What are the responsibilities and job description for the Employment Guidance Counselor (Temporary) position at Ramsey County, MN?
Position Summary
The current vacancies are in the Workforce Solutions department.
Are you passionate about walking alongside families as they build toward stability, employment, and lifelong success? Join Workforce Solutions as an Employment Guidance Counselor and be a catalyst for change in the lives of individuals participating in the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP).
This position in Workforce Solutions provides employment guidance counseling for individuals receiving services in Minnesota Family Investment Programs (MFIP). The Employment Guidance Counselor position provides full scope of employment services and case management including orientation, intake, assessment, career counseling, goal planning, employment plan development, referrals, community resource coordination, a documentation/verification, and full family centered support.
The candidate must have a services mindset that utilizes a strength-based approach, coach approach and motivational interviewing that ensures families are at the center of program requirements in working toward family stability and employment and education goals. The individual will need to demonstrate the ability to collect and track documentation, maintain and update case records electronically, ongoing engagement and communication and time management are additional required skills.
Flexible Workplace:
This position is identified under the designation of ‘flex work eligible’, meaning that the employee can formally opt to be in-office full-time or work a flex schedule in which at least two-days per week are performed in office and other days can be performed in a remote-first environment. Regardless of selection, the position carries expectations regarding on-site responsibilities and will require schedule flexibility beyond the minimum expectations set forth in the county’s flexible workplace policy. To view Ramsey County’s Flexible Workplace policy, go to: Flexible Workplace Policy
Basic Function:
To provide employment guidance counseling to facilitate the employment process for individuals who are public assistance and social service recipients, economically disadvantaged, dislocated workers, and/or unemployed, to guide them as they pursue obtaining a diploma, GED or other training, obtaining or maintaining employment, or improving their employment status. To perform related duties as assigned.
Examples of Work Performed
- Interview potential participants in order to determine eligibility and assess employment and educational status and prospects with respect to the individual's interests, abilities, education, experience, aptitudes, needs and labor market demands.
- Work with program participants to develop an individualized employability plan that focuses on participant potential, addresses employment and education barriers, and structures activities toward education and employment goals.
- Provide follow-up and support services to individuals by monitoring and documenting participants' accountability in program progress in implementing their employability plan and reaching established education and vocational goals; resolving employment problems through ongoing counseling with program participants and continued counselor contact with schools, employers, and other service providers as needed; and, when and if necessary, initiate welfare sanctions for participants who are not in compliance.
- Achieve individual performance goals to contribute to overall program performance outcomes.
- Maintain case records and documentation of eligibility assessments; management information system tracking; employability development plans and participant contracts; service referrals; and expenditures the counselor has authorized for vocational training, support services and employment related equipment and expenses.
- Provide vocational information on education and/or employment options, working conditions, training programs, financial aid opportunities, refugee services, and current labor market conditions to program participants, community agencies and other County service providers.
- Identify barriers to participants completing their education or obtaining employment including physical, psychological, educational, cultural, familial, attitudinal and chemical abuse problems.
- Recommend, schedule, and coordinate services for program participants with community agencies and with medical and social service professionals to address identified needs.
- Identify financial aid programs available to individuals and advise them of the effects of such programs on TANF, food support, and childcare and housing subsidies.
- Identify support service needs and make referrals as appropriate; facilitate crisis counseling, intervention and referral to meet emergency needs for food, housing, legal assistance, pregnancy counseling, physical safety and financial management; make referrals to appropriate community service providers and culturally specific programs as appropriate.
- Determine need for specific achievement, aptitude, interest or psychological testing; refer program participants for testing or administer tests; analyze and interpret test results; and discuss results with participants as part of their overall vocational and educational assessment.
- Develop and conduct one-to-one or workshop sessions to build job seeking and job-keeping skills, goal setting, resume writing, self-esteem and to foster positive attitudes.
- Administer and interpret various assessment tools and evaluation instruments that highlight program participants’ employment needs, skills and abilities.
- Research job market conditions and educational resources to develop vocational guidance resource materials by evaluating school placement statistics; researching news reports, professional journals and Dept. of Labor publications; visiting educational institutions and interviewing school personnel and staff at the Dept. of Education; and conferring with professionals and participants from other employment programs.
- Develop and maintain relationships with other service professionals and agencies, including those providing services to refugees, in order to facilitate individual’s access to community resources and to evaluate effectiveness of these programs.
- Represent the department at appeal hearings in relation to services provided to program participants. Contact employers to solicit participation in state and federal jobs programs and provide recommendations regarding the organization and development of such programs.
(The work assigned to a position in this classification may not include all possible tasks in this description and does not limit the assignment of any additional tasks in this classification. Regular attendance according to the position’s management approved work schedule is required.)
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.
Minimum Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's Degree in a social science or related field or equivalent.
Experience: None.
Substitution: Equivalent combination of education and related experience.
