Employment Specialist

Project Renewal is a leading non-profit organization with the mission of building supportive communities where people achieve dignity and independence, renewing their lives with health, homes, and jobs. Our comprehensive and integrated 24/7 programs are designed to offer the holistic care our clients need. With a staff of 950 and an annual budget of $140 million, Project Renewal is one of the larger social service nonprofits in New York City.

Title: Employment and Retention Specialist

Program: Next Step - Workforce Development

Schedule: Hybrid Schedule (post 90-day successful employment)

Salary Range: $55,000 – $60,000 per year

Next Step is Project Renewal’s award-winning job placement program which places homeless, formerly homeless, and low-income individuals in competitive employment. Since 2000, Project Renewal has helped nearly 5,000 New Yorkers find and retain employment, achieve economic security, lead more fulfilling lives, and positively contribute to their communities. Our comprehensive approach allows us to work individually with each client to minimize barriers to employment and prepare them for the world of work.

Overall Responsibilities

The Employment and Retention Specialist is a passionate advocate for individuals facing barriers to employment. This role requires a deep understanding of the challenges underserved populations face and a commitment to connecting them with opportunities for economic empowerment. The Employment & Retention Specialist will cultivate and manage relationships with employers across diverse industries to identify job opportunities and promote the hiring of program participants across our training and supportive services programs and work across functional lines to ensure client placement and retention goals are met.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

Reporting to the Sr. Job Developer, duties include, but are not limited to:

• Prepare graduates for employment and place them into jobs
• Identify, develop and maintain a network of employer partners across various sectors
• Manage a caseload of job-seeking and employed graduates
• Maintain timely, accurate and detailed case record for each graduate and employer in the Salesforce database system, including job search and follow-up activity
• Meet monthly job placement and retention goals
• Meet with graduates individually to develop a customized job search plan
• Represent Project Renewal at job fairs and other public forums
• Coordinate recruitment and hiring events with employer network
• Track and follow up on job interviews, internships, and job placements
• Work with HR Departments to ensure that clients are cleared for employment
• Verify employment and monitor employer and client relationship
• Obtain job placement and retention milestone documentation that meets standards of contract
• Conduct workforce development workshops for students and graduates
• Document all interactions in the clients’ record in Salesforce
• Maintain employment data such as wage increases, promotions, resignations, and terminations; and generating reports and statistics
• Perform other duties as assigned
  
  

Qualifications

• HS Diploma/GED
• 3 - 5 years of experience in workforce development.
• Experience in creating successful employer partnerships within the Human Service industry; NYC Shelter employment experience
• Experience working in performance-based programs
• Excellent facilitation, presentation and communication skills with the ability to inspire and engage adult learners
• Prior experience working with vulnerable populations, including individuals who have been incarcerated, struggled with substance use, or faced mental health challenges
  
  

Project Renewal is an equal opportunity employer. Its long-standing policy has been to embrace the equality of opportunity for all employees and applicants without regard to actual or perceived race, color, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, religion or creed, gender (see separately issued Gender Discrimination policy for more detail), physical or mental disability, age (18 and over), military status, arrest record, marital status, domestic partnership status, genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristic, sexual orientation, status as a victim or witness of domestic violence, sex offenses or stalking, unemployment status or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state and local laws.