Overview

Background

The HOPE Program is a leader among New York City job training providers, upskilling adult jobseekers (ages 18 – 70) for a broad range of sectors, including a focus on green construction, maintenance, infrastructure and related careers. We work with individuals facing deep structural barriers to employment, including histories with the criminal legal system, current and/or past homelessness, substance abuse disorders, low educational attainment and more. Our comprehensive approach includes classroom training, industry-recognized certifications, digital literacy and access, financial literacy and access, mental health support, case management, paid job training, and our signature “HOPE for Life” approach, which provides a vital community of support throughout the lives of HOPE graduates’ careers. With measurable outcomes among the strongest in the industry, HOPE’s impact sits at the intersection of COVID-19 recovery, racial justice, and building a more equitable future for New York City.  Our work is best described in the words of our graduates, such as Ramon.

The Position

HOPE is seeking an Employment Specialist for the Bronx & Brooklyn who will provide dedicated one-on-one support job search and job connection for HOPEworks, Intervine, and Sustainable South Bronx (SSBx) completers. The position reports to the Assistant Director of Employment Services. This is a hybrid position, working out of both of HOPE’s offices in Downtown Brooklyn and South Bronx locations at 1 Smith Street / 1360 Garrison Avenue twice weekly. HOPEworks is our flagship program. Intervine is a transitional employment program that pays participants to engage in hands-on learning through green infrastructure projects across the city while learning critical job skills. SSBx is a program that prepares jobseekers for careers in the green construction and maintenance field through classroom-based learning, industry-recognized certifications, hands-on community greening projects, and job application skills.

The Employment Specialist will work with students in both Brooklyn and Bronx at the end of the classroom phase of the program to understand their career plans, and review their baseline resumes, cover letters, and interview skills. Once the classroom phase ends, the Employment Specialist will work with students to prepare them to search for work and connect them to jobs along their career pathways in a variety of sectors, including maintenance, construction and remote customer service. When students return after leaving employment, the Employment Specialist will connect them to new work. The position will work closely with a peer team of Employment Specialists serving all HOPE programs in Brooklyn and the Bronx sites as well as the Business Development Managers.

Responsibilities

Student Services 

  • Build relationships and manage a caseload of up to 100 new students who complete programs annually, ensuring that 80% of them connect to work within 90 days. 
  • Through the use of motivational interviewing and a holistic, student-centered approach, provide consistent and high quality employment-focused engagements to ensure that students  are qualified candidates for the job opportunities that they seek. More specifically, 
  • Partner with students on their short and long term career goals and decisions.
  • Ensure all students have a complete employment portfolio, including resumes, cover letters, and references, and support in tailoring materials and practicing for interviews for open positions and ensure they  are equipped for self-directed search. 
  • Assist students in understanding their potential career pathways.
  • Screen students for HOPE-developed internships and job opportunities with trusted employers. 
  • Maintain communication with students regarding applications, interviews, hiring, new hire follow-up, and documentation for reporting to the Assistant Director of Employment Services.
  • Secure proof of employment for new hires and facilitate a smooth handoff to the Retention Associate. 
  • Partner with returning graduate job seekers to secure new employment.
  • Support a culture of #HOPE4Life where program completers remain engaged with HOPE and pay it forward when they can.  

Student Feedback and Data Entry 

  • As HOPE is a student-centered organization seeking to successfully match students to sustainable career pathways, the Employment Specialist would share student and employer feedback with the Assistant Director and other teams.
  • Conduct timely data entry in Salesforce and document preparation for soft and hard copy files on services and outcomes.
  • Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties in this job classification.

Minimum Qualifications

  • At least three years of case management experience 
  • Demonstrated ability to meet program goals. (This position is measured against placement rate). 
  • Excellent oral and written organizational and communication skills
  • Experience documenting interactions with clients and using a CRM (HOPE uses Salesforce.)
  • Google Suite, Zoom and Internet research proficiency
  • Someone who is able to build rapport with a wide range of clients and practices client-centered counseling
  • Must be a strong team player who works well independently
  • Problem solver, flexible and adaptable 
  • Ability to work in both the Bronx and Brooklyn offices
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