Careers

Position Summary

Workforce Support Specialist will primarily work in concert with EMDC Workforce Services team members and community partners under the direction/supervision of the Director of Workforce Services. They will assist individuals impacted by employment barriers, Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) or who have been justice involved connect with education, training and employment. Workforce Support Specialists offer encouragement and emotional support, facilitate connections to information, and provide a supportive role in assisting with referrals to community resources. In addition, Workforce Support Specialists will help those impacted in accessing other needed resources, such as shelter, food and transportation–necessary to reintegrate into life, work and community.

Essential Functions

• Coordinate and conduct outreach and information sessions to expand awareness of funding opportunities and access to employment and training services.

• Conduct presentations to inform potential participants of services and procedures.
• Provide support to help participants stay engaged in their employment and training plan and meeting individual goals and objectives including transition to employment.
• Establish and maintain contact with each participant to assess his/her situation and determine need for retraining, job readiness or placement, or other support services.
• Assist service provider case managers, navigators and others with client follow up, group workshops and other grant-related activities.
• Assist participants in their job search by providing job readiness activities: resume development, interviewing preparation, employer research and job seeker support groups.
• Maintain scheduled hours at Career Centers in each region and Community Partner locations including recovery centers, drug treatment courts, recovery residences, county jails and Maine corrections facilities, educational institutions, community action program sites and adult education locations.
• Participate in ongoing training activities specific to the project and the work of Peer Connector/relief worker.
• Establish and maintain close reciprocal relationships with designated partner agencies and organizations to encourage referrals, assist with eligibility documentation and support participant progress.
• Report activities, compile data and outline progress in the format provided by project oversight personnel, and attend community and other meetings as needed to provide outreach, education or referral.
• May perform initial interviews with applicants to gather eligibility information. Help participants understand the rules/regulations and navigation of the workforce services system.
• Advocate for participants to help resolve obstacles to retraining and job placement services.
• Communicate with supervisors or other program service staff about individual participant worker’s needs, concerns, progress, or challenges in accessing services.
• Perform tasks and duties, worker outreach and advocacy activities assigned and approved by project oversight personnel to fulfill the goals of peer support project and meet the readjustment and reemployment needs of participants.

 

Job Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent required. Some college preferred. Is receiving or has received services and/or supports related to employment barriers, OUD, justice involvement, and is willing to self-identify on this basis with peers and in the community. May be receiving or has received services and supports related to a history of substance use, is in active recovery, and willing to self-identify on this basis with peers and in the community.

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/client questions and complaints, communicates with customers/clients, handles service problems politely and efficiently, always available for customers/clients, follows procedure to solve customer/client 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, and 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

• Job Knowledge: Understands duties and responsibilities, has necessary job knowledge, has necessary technical skills, understands company mission/values, keeps job knowledge current, is in command of critical issues.
• Personal Organization: Keeps information organized and accessible, maintains clean/functional work space, works systematically/efficiently, and manages time well.
• Productivity: Manages a fair workload, prioritizes tasks, develops good work procedures, manages time well, and handles information flow.
• Quality: Is attentive to detail and accuracy, is committed to excellence, looks for improvements continuously, monitors quality levels, finds root cause of quality problems, owns/acts on quality problems.

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.

Position Summary

The Workforce Development Specialist will be responsible for outreach with potential employers to identify their workforce needs and identify job placement and career opportunities for Workforce customers. The Specialist will coordinate these visits and ensure that all employment leads are followed up on. This position is also responsible for developing On-The-Job Training (“OJT”) and Work Experience opportunities, as well as serve as Career Advisors assisting customers with career exploration, mock interviewing, resume and cover letter reviews, and job placement possibilities. The Workforce Development Specialist will also provide direct delivery of services to customers from application through job placement and follow-up. As an advisor the Workforce Development Specialist will work with customers to develop and execute employment and training plans, utilizing appropriate resources and support services per program guidelines.

Essential Functions

• Serves clients, partners, and government agencies in an honest, professional, ethical, effective, and efficient manner as a representative of EMDC.
• Develops relationships with employers in the Tri-County area.
• Markets all workforce resources available to employers, including OJT, Work Experience, and Apprenticeship.
• Develop employment leads and opportunities for workforce customers.
• Maintain database of potential employers.
• Maintain awareness and documentation of labor market information, relevant legislation and policy, and best practices in the field.
• Builds partnerships and maintains relationships with related educational institutions and community or government agencies.
• Completes intake applications and evaluates employment potential of applicants, provides employment-focused career advising services to enrolled customers, makes enrollment decisions in consultation with management.
• Administers career plans for customers, including financial planning/projections support services or training, and reconciling essential needs.
• Strategizes recruitment of quality enrollments; assists customers and evaluates systems to ensure that training, employment, education, and program performance goals are being met.
• Delivers, coordinates, and facilitates youth programming, including work readiness and other group program cohorts.
• Facilitates group presentations; leads large and small groups, informational sessions, focus groups, or other special events.
• Develops work experiences and work sites for students and cultivates employer relationships; creates partnerships with local colleges and universities, adult education, DHHS, Vocational Rehab, and high schools; participates in community meetings.
• Maintains excellent documentation and attention to detail; utilizes Maine Job Link to record and capture required data for programming and monitoring need.

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, co-workers, and supervisor.
• Understanding of Workforce Investment Act and successor programs.
• Ability to deliver presentations and facilitate conversations with small groups of customers and businesses.
• Valid driver’s license required with regular access to own reliable vehicle.
• Ability and willingness to provide services in locations outside the offices in collaboration with partners and community organizations.
• Regular attendance required.

Core Competencies

• Computer skills: Skilled in the use of computers, adapt to new technology, learns new programs quickly, uses computers to improve productivity.
• Customer service: Handles customer questions and complaints, communicates effectively, handles service problems politely and efficiently, maintains availability, 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, and meets attendance/punctuality requirements.
• Integrity/Ethics: Deals with others in a straightforward and honest manner, is accountable for actions, maintains confidentiality, supports company values, and 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.

Education/Experience

• A degree in education, social work, human services, public administration or other related field preferred. Prior experience working with small 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.