Employment Specialist I

POSITION TITLE: Employment Specialist I

POSITION TYPE: Full-time (40 hours); non-exempt

PAY RANGE: $27-$30 Hourly

REPORTS TO: Workforce & Training Manager

HOURS:

• Hours: 9 am - 5 pm
• Days: Monday to Friday
• Hybrid remote work flexibility, expected to work a minimum of 2 days a week at MHASF office in San Francisco

BENEFITS:

• 100% Employer Paid Medical: Kaiser HMO or Blue Shield PPO
• 100% Dental, vision, life & long-term disability coverage; EAP
• Over 30+ days of PTO, including 10 vacation days (baseline), sick days, personal days, and major holidays
• Health and Dependent Care FSA, Commuter Check, and 403(b) options available
• Ongoing access to MHASF continuing education and skill-building workshops- all training time paid
• Excellent opportunity for advancement-over 70% of our staff have been promoted internally at least once

ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF SAN FRANCISCO (MHASF)

MHASF is a mental health peer-run nonprofit located in downtown San Francisco and has been serving people and agencies across the Bay Area since 1947. As mental health consumers, we center the lived expertise of people with mental health challenges in our advocacy, education, and support programs. We believe that dignity and recovery in mental health are something everyone can experience. Our staff is dedicated to creating spaces for learning and healing around stigmatized and under-resourced areas in mental health-hoarding and cluttering behavior; post-hospitalization peer support; mental health and nutrition; peer mental health workforce development; and much more.

OVERVIEW OF POSITION

PROPEL is a dynamic workforce development division of MHASF, driven by innovation and a commitment to inclusivity. Our mission is to empower individuals with lived experience by providing support, training, and placement in peer-supportive services. We achieve this by engaging in recruitment and outreach, career counseling, training, placement, and support activities, prioritizing peer personnel employment.

As an Employment Specialist I (ES) with the PROPEL program at MHASF, you will play a vital role in delivering Supported Employment (SE) services, helping participants achieve and sustain employment that aligns with their vocational goals and supports their recovery journey. Our ES team implements SE evidence-based practices to secure meaningful employment for those facing mental health challenges and substance use challenges. We believe in the potential for competitive employment when a participant is motivated to work, regardless of their readiness, mental health diagnoses, symptoms, history of substance use challenges, psychiatric conditions, history of being unhoused, level of disability, or involvement with the legal system. Our team members interface with business communities and community-based organizations to cultivate relationships that benefit PROPEL participants. The ideal candidate will thrive in a startup-like environment, embracing change and growth, while being highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of working independently and collaboratively within a team.

TOP 3 RESPONSIBILITIES

• Engages participants by establishing trusting, collaborative relationships, demonstrating empathy, and fostering an inclusive environment directed toward the goal of competitive employment in supportive and integrated job settings.
• Evaluates participants' vocational experience, abilities, and personal values to align job opportunities with their interests and the mission of peer support.
• Supports participants in career development and job search activities by providing personalized guidance and resources, maintaining professional boundaries, and respecting diverse perspectives to ensure placements are consistent with participants' needs and goals.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Use evidence-based supported employment practices to help peers with lived experience find and sustain meaningful employment, including usage:
  • Supported Employment Practices (SE)
  • Individualized Career Plan (ICP)
• Work with participants to create contemporary resumes' and/or cover letters, including in last-minute and/or ad hoc situations.
• Ability to utilize Salesforce and maintain Salesforce databases to track client interactions, job placements, and employment outcomes.
• Regularly update job postings and content on job portals to ensure accuracy and relevance, while tracking user engagement and make data-driven improvements.
• Provide ongoing and post-placement support to actively working participants and those with ongoing employment challenges.
• Ability to engage and relate positively with employers in the mental health services community.
• Knowledge of reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities.
• Daily use of all technology tools required to support documenting PROPEL's participant interactions.
• Support a caseload of 25+ participants.
• Assist in the department's goal of achieving established OKRs and KPIs.
• Work collaboratively with the PROPEL team and agency in support of PROPEL participants.
• Ability to work in a supportive environment with a high level of accountability.
• Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability to accommodate changes and growth within the program, embracing a dynamic, startup-like environment.

As job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, the above list of responsibilities is intended to provide a general overview of duties to be assigned and in no way is a comprehensive list of position duties and responsibilities.

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS

• Commitment to upholding the mission and values of MHASF.
• Lived experience, familiarity with the recovery movement, i.e., Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist, SB803, and knowledge of the peer support model and peer advocacy required.
• Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist certification is highly desirable and required during the first year of employment.
• Experience with evidence-based Supported Employment practices and Individual Career Plan development is desirable.
• Working knowledge of various occupations and jobs in the mental health services sector.
• Staffing, personnel management, and/or vocational services experience desirable.
• Familiarity with social benefits (SSI, SSDI, GA, DOR, WOTC, etc.) and how gainful employment may affect a participant are highly desirable.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; the ability to organize and present complex information clearly, accurately, and concisely is required.
• Professional-level computer skills and experience working with modern online collaborative tools such as Microsoft Office 365, SharePoint, Slack, Asana, Adobe, and/or other web-based applications.
• Demonstrated ability to organize, prioritize and coordinate work involving various tasks, projects, and teams

SUCCESSFUL ATTITUDES & WORK APPROACHES

• Demonstrates strong organizational skills, resourcefulness, and attention to detail while effectively managing multiple tasks and meeting deadlines with a collaborative and team-oriented mindset.
• Exhibits a willingness to learn, support others, and engage in open, constructive feedback. Adapts communication styles to foster understanding and collaboration within a diverse team environment.
• Cultivates an inclusive and affirming atmosphere by valuing and respecting diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, contributing to a positive and supportive work culture.
• Proactively takes initiative to self-educate on unfamiliar subjects or concepts and encourages continuous growth and development for oneself and peers.