Supported Employment Specialist
Austin, TX
Full Time
Experienced
Supported Employment Specialist
Join us in building a community where our clients, staff, and supporters find common ground and grow together.
The Other Ones Foundation (TOOF) is a nonprofit that offers safe and dignified shelter, paired with vocational training, to create reliable pathways to housing and independence for our unhoused neighbors. TOOF represents a community where no one lives in the margins; where all people are inherently valued.
Website: Nonprofit Offering Aid To People Experiencing Homelessness
The Workforce First program is a radically low-barrier, short term work opportunity designed to address the immediate income needs of our participants, while simultaneously providing comprehensive case management, life skills support, and job-readiness training.
Job Summary
The Supported Employment Specialist’s primary responsibility is overseeing the work projects of individuals participating in the Workforce First program. As such, this position requires individuals to be comfortable working outside, doing manual labor, operating company vehicles, and providing support and practical job coaching to groups of people actively experiencing homelessness. Patience, compassion, and lived experience with homelessness, or experience working with this population will be important for this work.
Essential Responsibilities
- Operating in a predominately independent capacity to provide engaged, client-centered supervision of crews which integrates organizational training standards into daily field operations.
- Collaborating with Genesis case management staff to support client engagement efforts and maximize successful outcomes for Workforce First participants.
- Operating a large passenger van with attached trailer daily, providing transportation for crew members to and from worksites.
- Maintaining a safe and efficient work site by providing necessary work equipment and ensuring all distributed supplies are accounted for and stored correctly at the end of each shift.
- Providing support and practical job coaching to Workforce First participants daily, with the goal of broadening crew member skill sets and preparing participants to pursue opportunities for future independent employment.
- Assessing clients’ vocational performance on an ongoing basis, utilizing provided assessment tools in accordance with organizational standards.
- Submitting requisite documentation into Apricot, Tracktik (Incident Reports), and Microsoft365 in a timely manner and in accordance with organizational standards.
- Attending all appropriate department and all-staff meetings and be sufficiently prepared to constructively engage with colleagues.
- Completing all assigned training in a timely manner and integrating training standards into daily operations.
- Attending weekly Genesis cross-team collaboration meetings prepared to contribute relevant insights, updates, or concerns with a focus on solution-oriented outcomes.
- Provides effective service delivery by utilizing person centered, strengths-based, trauma informed, and harm-reduction perspectives.
- Ensures effective communication between the SES team and workforce first participants by providing relevant feedback promptly and constructively.
- Provides soft skills development via Personalized Improvement Plans, in collaboration with the Case Management Team
- Perform other related duties as requested.
Minimum Qualifications and Skills
- Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills
- Ability to maintain professional boundaries, engagement skills, de-escalation, and conflict mediation with a challenging population or in a stressful environment
- Ability to collaborate and problem-solve
- Basic computer skills
- Valid Driver’s License and ability to be insured by our carrier
- Reliable transportation and attendance
Physical Demand Description
- Lift (up to 35 lbs), bend, and work with equipment in all kinds of weather
- Complete awareness of safety when handling machinery, equipment, or driving
Preferred Qualifications & Skills
- Minimum of 2 years work experience in related field/industry
- Bilingual, Spanish
- Experience working with individuals who are homeless and/or at risk of homelessness
- Knowledge of Harm Reduction principles and practices
- Experience driving passenger vans and/or trailers
- Experience writing comprehensive client summaries using medical and psychiatric terminology
Supervisor / Reports to
Supported Employment Team Lead
Compensation
$24.84/hour (Annualized $51,675.00)
Non-Exempt
Employment Status and Schedule
Full-Time, 40 hours/week
1st Shift: Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm
Location
5426 Guadalupe Street
Austin, Tx 78751
Benefits offered to Full-Time Employees
Medical, Dental, Vision
Group Term Life, Life Insurance Buy Up, Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, Critical Illness
Flexible Spending Account
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Paid Time Off
Paid Parental Leave
Paid training and professional development opportunities
401K Plan
Paid holidays
TOOF is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to embracing diversity. The essential functions are the basic job duties that an employee must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation. Our organization is a fair chance hiring employer. Once a conditional offer of employment has been made to an applicant, the applicant will be subject to a background check/investigation in accordance with the federal, state, or local compliance.
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