensation: starting at $28.71 per hour

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS



  • High school diploma or GED and three years of experience in workforce development, social services, job placement, job coaching, employment and training, or related field required (a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field may substitute for one year of this required experience); OR two years of experience as an Employment Specialist at CCC required.
  • Must embrace the mission and philosophy of recovery and client-centered treatment.
  • Proficient with EOP/ Itrac, Apricot, and Microsoft Office Suite.
  • Knowledge of area employers, housing resources, training providers, human service agencies, and community groups.
  • Must be able to perform intra-city travel.
  • Must pass a pre-employment drug screen, TB test, and background check.

    • This includes clearance by the DHS Background Check if working in FAN, Blackburn, or OTRC Programs.


  • Work on this specific contract prohibits convictions of child or elderly abuse, offenses against persons, sexual crimes, or child neglect.
  • Ability to adhere to Central City Concern's drug-free workplace, which encourages a safe, healthy, and productive work environment and strictly complies with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988. An employee shall not, in the workplace, unlawfully manufacture, distribute, dispense, possess, or use a controlled substance or alcohol.
  • May be required to carry an agency cell phone for work use. A cell phone will be provided by Central City Concern.
  • Must adhere to the agency's non-discrimination policies.
  • Ability to effectively interact with co-workers and clients with diverse ethnic backgrounds, religious views, cultural backgrounds, lifestyles, and sexual orientations, and treat everyone with respect and dignity.


PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS



  • Peer Support Specialist Certification
  • Experience working with homeless and/or recovering chemically dependent individuals is strongly preferred.
  • Bachelor's degree
  • Valid driver's license preferred. If required to drive, pass a DMV background check, and be designated an "acceptable" driver as outlined in Central City Concern's Fleet Safety Policy. If required to drive, pass an initial driver's training within 60 days of being approved and continue recertification training.


RESPONSIBILITIES



  • Perform outreach activities for received referrals and individuals in the community to find clients who would benefit from program services.
  • Complete program specific screening and orientation activities with prospective clients that provide them with details about the industry specific training and employment opportunities the program offers that help gauge an individual's fit for the program.
  • Increase and/or develop a deep understanding of the assigned program-specific industry, including local education, training, and apprenticeship programs that support the industry as well as area employers within it.
  • Develop relationships with key industry stakeholders in the community to aid in the services provided to clients in the program. This will include training, education, and apprenticeship program partners, industry liaisons, and local employers.
  • Create regular program reports required by CCC and funders using data collected by the program, client success stories, and other details as needed.
  • Provide employment services aligned with CCC and contractually required program standards. This work includes, but is not limited to, development of a comprehensive case plan that identifies employment and training goals, monitoring client progress towards said goals, and provision of services that support their plan.
  • Maintain high-quality documentation within CCC's Apricot Case Management system and other systems as required by funders such as iTrac and iMatchSkills. This includes ensuring all contractually and operationally required data is collected, services provided are tracked, and required documents are collected and stored properly.
  • Carefully monitor services obtained, financial support, and employment status for clients on their caseload, including provision of long term follow up and retention services.
  • Work with clients to complete Career Maps and provide client assessments to determine skills and abilities.
  • Check the eligibility of clients for access and/or enrollment into appropriate programs and services available in the community that support their employment goals. This includes collaborating with resource agencies by making referrals and providing interventions to remove barriers to employment, including housing, mental health, drug and alcohol abuse, and emergency services.
  • Support client exploration and enrollment into educational and occupational skills training opportunities available to them. This could include opportunities through colleges, certification programs, and pre-apprenticeships programs.
  • Assist clients with the requirements of applying and interviewing for jobs, including building cover letters and resumes and assisting with practice interviews.
  • Match job-seeking clients and employers using various professional job placement skills.
  • Work with internal service providers to ensure coordinated and streamlined services. This includes but is not limited to CCC Supportive Housing and Social Enterprises teams.
  • Provide ongoing individual support and encouragement to clients.
  • Meet contractual goals for clients served and other key performance metrics.
  • Attend all required meetings and training offered by program funders and community partners to ensure alignment with the regional industry and workforce strategy planning.
  • Attend all required internal CCC meetings and trainings.
  • May assist clients with housing through referrals to housing resources and supporting housing retention with employment services.
  • Synthesize information from diverse sources and act on information appropriately for each client and program.
  • Participate in compliance, quality assurance, and quality improvement activities as directed.
  • Adheres to all CCC policies, procedures, and guidelines.
  • Adheres to all state and federal privacy regulations, including HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2, and to CCC policies and agreements regarding confidentiality, privacy, and security. Support compliance with all privacy and security requirements pursuant to community partners' and outside providers' patient confidentiality agreements, including privacy and security requirements for EMR access. This includes immediately reporting any breach of protected health information or personal identification information of any person receiving CCC services by CCC or an outside provider to the CCC Compliance Department, as well as to your supervisor or their designee.
  • Performs related duties as assigned within the scope of the role.


ABILITIES



  • Ability to develop and carry out individualized employment, training, and retention plans.
  • Ability to maintain accurate records and necessary paperwork.
  • Strong time management, follow-through, and organization skills in a fast-paced environment.
  • Ability to successfully interact and communicate clearly with a wide variety of people, including clients, employers, partnering agencies, and co-workers.
  • Ability to be creative, innovative, and a progressive problem solver.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of issues related to individuals with multiple barriers to employment.
  • Ability to provide de-escalation tactics in a trauma-informed way.
  • Ability to display a non-judgmental attitude and a willingness to learn new skills.
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team.
  • Knowledge of and ability to maintain professional boundaries.
  • Experience facilitating training, groups, and workshops.
  • Demonstrated expertise in assisting individuals to develop employment, training, and supportive services plans and providing ongoing support as they work to achieve goals.


BENEFITS: Central City Concern offers an incredible benefits package to our Regular/FT employees



  • Generous paid time off plan which provides up to 4 weeks of PTO accrual in the first year. Accrual increases with longevity.
  • Amazing 403(b) Retirement Savings plan with competitive employer match with 4.25% in the first year, 6% in the second year, and 8% in the 3rd year.
  • 11 recognized Holidays + 2 Personal Holidays
  • Comprehensive Medical, Vision, and Dental insurance coverage.
  • Employer Paid Life, Short Term Disability, AND Long Term Disability Insurance!
  • Excellent relocation package for those roles that qualify.
  • Sabbatical Program offering extended time off at years 7, 14, and 21.


This description is intended to provide a snapshot of the work performed and is not designed to contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of the position.

As an agency deeply rooted in recovery, part of our policy and commitment to a drug and alcohol-free workplace includes post-offer, pre-employment drug screens. Please note we follow Federal Guidelines regarding prohibited substances, even for those legal at the state level.

Central City Concern is a second chance employer and complies with applicable laws regarding consideration of criminal background for employment purposes. Government regulations, contractual requirements, or the duties of this job may require CCC to conduct a background check and take appropriate action to address prior criminal convictions.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)
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