Job Opening: Bilingual (Spanish/English) Employment Specialist

Position: Bilingual Employment Specialist

Department: Employment and Economic Development Reports to: Employment Program Manager – Bilingual Spanish FLSA Status: Non-Exempt Location: Rockwood/West Gresham very close to MAX

SUMMARY: Recruit, screen and provide assessment for all potential program participants. Provide job preparation, training, job coaching, and support services to clients. Develop jobs for clients, and match clients with appropriate positions.

CRITICAL PERFORMANCE FACTORS: 1. Work with other program staff and the Program Manager to ensure that the contract goals are met. 2. Collaborate with other staff to recruit, screen and enroll the target number of clients 3. Provide accurate assessment and effective work plans to enable clients to overcome barriers and gain employment 4. Provide support to clients as they progress through their work plans 5. Work with local employers to develop appropriate positions in health and human services, and match clients with appropriate positions. 6. Provide on-site or telephone job coaching, as necessary 7. Work with clients to ensure high rate of client retention, collaborating with other staff as needed 8. Perform follow up contacts with employers after client job placement to both verify continued employment and offer problem solving/job coaching as appropriate and requested by employers. 9. Collaborate with other staff to reach quantitative goals in client placement

10. Maintain consistent documentation of daily activities including attendance logs, time sheets, employer contacts, work site agreements, progress and evaluation reports. 11. Demonstrate acceptance and respect for diverse program participants; handling sensitive situations with an open, courteous approach; maintain an objective and professional relationship with clients

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include some or all of the following. Other duties and responsibilities may be assigned.

Recruitment:   • Recruit program participants from various community and social service agencies, as well as general advertising. • Do referral and outreach by networking with workforce development programs, social service agencies and others in the community.

Screening and Assessment: • Assess client strengths, needs and deficits in gaining and keeping employment • Assess family’s level of functioning and, with permission from the client, make referral to appropriate agencies and services, i.e., mental health, parenting, domestic violence support group, etc • Develop individual employment plans for each client, addressing strengths, needs, deficits and goals

• Collaborate with other Workforce Specialists to manage caseload

• Assist clients as they progress through their work plans • Advocate for program participants to secure needed services and resources for which they are eligible. • Assist clients to successfully take steps needed to make changes in their life styles, particularly as this relates to achieving economic self-sufficiency. • Assist clients to recognize their strengths, address deficits and access needed resources. • Assess needs of clients and coordinate delivery of services, both within Human Solutions and from other service providers when appropriate • Encourage clients to assess relationships and to develop appropriate personal support systems. • Provide on-site or telephone Job Coaching / Training as needed and appropriate • Monitor health and safety issues as they relate to employment. • Keep in touch with each client during their enrollment in Living Solutions • Clearly document the client’s progress in case notes • Inform the Program Manager if any clients are not making appropriate progress

Job Retention • Actively work with employers after client placement to ascertain job performance. • Maintain client contact and continued participation in program activities with regular assessment and job retention services. • Continue to review and develop employment plans, program activity and provide related services to ensure that a job placement is successful. • Contact employers to collect employment/retention data to substantiate performance outcomes.

Capacity Building and Other • Share strengths, skills, education and experience so that all agency staff continue to grow in skill level and clients benefit from our cumulative knowledge. • Represent the agency at professional and community meetings, as requested • Attend training workshops and conferences, as approved and required • Represent Human Solutions as a liaison to employers, case managers, and pertinent agencies • Work cooperatively as part of a small team, where coverage and other duties may overlap

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES This job has no supervisory responsibilities

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 and /or ability required.

Knowledge of: social and economic issues creating poverty community resources and agencies providing social services needed by the homeless population.

Ability to: • communicate clearly with program participants.

• apply practices and techniques that will enable people with low income achieve greater self- sufficiency.

• empower and support clients in life choices and change. • understand and follow complex written and oral instructions, rules and procedures,          • ability to work independently and to be a vital and contributing part of a team. • develop and maintain productive working relationships within Human Solutions, with public and private agencies, the general public and clients • be sensitive to the needs of both employers and clients • be culturally sensitive to diverse client populations. • prepare and maintain clear, accurate, complete and timely records and reports.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE • Bachelor's Degree in social service/social sciences field with at least six (6) months experience providing workforce development services or related services; or any combination of education and work experience in social services to total four years. • Bilingual Spanish and English skills required • Experience with job training and job development • Experience with crisis intervention, community networking and resource development.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

REASONING ABILITY Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS Current Oregon Driver’s License and current automobile insurance.

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 the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; sit; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and distance vision.

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 the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

TO APPLY Send resume, cover letter and three professional references (letters not needed, simply the names and contact information of people who can comment on your professional skills and abilities) to Juan Serratos, Employment Programs Manager. Email is preferred method: [email protected] but hard copies are also accepted.

Human Solutions, 12350 SE Powell, Portland OR 97236. No phone calls please.

Location: Rockwood/West Gresham

Compensation: $15.84/hour ($32,960/year); Medical, dental, AD & D, short and long term disability insurance, personal leave and paid holidays

This is at a non-profit organization.

Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.

Please, no phone calls about this job!

Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.