Requisition ID: req43667

Job Title: Career Development Specialist

Sector: Employment

Employment Category: Regular

Employment Type: Full-Time

Compensation: USD 25.51 - 26.30 Hourly

Location: Oakland, CA USA

Work Arrangement:
Job Description

IRC Background:The IRC in Northern California was established in 1975 in response to the needs of the growing refugee population. Over the past 40 years the IRC has resettled nearly 60,000 clients in Northern California. Originally focused on reception and placement the IRC provides a range of services including economic empowerment, immigration, community gardening, and case management for victims of trafficking. IRC’s Economic Empowerment programming focuses on connecting individuals to employment opportunities in an effort to lead them down the path of self-sufficiency. This is accomplished through a combination of employment services, financial education and coaching, and access to public benefits and income supports.

Job Overview:The Career Development Specialist is responsible for program implementation and service delivery for the IRC’s career development programs, including assisting refugee clients in moving beyond entry-level jobs and gaining employment in their professional fields. Specifically, the Career Development Specialist will work with refugees and immigrants and within a team to deliver client-facing services such as client conducting orientation and assessments sessions, client intakes, career coaching, goal setting, job search assistance, soft-skills trainings, enrollment in post-secondary and certification programs, coordinating additional services tailored to individual client needs and working with different programs and departments within IRC to refer clients to services.

Major Responsibilities:

Outreach and Enrollment

• Conduct information and orientation sessions within the refugee community, local community partners, training/education providers and other channels to identify and secure workforce training for participants.
• Assist with creation of career pathway informational packets as well as marketing materials and presentations.
• Work with internal IRC programs to highlight the value of the program.
• Develop and cultivate relationships with training/education providers and employers who offer quality job opportunities for clients.
• Conduct a thorough and equal assessment of applicants, complete intake and enrollment administration and case noting.

Career Coaching and Technical Assistance

• Manage a client caseload, providing clients with one-on-one career coaching; this includes service planning, goal setting, detailing actionable and realistic activities, resource mapping, assisting clients to enter and complete technical skills trainings, obtaining financial assistance for the training and provide ongoing case management.
• Implement technical assessments to gauge client strengths, weaknesses, and proficiencies.
• Actively engage in activities to assist client placement including providing advanced work readiness training (resume writing, interview skills, job search skills, networking) referring applicable clients to positions and providing continued follow-up once clients are placed.
• Refer clients to the Financial Coach for financial literacy, loan applications and credit classes.
• Track and document client participation and progress, adhering to grant requirements, and regularly collecting success stories.
• Work with external partners such as AJCCs and other community organizations to ensure clients’ access to relevant information, resources and financial assistance.
• Advocate for clients’ rights in the labor market by providing references and meeting with employers to educate them about the benefits of hiring refugees, asylees, and immigrants.
• Collaborate to provide comprehensive strength-based services to IRC clients through effective communication between team members and departments.
• Assist clients and employers as necessary with post-placement issues and continuing career development needs by referring them to education and business development resources.
• Support the Workforce Development Coordinator in nurturing training provider, employer and AJCC relationships in all tracks offered, streamlining the application process, progress reporting, and ensuring strong credential attainment outcomes.
• Work with Workforce Partnerships Specialist to identify clients that are ready for employment and support clients in obtaining training-related job placements.

Service Documentation

• Ensure timely and accurate compliance to all reporting requirements: document services provided and client outcomes in relevant case management databases; monitor and track client job performance and wage level; maintain accurate and up-to-date case files documenting client goals, activities, and services, and assist with grant applications and final reporting.
• Engage with and, as necessary, develop supportive tracking systems for auxiliary information.
• Comply with all financial and budget-related mechanisms and processes.

Other Responsibilities

• Participate in all program meetings, staff development activities, and fully engage as a member of the team
• Comply with all policies, procedures and protocols of the agency.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Workforce Development Coordinator

Position directly supervises: Interns and volunteers

Internal and/or external contacts: Coordinates regularly with Economic Empowerment team, other IRC departments and local partners including employers, training providers and AJCCs.

Job Requirements:

Education:

Undergraduate degree in a related field of study; comparable related work experience may be substituted.

Work Experience:

• Minimum 2 years of professional experience working in social services, employment, workforce programming, client counseling, or related area.
• Previous work with immigrant and low English proficiency populations in a workforce development setting highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of community resources.
• Experience with higher education including community colleges, adult schools, and technical training providers is a plus.

Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:

• Experience working with adult learners from a variety of cultural and linguistic groups and with multiple levels of English language skill required; work or volunteer experience with refugee and immigrant populations and understanding of Bay Area’s refugee and immigrant communities desired.
• Proficiency in a refugee language such as Tigrinya, Spanish, Dari/Farsi, Pashto, Ukrainian preferred.
• Willingness to learn industry-specific practices and previous job development experience preferred.
• Ability to effectively set service expectations and coach clients towards shared goals.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking and presentation creation
• Strong interpersonal skills for effective networking and influence. Proven ability to foster and manage client and partner relationships.
• Proven ability to take initiative, creatively problem solve and collaborate in a fast-paced work environment.
• Demonstrated experience in system development and case management.
• Highly organized, attentive to detail, responsible, and flexible: able to maintain responsibility for multiple tasks in the context of a diverse, fast-paced work environment, and maintain composure under pressure.
• Ability to work efficiently across a team to reach specific measured outcome.
• Experience using data and fiscal tracking systems strongly preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite required

Working Environment: a combination of standard office environment, remote work, and ‘field’ time within the service delivery area to perform the above outlined responsibilities.

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 requirement.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity: IRC is committed to building a diverse organization and a climate of inclusivity. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who can demonstrate that they can contribute to this goal. 

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.

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