Employment Specialist

Personal Qualities

• An interest and willingness to work in the field of developmental/intellectual disabilities
• Able to set aside one’s values and support the Values and Mission of the Organization
• Willingness to do routine or detailed tasks
• Effective and productive teamwork
• Patient, tolerant, tactful, alert, enthusiastic, and having a positive “can do” attitude
• High level of professionalism in appearance, actions, and words
• Excellent problem-solving ability
• Excellent individual service and networking/negotiation skills
• Understanding of applied behavior supports for persons with disabilities
• Effective oral and written communications skills
• Able to maintain strict confidentiality

Essential Job Functions

• Reliable attendance is mandatory
• Identify opportunities for career growth with the employer and their supported employee and facilitate further training or coaching to assist both parties
• Motivate, direct, and exemplify outstanding verbal and written individual service skills
• Participate in staff meetings, providing input to other team members and volunteers to share responsibilities that contribute to the success of the team
• Develop and implement productive weekly schedules to assist assigned caseload in maintaining their employment or development employment opportunities
• Disseminate information about community-based employment to fellow providers, funders, employers, consumers and their advocates
• Provide information for potential employers regarding what is involved in employing people with disabilities including information about Opportunity Foundation and supported employment services
• Train the employer to support persons with disabilities at their worksite
• Establish natural supports for individuals in the workplace and implement a fade schedule that gradually reduces the need for job coaching/follow along services
• Communicate progress, successes, and challenges to guardians/care providers
• Record billable hours in workbook
• Conduct annual safety plans with individual and employer
• Facilitate person-centered planning process with individual and their circle of support as needed
• Assist employers to identify and mitigate or eliminate architectural, procedural and attitudinal barriers to employment of individual
• Provide training and support, as needed, to individual throughout the job development process
• Provide on-site job training and support to individual in their workplace regarding job duties, policies, and procedures in collaboration with the employer
• Cook meals for individuals if needed
• Coordinate and/or provide effective individualized on-site job training for individual
• Identify and address individual’s transportation needs
• Proactively enlist the support of supervisors and co-workers to maximally integrate the individual into the regular work routine of the business
• Follow through and provide necessary training and assistance to individuals to the degree necessary, according to each person’s Individual Support Plan and per physicians orders, to include, but not limited to: personal care needs, which may include toileting, bathing, changing, and/or providing food preparation and work/activity site cleaning; assisting individuals in and out of wheelchairs; assisting individuals with physical therapy; administering medications and/or other treatments
• Carry out additional responsibilities as identified and assigned by the Business Relations Manager

Requirements

• Education/Work Experience Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree in Social Services or related field is preferred. Must be able to obtain Employment Outcomes Professional certificate. Experience working with adults with disabilities or experience in employment rehabilitation, preferred.
• Physical Demands: Talking: Routinely, Hearing: Constantly, Sitting: Routinely, Kneeling: Occasionally, Walking: Routinely, Standing: Routinely, Seeing: Constantly, Reaching: Routinely, Carrying: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Bending/Stooping: Routinely, Lifting: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Carrying: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Reaching: Routinely, Bending/Stooping: Routinely, Lifting: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Carrying: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Reaching: Routinely, Bending/Stooping: Routinely, Lifting: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Carrying: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Reaching: Routinely, Bending/Stooping: Routinely, Lifting: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Carrying: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Reaching: Routinely, Bending/Stooping: Routinely, Lifting: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Carrying: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Reaching: Routinely, Bending/Stooping: Routinely, Lifting: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Carrying: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Reaching: Routinely, Bending/Stooping: Routinely, Lifting: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Carrying: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Reaching: Routinely, Bending/Stooping: Routinely, Lifting: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Carrying: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Reaching: Routinely, Bending/Stooping: Routinely, Lifting: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Carrying: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Reaching: Routinely, Bending/Stooping: Routinely, Lifting: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Carrying: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Reaching: Routinely, Bending/Stooping: Routinely, Lifting: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Carrying: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Reaching: Routinely, Bending/Stooping: Routinely, Lifting: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Carrying: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Reaching: Routinely, Bending/Stooping: Routinely, Lifting: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Carrying: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Reaching: Routinely, Bending/Stooping: Routinely, Lifting: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Carrying: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Reaching: Routinely, Bending/Stooping: Routinely, Lifting: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Carrying: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Reaching: Routinely, Bending/Stooping: Routinely, Lifting: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Carrying: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Reaching: Routinely, Bending/Stooping: Routinely, Lifting: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Carrying: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Reaching: Routinely, Bending/Stooping: Routinely, Lifting: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Carrying: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Reaching: Routinely, Bending/Stooping: Routinely, Lifting: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Carrying: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of another or device, Reaching: Routinely, Bending/Stooping: Routinely, Lifting: Up to 10 lbs. Routinely, Up to 25 lbs. Occasionally, Up to 40 lbs. Occasionally with help of