Placement Specialist

Job Purpose

The Placement Specialist assists individual students to attain and keep competitive employment that is consistent with his or her vocational goals. The Vocational Specialist will assist students in their career choices by providing guidance and support to students.

Duties and Responsibilities

Primary job duties and responsibilities:

• Conducts orientation/interviews with each individual student to evaluate skills, work history, and personality.
• Develops an individual career plan and training plan for each new student with information from the student, and with permission from family members or past employers.
• Conducts a required job class that teaches students job readiness skills.
• Assists students with long-term employment goals, work history, strengths, personal culture, and other factors that relate to a current vocational goal.
• Engages with students and establish collaborative, trusting relationships directed toward the goal of competitive employment in community settings.
• Posts weekly job listings from local and surrounding areas.
• Provides information on different community activities, social events, and/or professional development workshops.
• Travels frequently by doing employer- and home-visits to check on students' attendance, work, and performance evaluation status.
• Builds rapport with individuals in the area, with community businesses, universities, and community colleges.
• Maintains student records and data on work and volunteer hours.
• Provides a weekly report on community services, developments, and overall employment work percentage.
• Perform all other job duties as assigned.

Qualifications, Education and Experience

Necessary and desirable qualifications include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Must have a passion for improving educational opportunities for urban students and for building a strong, mission-driven organization.
• Willingness to go above and beyond to support students in achieving academic goals.
• Commitment to continued personal and professional growth, and a commitment to the company’s mission, vision, and growth.
• Exceptional interpersonal, communication and presentation skills.
• Effective organizational skills with the ability to perform multiple tasks.
• Proven effective classroom instructional and management skills.
• Experience with personalized student advising and motivation skills.
• Has demonstrated ability to work effectively with all stakeholders.
• Commitment to continued personal and professional growth.
• Proficiency in the use of technology.
• Education Preferred:
• Bachelor’s degree
• Certification/licensure in appropriate teaching area
• Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) status in teaching assignment

Working Conditions

This job is performed in a generally clean and healthy environment. The employee may be required to deal with students with behavioral risks.

Physical Requirements

The usual and customary methods of performing the job’s functions require the following physical demands: some lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling; and significant fine finger dexterity.

Reasonable accommodations can be made to employees with qualified disabilities who can perform the essential functions of the job, so long as there is no undue hardship created upon the organization or other employees within the organization.

Supervision Received

Occasional, minimal guidance, but follows established work methods.

Direct Reports

None.

Conclusion

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the job and the general nature and level of work performed within this job. However, this job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, qualifications, or physical demands associated with the position.