Employment Specialist

Job Overview: Under the supervision of the Employment Program Coordinator, the Employment Specialist will work together with the larger Economic Empowerment Team through an integrated approach to help refugees to thrive financially in the U.S. The Employment Specialist will be responsible for managing employer relations and ensuring job placements in the RSS, Matching Grant, and other San Jose Early Employment programs.

Major Responsibilities:

• Develop and cultivate long term relationships with area employers to identify appropriate employment opportunities for clients.
• Document client participation and progress, adhering to grant requirements.
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting of career development services data to donors and all relevant parties
• Assist clients at off-site job fairs and/or other employment related activities.
• Work collaboratively with other Economic Empowerment staff
• Participate in all-staff/ program meetings.
• Other duties as assigned.
• Determine specific employment opportunities appropriate to clients and assist clients in accessing these opportunities by guiding them through the hiring process.
• Monitor job search activity to ensure that clients make sufficient contact with employers and are complying with Employment Services Program policies.
• Monitor job performance, wage level and employer/employee satisfaction.
• Assist clients and employers as necessary with post placement issues and continuing employment needs.
• Ensure timely and accurate compliance to all reporting requirements.
• Provide intake, assessment and pre-employment/job readiness orientation to clients eligible for employment services.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Employment Program Coordinator
Indirect Reporting: Employment Program Manager
Other Internal and/or external contacts:

***Internal:***Staff in Economic Empowerment programs.

External: Community partners in Economic Empowerment programs.

Job Requirements:

• Undergraduate degree, ideally in Social Work or an equivalent field of study. Comparable related work experience may be substituted.
• Demonstrated work experience (in addition to the above) in human services field, preferably in a non-profit or social services agency environment. Experience should include a minimum of 2 years providing direct services to underserved communities. Prior experience working with refugee populations preferred.
• Experience in a non-profit or social services setting is an advantage.
• Attention to detail and ability to organize and track large amounts of information efficiently and accurately.
• Familiarity with or association with employers and vocational training programs in San Jose highly desirable.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong computer skills, particularly Word, Excel, Outlook.
• Ability to work independently, be a self-starter and maintain responsibility for multiple tasks.
• Proficiency in a refugee language such as Dari, Farsi, Pashto, Spanish, Tigrinya or Arabic is an asset.
• Valid driver’s license, reliable vehicle with current insurance, and the ability to travel regularly throughout the service delivery area.

Working Environment***:***

• A combination of standard office work environment, remote work, and ‘field’ time within the service delivery area to perform outlined responsibilities.
• Reoccurring need to provide services outside of traditional work hours (evenings and weekends).

Compensation: Posted pay ranges apply to US-based candidates. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity, and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirements.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

US Benefits: We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days (depending on role and tenure), medical insurance starting at $145 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus a 3-7% base IRC contribution (3 year vesting), disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.