Employment Specialist

Description

Benefits

• Low-cost medical, dental, and vision coverage. Health savings account. 403b retirement plan with employer match (50% match up to 3%).

• Employee Assistance Program for all employees

• 33 paid days off: 11 observed paid holidays, 12 sick days, and 10 vacation days to start. Vacation increases to 12 days after 1 year, 15 days after 2 years, and more at 5 and 9 years of service.

• Sick and vacation time accrue hourly per pay period.

• $50,000 in employer-paid life insurance; additional coverage available.

• Employer contribution to your Health Savings Account (paid quarterly)

• Employee Referral Program including cash bonuses and paid time off

About

Volunteers of America, Utah (VOA Utah) is part of a national, nonprofit, faith-based human services organization. Volunteers of America, Utah provides community-supported paths for those who are vulnerable to improve their lives and increase their self-reliance. In alignment with our mission, we encourage individuals with lived experience to apply. We recognize that a person's life experiences can provide firsthand knowledge relevant to being successful in the work that we do.

Position Summary

Following the IPS (Individual Placement and Support) model, the THRIVE (Transformative Help in Reintegrating Individuals through Vocational Employment) Program assists people with mental and substance use disorders obtain and maintain competitive employment that is consistent with their vocational goals.

Essential Duties

• Knowledge of mental Health conditions, their impact on individuals' ability to work, and the importance of providing appropriate support.
• Familiarity and knowledge of various employment services and resources available in the community, such as job placement agencies, vocational rehabilitation programs, and job training programs. Ability to create new job placement sites by developing partnerships with businesses.
• Create and maintain relationships with businesses. Ability to identify and create job opportunities that match individuals' skills, interests, and abilities. Cold calls, and/or going into businesses to talk to hiring managers about partnering up.
• Assist individuals with mental health conditions in securing and maintaining competitive employment, including resume writing, interview preparation, and job search strategies.
• Provide personalized support to individuals based on their unique needs, including addressing challenges related to mental health symptoms, workplace accommodations, and career advancement.
• Collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams, including mental health professionals, vocational rehabilitation specialists, employers and other stakeholders involved in the individual's employment journey.
• Understand and respect culture backgrounds, values, pronouns, and beliefs of individuals with mental health conditions to provide inclusive and culturally sensitive support.
• Advocate for the rights and needs of individuals with mental health conditions in the workplace, including promoting equal opportunities, reasonable accommodations, and stigma reduction.
• Document and manage data in a timely manner. Maintaining accurate and confidential records or individuals' employment progress, documenting services provided, and collecting data to evaluate program effectiveness.
• Continuous learning mentality. Staying updated on best practices, research, and emerging trends in supported employment and mental health to enhance knowledge and skills. (10 CEU credit training courses a year.)
• Attend work as scheduled and arrive at the designated time.
• Work must be performed on-site due to the need to provide direct client care.

Secondary Duties

• Collaborate with Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors.
• Ability to keep track of your caseload of 20 people; certain paperwork filled out and added to their files.
• Ability to keep track of your time, on time tracker.
• Perform other functions as necessary or assigned.

Requirements

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

High school diploma or equivalent required; Bachelor's degree preferred or 2 years of social services or homelessness-related experience or any combination of education, experience, and training which provides the following knowledge, skills and abilities:

• Experience working with adults with severe mental illness, individuals struggling with substance abuse, criminal records, disabilities and other barriers to employment.
• Experience with case management, employment services and/or job placement, job training and life skills training.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills and counseling skills.
• Ability to engage outside of the office to create and maintain relationships with community employers.
• Ability to motivate clients and advocate for them with team members and employers.
• Outgoing, optimistic, and energetic personality as well as high empathy and compassion.
• Able to work independently and as part of a team.
• Computer skills including Microsoft office.
• Access to reliable transportation and the ability to walk up and down stairs.
• Ability to uphold professional boundaries, confidentiality regulations, agency policies and procedures, and interact in a professional manner with a diverse workforce, clients, and the public.
• Willingness to accept supervision and direction.
• Driving is required: must be at least 21 years of age, possess a current driver's license, have a good driving record, and be insurable on the agency liability policy.
• Must be able to pass Utah-DHHS - Office of Licensing background screening and pre-employment drug screen.

Physical Demands

• Ability to lift and carry 25 lbs.
• Ability to move around the facility, interacting with clients for extended periods.
• Work is generally performed in the community or in an office environment for meetings with clients and for staff meetings. May entail using a computer for extended periods of time.