Senior Program Specialist

SUMMARY:

The purpose of this position is to ensure a youth-centered, goal-oriented process that prioritizes the ongoing assessment of youth needs for services to meet educational and employment goals. Career Engagement Specialists / Career Coaches provide case management, motivate participants, coordinate services, and provide information to prepare youth for post-secondary education opportunities, academic and occupational training, and employment opportunities.

Communication skills are critical, as is a self-driven approach to work. Qualified candidates possess the ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds and implement strategies to encourage self-reliance within them. The ability to create & manage documentation within a database is required, as a skill in general report preparation. B.A. or B.S. preferred but not required.

This is an excellent opportunity for anyone looking to gain experience within the non-profit, community service sector with an overall goal of pursuing a career in social work, student counseling, academic advising, teaching or educating, and beyond.

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 essential functions.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS: California Driver's License and proof of auto insurance.

• Knowledge of the local labor market and employer expectations.
• Ability to work effectively with minimal supervision.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in written form.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with employers, members of other agencies, and the general public.
• Skill in public relations and marketing.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and the ability to get along and work effectively with co-workers and members of the public.
• Ability to learn program-specific database technology and promptly enter information into it accurately according to regulations.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Possession of Bachelor's Degree (B.A.) from four-year college or university; or one to two years related experience and/or training or equivalent combination of education and experience AND/OR
• Preferably one-year of experience providing vocational counseling, employment assistance, case management, performing outreach, or marketing a program.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Ability to read and interpret documents.
• Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Ability to speak effectively with groups of customers or employees of the organization.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

• Ability to calculate figures for accounting purposes.
• Ability to calculate hours worked for timekeeping purposes.
• Ability to apply basic bookkeeping and record-keeping principles.

REASONING ABILITY

• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written and oral form.
• Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
• Ability to research solutions and problem solve without direct instruction.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES include the following, but are not limited to:

• Perform an ongoing review of each participant's progress to update and ensure goals are met.
• Provides or assists in access to academic support.
• Ascertains career and employment adjectives to determine if a direct placement or a Work Experience opportunity is needed.
• Educate participants on alternative secondary school offerings or post-secondary education.
• Ensure that education is offered concurrently and in the same context as workforce preparation.
• Encourage leadership development opportunities, including community service and peer-education-centered activities to encourage responsibility and other positive social and civic behaviors.
• Assist participants overcome barriers by providing supportive services or linkages with entities that can provide services while ensuring the timely and proper documentation for these activities.
• Providing adult mentoring both during and following program participation via follow-up services that support successful performance outcomes which are documented through case notes.
• Assisting youth with securing and retaining employment.
• Document and retain indicators of performance accountability.
• Ensure Participants follow and work towards their IEP/ISS.
• Facilitates work readiness skills training to support a positive work ethic and successful job retention by participants based on various topics and skills
• Assist in resume building to aide participants in receiving employment opportunities
• Participate and provide input on monthly, quarterly, and annual performance operation goals and reports.
• Facilitates one-on-one counseling, workshops, and orientations to assist with work
• readiness
• Maintaining linkages with the local education system(s) to provide options for basic skills training and other services to help participants overcome barriers to attaining sustainable employment.
• Prioritize career pathways for those participants seeking employment.
• Perform data entry into the Workforce Investment System and stay appraised of system changes and best practices.
• Document participant's acquisition of skills, knowledge, and experience and verify as necessary.
• Enters advanced individual fund tracking to allocate funds for participant expenses in a timely and correct manner.
• Fulfilling the requirement to facilitate monthly services and activities by developing and utilizing comprehensive strategies to ensure program retention.
• Providing a continuum of services to reflect a progressive sequence of activities allows individuals to experience success and increased responsibility, all of which must be clearly documented in case notes.
• Direct program development and priorities based on an overall goal to ensure all participants receive individualized, comprehensive, and integrated services to provide opportunities, preparation, and support necessary to successfully transition to a sustainable career path or educational focus.
• Ensures a closure is completed when a participant attains their goals, including detailed case notes and a transition plan for follow-up.
• Follow processes to safeguard all personally identifiable information.
• Completes other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: This position reports to the Site Coordinator and does not supervise staff.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. This position is typically situated in a standard office environment resulting in little exposure to the weather and requiring no unusual physical abilities. Positions may be required to sit for lengthy periods of time.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.