SENIOR VOCATIONAL REHAB COUNSELOR - 48004748

Requisition No: 872244 | Agency: Department of Education | Location: West Palm Beach, FL

About the Role

The Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor provides independent professional vocational rehabilitation counseling to individuals with a diversity of disabilities to help them attain employment. This role involves coordinating complex services, offering technical assistance on vocational rehabilitation issues, and maintaining case records. The position is part of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Unit 21A in West Palm Beach.

Our mission is "to help people with disabilities find and maintain employment and enhance their independence." Our vision is "to become the first place people with disabilities turn when seeking employment and a top resource for employers in need of qualified employees."

Responsibilities

• Assess medical, psychological, and vocational information to determine eligibility for services.
• Provide technical assistance to internal and external customers.
• Develop and implement, with full participation of the customer with a disability, an Individual Plan for Employment to determine employment outcomes.
• Provide information to assist individuals with disabilities in making informed choices regarding services, service providers, and employment outcomes.
• Authorize, coordinate, and/or negotiate services leading to successful employment outcomes.
• Negotiate with individuals with disabilities regarding plan development.
• Devise job placement opportunities through job placement activities, including job analysis, job development, and labor market information.
• Develop employer contacts and serve as liaison with employers.
• Utilize resources of community rehabilitation providers in securing appropriate job placement for eligible individuals with disabilities.
• Coordinate or collaborate with others in placement activities.
• Conduct in-depth interviews of individuals with disabilities requiring complex rehabilitation strategies to determine eligibility for vocational rehabilitation services and feasibility for achieving a vocational goal.
• Manage resources to ensure financial accountability according to state and federal regulations and policies.
• Collaborate with community partners to assure appropriate use of available resources.
• Provide technical assistance and specialized training to internal customers.
• Participate in training experiences designed to enhance professional competency in vocational rehabilitation.
• Perform other duties as required.

Requirements

For each year of work experience required, an applicant shall have 12 months of full-time work experience to receive credit for an entire year.

Bachelor’s Degree Path

• Attainment of a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university in a field of study reasonably related to vocational rehabilitation, such as:
  • Business administration
  • Human resources
  • Special education
  • Supported employment
  • Customized employment
  • Economics
  • Psychology
  • Another field that reasonably prepares individuals with transferable skills and training to work with consumers and employers
• Not less than 2 years of paid or unpaid experience consisting of:
  • Direct experience as an employer
  • Direct experience as an employment/placement counselor or job developer
  • Direct experience as a small business owner or operator
  • Direct experience in self-employment
  • Experience in human resources
  • Experience in recruitment
  • Experience in supervising employees
  • Experience in training
  • Experience in other activities that provide experience in competitive integrated employment environments
  • Direct work with individuals with disabilities in a setting such as an independent living center
  • Direct service for advocacy activities that provide experience and skills in working with individuals with disabilities

Advanced Degree Path

• Attainment of a Master’s or Doctoral Degree from an accredited college or university in a field of study such as:
  • Business administration
  • Human resources
  • Special education
  • Management
  • Public administration
  • Law
  • Psychology
  • Another field that reasonably provides confidence in the employment sector or in both business-related and rehabilitation-related fields
• Not less than 1 year of paid or unpaid experience consisting of:
  • Direct experience as an employer
  • Direct experience as a small business owner or operator
  • Direct experience in self-employment
  • Experience in human resources
  • Experience in recruitment
  • Experience in supervising employees
  • Experience in training
  • Experience in other activities that provide experience in competitive integrated employment environments
  • Direct work with individuals with disabilities in a setting such as an independent living center
  • Direct service for advocacy activities that provide such individual with experience and skills in working with individuals with disabilities

Skills

• Knowledge of the theories and practices in vocational rehabilitation guidance and counseling to obtain employment
• Knowledge of interviewing techniques
• Knowledge of medical and psychological aspects of disability groups
• Knowledge of the principles and techniques of effective communication
• Knowledge of employment resources and vocational rehabilitation resources
• Knowledge of methods of compiling, organizing, and analyzing data
• Ability to compile, organize, and analyze medical, vocational, and psychological data
• Ability to administer tests and analyze results
• Ability to provide counseling and guidance in the area of career planning
• Ability to develop individual vocational rehabilitation programs and place clients in appropriate vocations
• Ability to communicate effectively
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others

Pay

$3,986.67 monthly / $47,840.00 annually

Benefits

• State of Florida Retirement – 3% employee contribution required
• 10 paid holidays annually
• Vacation leave:
  • Employees with up to 5 years of creditable service earn 8.667 hours per month
  • Employees with 5 to 10 years earn 10.833 hours per month
  • Employees with over 10 years of service earn 13 hours per month
• Sick leave: 8.667 hours of sick leave credits per month for Career Service employees
• Health insurance for individual or family coverage – State pays 80% of premium
• Life insurance – State pays premium for $25,000 basic term life insurance for full-time employees
• Additional supplemental insurances available such as dental, vision, etc.
• Tax-deferred medical and child care reimbursement accounts available
• Tax-deferred savings program available through payroll deduction

Background Screening

It is the policy of the Florida Department of Education that applicants for employment undergo Level 2 employment screening in accordance with Chapter 435, Florida Statutes, as a condition of employment. This includes fingerprinting for statewide criminal and juvenile records checks through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and federal criminal records checks through the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Local criminal records checks through local law enforcement agencies may also be required.