Business and Workforce Initiatives Coordinator

Position Summary

The Business, Project and Outreach Coordinator is responsible for building and fostering relationships with referral sources, community partners, educational institutions, government agencies, and employers through direct outreach and follow-up. The position acts as a liaison to promote and advocate for the employment needs of individuals and the workforce needs of employers throughout the EMDC workforce program region assigned. Position assists with coordination and delivery of informational sessions, focus groups, Rapid Response sessions, and other special events.  The position advises community partners and employers of available education and training services by coordinating partner meetings, developing presentations, promotional materials, and other external communications.

The position works with employer and community partners in the development and/or organization of employer and industry focused projects.  The position acts as a team leader directing staff on all project needs, serves as the point person for cohort & project customer referrals, prescreens candidates for eligibility and suitability, coordinates registrations and enrollments, and tracks progress.  The Business, Project and Outreach Coordinator is responsible for working directly with staff to create On-The-Job Training (“OJT”), Work Experience, and Apprenticeship opportunities for enrolled customers and to encourage employer registration in the Maine JobLink system. Position provides outreach, employer contact, and project information for EMDC Workforce reports.

Essential Functions

Outreach

1. Works with the Directors of Workforce Services to design and implement outreach plans and activities in the EMDC Workforce region.
2. Creates and sustains referral and service delivery relationships with programs, community partners, educational facilities, government agencies, and employers through direct outreach and follow-up.
3. Acts as a liaison to advocate for the employment needs of individuals and the workforce needs of employers creating opportunities between these groups.
4. Participates in community meetings, informational sessions, group presentations, and special events to inform the community and employers of workforce services.
5. Creates promotional materials and external communications to market available education and training services for job seekers and employers.
6. Evaluates the effectiveness of outreach efforts to ensure that workforce services are meeting customer needs and expectations.
7. Is familiar with community resources and connects employers and job seekers as appropriate.

Business

1. Works with The Directors of Workforce Services and other staff on employer outreach and follow-up to identify business training and workforce needs as well as job placement and career opportunities for workforce customers.

2. Collects and analyzes information on employer needs and skill requirements and shares the data/findings with EMDC workforce staff.
3. Markets all workforce resources available to employers through promotional materials and events.
4. Works directly with staff to create On-The-Job Training (“OJT”), Work Experience, Apprenticeship opportunities and employment leads for enrolled customers.
5. Maintains contact with employer partners to evaluate the effectiveness of outreach efforts and ensure that workforce services are meeting needs and expectations.
6. Encourages and promotes employer registration in the Maine JobLink system.
7. Knowledgeable of both customized and incumbent worker training services and can utilize as appropriate.
8. Maintains awareness and documentation of labor market information, relevant legislation and policy, and best practices in the field.

Project Coordination

1. Works with employer and community partners to develop and/or organize employer and industry focused training projects. Assists with all aspects from recruitment to placement.
2. Acts as a team leader informing staff and referral partners on all applicant requirements, dates, materials, costs, and credentials.
3. Serves as the point person for customer referrals and prescreens candidates for eligibility and suitability.
4. Coordinates staff in the completion of registrations and enrollments arranging group sessions when necessary.
5. Monitors participant progress, informs staff of developments, and distributes completed credentials.
6. Acts as a partner liaison to address changes and resolve areas of concern.

• Assists with training new staff on outreach, business services, and projects and is fully capable of using the workforce database.
• Provides information on outreach, business contacts, and projects for EMDC Workforce Services reports
• Serves clients, partners, and government agencies in an honest, professional, ethical, effective and efficient manner as a representative of EMDC.

Job Requirements

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work well with customers, community partners, co-workers, and supervisor.
• Understanding of Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act and successor programs.
• Ability to deliver presentations and facilitate conversations with groups of customers and businesses.
• Valid driver’s license required with regular access to own reliable vehicle.
• Understanding of the local labor market including opportunities, pay structures and application requirements.

Core Competencies

• Computer skills – Skilled in the use of computers, adapts to new technology, learns new programs quickly, uses computers to improve productivity.
• Customer service – Handles customer questions and complaints, communicates with customers, handles service problems politely and efficiently, always available for customers, follows procedure to solve customer problems, understands company products and services, maintains pleasant and professional image.
• Dependability – Meets commitments, works independently, accepts accountability, handles change, sets personal standards, stays focused under pressure, meets attendance/punctuality requirements.
• Integrity/Ethics – Deals with others in a straightforward and honest manner, is accountable for actions, maintains confidentiality, supports company values, conveys good news and bad.
• Teamwork – Meets all team deadlines and responsibilities, listens to others and values opinions, helps team leader to meet goals, welcomes newcomers and promotes a team atmosphere.

Position Competencies

• Communication: Communicates well both verbally and in writing, creates accurate and punctual reports, delivers presentations, shares information and ideas with others, has good listening skills.
• Customer Focus: Builds customer confidence, is committed to increasing customer satisfaction, sets achievable customer expectations, assumes responsibility for solving problems, ensures commitments to customers are met, solicits opinions and ideas from customers, responds to internal customers.
• Initiative: Tackles problems and takes independent action, seeks out new responsibilities, acts on opportunities, generates new ideas, practices self-development.
• Listening Skills: Listens attentively to others, asks clarifying questions, actively listens, stays open to other viewpoints, and manages distractions and interruptions.
• Problem Solving/Analysis: Breaks down problems into smaller components, understands underlying issues, can simplify and process complex issues, understands the difference between critical details and unimportant facts.
• Results Focus: Targets and achieves results, sets challenging goals, prioritizes tasks, overcomes obstacles, accepts accountability, sets team standards and responsibilities, provides leadership/motivation.
• Decision Making/Judgment – Recognizes problems and responds, systematically gathers information, sorts through complex issues, seeks input from others, addresses root cause of issues, makes timely decisions, can make difficult decisions, uses consensus when possible, communicates decisions to others.
• Budget – tracks costs and contributes to budget planning.
• Strategic Thinking –Aware of the long-term vision, balances short and long-term goals, keeps work aligned with overall goals, understands the market and watches for change, understands the industry and the competition, adjusts to changes in strategic plans.
• Vision and Values – Supports values and daily actions and decisions, communicates vision and values to others, generates enthusiasm, incorporates vision when planning.

Education/Experience

A degree in education, social work, human services, public administration preferred or 3+ years in other related experience. Experience working with businesses preferred.

Working Conditions

General business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, though exempt positions will typically require work to be performed outside general business hours. Work is generally performed in an indoor, professional office environment.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or listen, and regularly required to use a keyboard for typing. The employee is often required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus. The employee must travel to different locations and must be able to provide own transportation.

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.

Disclaimer: Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.