POSITION DESCRIPTION

POSITION: GO Employment Specialist

DEPARTMENT:      Workforce Development (WFD)

DIRECT SUPERVISOR: UYCA Program Manager

ACCOUNTABLE TO: Vice President, Workforce Development

FSLA: Exempt

DESCRIPTION OF ROLE

 The Growth Opportunity (GO) Employment Specialist will play a crucial role in supporting young adults aged 18-24 who face significant barriers to employment and career advancement. This position requires a compassionate and dedicated individual committed to helping young adults reach their full potential. The employment specialist will assist clients in achieving employment goals by providing individual employment counseling.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES

• Develop employer relationships and secure job opportunities for program participants.
• Provide professional advice and help participants decide employment and training options.
• Document all engagement activities and communications with participants in the client management system or as directed.
• Provide additional career support by conducting workshops, providing weekly job leads and industry information and resources, and customizing hiring events.
• Assist with resume development and maintain a categorized electronic resume bank.
• Provide one-on-ones at least once a month to program participants after graduation and up to the first 90 days of job placement.
• Provide documentation of all “employment verifications” and retention on 30, 90, and 180-day employment.
• Provide local labor market information: what companies and industries are in the area, what skills and experience local area employers prefer and require, what is the usual means of entry into those companies/industries, and advise on how best to apply.
• Assist with the annual Citywide Job Fair.
• Provide monthly/quarterly programmatic reports on activities, outcomes, and recommendations for program growth.
• Attend all Chicago Urban League (CUL) and Workforce Development (WFD) meetings and events as well as participate in companywide and departmental planning and evaluation activities.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Program Manager and/or CUL/WFD Leadership Team.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• NONE

COMPETENCIES

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Problem Solving: Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; gathers and analyzes information skillfully; develops solutions; works well in group problem-solving situations;
• Project Management Skills: Develop, coordinate, and implement projects;
• Communication: The ability write professionally and to articulate ideas clearly and persuasively.
• Teamwork: Ability to balance team and individual responsibilities; Exhibits objectivity and openness to others’ views; Gives and welcomes feedback; Contributes to building a positive team spirit. Puts the success of the team above their own interests; able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; supports everyone’s efforts to succeed.
• Integrity: Consistently adhering to strong moral principles, building trust and respect through honesty, transparency, and accountability in all actions.
• Judgment: Exhibits sound judgment when resolving conflict and other critical issues; includes appropriate people in decision-making process; makes timely decisions.
• Motivation: Self-starter, sets and achieves goals; demonstrates persistence and overcomes obstacles; measures self against a standard of excellence; takes calculated risks to accomplish goals.
• Planning/Organizing: Prioritizes and plans work activities; uses time efficiently; plans for additional resources; sets goals and objectives; organizes or schedules other people and their tasks. Develops realistic action plans.
• Professionalism: consistently demonstrating a high level of skill, responsibility, and ethical behavior, while maintaining a respectful and courteous attitude in all interactions.
• Dependability: reliably fulfilling commitments and responsibilities, ensuring that others can trust you to follow through and deliver on expectations.

EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing or similar field preferred
• 2-3 years of experience working with young adults ages 18-26 required
• 1-2 years of group facilitation experience required
• Experience in the area of: sales, marketing, and Workforce Development a plus

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This is a salaried position funded by a grant, which will conclude at the end of the grant term. The position requires travel for on-site and off-site career readiness training. Schedule may vary to accommodate program needs.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is $48,000 – $52,000. Benefits include:

• BCBS Medical Insurance – PPO and low‐cost plans
• Aetna Dental & Vision – PPO and low‐cost plans
• Flexible Spending Account
• 401k Retirement Plan – 3% employer match, vested after 3 years
• Life Insurance ‐ $15k coverage
• Short & Long‐Term Disability
• Flexible Time Off
• Parental Leave – 6 weeks paid leave for birth/adoption of a child
• Bereavement Leave
• Unpaid Family/Personal Leave
• Twelve Paid Holidays