Employment Specialist in Brewer, Maine

Position Summary:

At Families Forward, Employment Specialists provide exemplary employment-focused case management services to assist individuals receiving TANF benefits to address barriers and to achieve employment goals. Caseload includes individuals considered “job-ready” and those with medical barriers.

Essential Job Functions:

• Establishes trust and rapport with program participants.

• Conducts comprehensive intakes to assist participants with understanding and exploring their needs, strengths, interest, aptitudes, experience, and capabilities.

• Partners with participants to jointly develop a service plan known as a Family Contract Amendment (FCA) which outlines their short-term and long-term employment and other goals which are consistent with their skills, interests, and preference as they related to work.

• Meets regularly with participants (minimum once a month) on their caseload, documents progress towards goals and provides ongoing orientation to ensure that participants are clear on their TANF and program requirements.

• Builds effective partnerships with external providers to ensure that participants have access to and utilize needed services and supports.

• Maintains exceptional record keeping and documents all communication and contact with participants and external partners in FedcapCARES.

• Makes request for needed supports services (childcare, transportation, educational services, and others) to the Office Family Independence (OFI) Support Services Unit in accordance with policies and procedures to assist participants with achieving requirements of their FCA.

• Upholds all agency policies and expectations in performing their job.

• Runs reports in FedcapCARES and uses data to plan daily and weekly tasks.

• Contacts and reschedule participants who miss appointments with them.

• Secures releases and builds effective communication with their participant’s medical, behavioral health and other providers.

• May work with a targeted caseload focusing on a specific group or group such as two-parent families, individuals enrolled in higher education, and others.

• Represents Fedcap with all stakeholders and in the community in a positive and professional manner.

• Perform other related duties as assigned. This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or higher education and/or equivalent experience.

• Demonstrated track record for providing exceptional customer service.

• Valid driver’s license, required.

QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

Equal Opportunity Employer