Job Development Specialist

About the role

Helen Keller Services (HKS) is seeking a Full-Time Job Development Specialist to join the Placement department in Brooklyn, NY. The role involves sourcing job openings and securing employment and vocational training opportunities for jobseekers with visual impairments, multiple disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, or pervasive developmental disabilities. The specialist will work closely with the Program Director to ensure meaningful, person-centered job matches.

Responsibilities

• Complete Job Placement Assessment for each participant receiving services.
• Develop relationships with employers in HKSB’s region to create a bank of potential employment opportunities through:
  • Attending job fairs.
  • Meeting with employers to educate them on HKSB’s services and the benefits of employing participants.
  • Staying informed of available employment opportunities via career fairs, career centers, chambers of commerce, and county placement consortiums.
• Collaborate on a placement services plan for each participant.
• Prepare participants for job seeking through:
  • Mock interviews.
  • Resume preparation.
  • Work Experience Training (WET).
• Partner with participants through the job development process to:
  • Identify opportunities in their chosen employment sector.
  • Establish a minimum of three interviews with employers in that sector.
  • Secure employment in that sector.
• Conduct job site analyses, identify environmental barriers, and work with employers to implement reasonable accommodations.
• Provide follow-along services to participants who have found employment for up to 90 days.
• Complete all documentation and reports as required by the NYS Commission for the Blind (NYSCB) and HKSB policy.
• Maintain active communication with participants’ NYSCB counselors, updating them on milestones or changes in services.
• Develop and implement effective job coaching strategies to help participants overcome employment-related challenges.
• Identify participants’ strengths and advise them on leveraging those strengths to maintain employment or excel in their careers.
• Assist employees in setting work-related goals, such as identifying natural support systems and understanding workplace hierarchies.
• Teach employees how to use job-related tools, instruments, and equipment.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the immediate supervisor, Associate Executive Director, Chief of Programs, or President & CEO.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling, Education, Business Administration, or Communication. Master’s degree in vocational rehabilitation preferred.
• Experience working with people with disabilities required; minimum three years, five years preferred.
• Experience with vocational training and placement services preferred.
• Valid NYS Driver’s License.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off.
• Comprehensive benefits package, including:
  • 403(B) retirement plan with matching.
  • Continuing education credits.
  • Dental, health, and vision insurance.
  • Life insurance.