Preferred: Prior MFIP Experience; Demonstrated understanding of serving low-income populations, cultural diversity, and case management tracking; Demonstrated creativity, adaptability, initiative, and accountability are also key desired attributes.
Certifications/Licensure: None.
Exam/Screening Process Information
This is a temporary, unclassified, at-will position. This position requires an open screening and selection process. There is no exam for this temporary unclassified, at-will, position. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be forwarded to the hiring department for further consideration on an ongoing basis until all positions have been filled.
Definition of Unclassified from the Ramsey County Personnel Act:
Criminal Background Checks:
All employment offers are conditioned upon the applicant passing a criminal background check. Convictions are not an automatic bar to employment. Each case is considered on its individual merits and the type of work sought. However, making false statements or withholding information will cause you to be barred from employment, or removed from employment.
E-Verify Participation:
Ramsey County participates in the federal E-Verify program. This means that Ramsey County will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. If the Government cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, Ramsey County is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact DHS and/or the SSA before taking adverse action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers may not use E-Verify to pre-screen job applicants and may not limit or influence the choice of documents you present for use on the Form I-9.
Equal Opportunity Employer:
Ramsey County provides equal access to employment, programs, and services without regard to race, color, creed, religion, age, sex (except when sex is a Bona Fide Occupational Qualification), disability, familial or marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity, public assistance status, place of residence, political affiliation, or national origin. Ramsey County is deeply committed to advancing racial equity and promoting diversity and inclusion within all areas of our workforce.
Ramsey County is deeply committed to advancing racial equity and promoting diversity and inclusion within all areas of its workforce. The county strives being equitable, inclusive, transparent, respectful, and impactful in how we serve and engage with residents, as well as Ramsey County employees. Advancing racial equity ensures all people who need access to opportunities and services we provide, will receive them. Racial equity is achieved when race can no longer be used to predict life outcomes, and outcomes for all are improved.
. You will need to print this posting AND answer the supplemental questions associated with this exam and submit them with your completed paper application.
For further information regarding this posting, please contact lindsey.hunter@co.ramsey.mn.us.
Ramsey County provides a wide range of employee benefits to support health, well-being, and work/life balance. Benefits eligibility can vary depending on union status/contract language. A summary of benefits is provided below. Detailed information is available for review at https://www.ramseycounty.us/employees/employee-open-enrollment-2025-benefits
- Medical, dental and vision insurance
- The County contributes a bargained percentage to the medical and dental monthly premium
- Employees choose from four enrollment tiers: Single, Employee legally married spouse, Employee Child(ren), Family
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Medical insurance – three plan options including a High Deductible Plan with a Health Saving Account offered. Earn up to $20/month in electronic gift cards for each enrolled employee or spouse for wellness activity
- MetLife Dental Insurance – two plan options offered
- VSP Vision Insurance – Advantage Plan offered
- Pre-tax Benefit Program
- Pre-tax medical, dental, vision monthly premium deduction option
- Dependent and Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts
- County monthly contribution to a Health Savings Account for employees who elect the High Deductible medical plan
- Paid time off
- Vacation hours, accrued based on years of service, ranging from 12 to 25 days per year (pro-rated for part-time employees)
- 11 scheduled holidays and two floating holidays
- Up to eight weeks of 100% paid parental leave, plus additional use of sick time as noted below
- Sick hours accrued at a rate of three weeks per year, which can be used for medical and dental care; injury or illness for you, your spouse or children; the birth or adoption of a child (up to 80 hours) or the death of a family member (up to 40 hours)
- Wellness incentive allows conversion of unused sick time to vacation or pay
- Retirement benefits
- Pension - The county contributes at least 7.5% of your salary to your pension, depending on bargaining unit. Unlike other retirement investments, pension payments are a lifetime benefit once you start collecting payments
- New employees become vested after three years. For the Police and Fire union, employees are vested after 10 years
- Deferred compensation - 457(b) account with employer match
- Health Care Savings Plan - all benefits-eligible employees contribute 1% of gross regular salary to a Health Care Savings Plan account for eligible health care expenses after retirement. Interest accrues tax free. County provides a scheduled contribution after five years of participation
- Transit and parking
- Fully funded Metropass.
- Transportation/parking expenses reimbursement account
- Employee well-being
- Employee assistance program, including telephone counseling, financial counseling, rideshare benefits, etc.
- Wellness programming
- Flexible work policy with hybrid work options for eligible positions
- Life Insurance and Disability leave
- County provided Basic Life coverage - 1x annual salary, minimum $10,000 up to a maximum of $50,000. Optional supplemental coverage available
- Long-term Disability – County provided coverage replaces 40% of the employee’s lost income after six months of disability, subject to a $5,000 monthly maximum. Option to purchase an additional 20% income replacement up to $7,500 monthly maximum
- Short-term Disability – option to purchase 60% income replacement coverage with 30, 60 or 90-day waiting period
- Career development
- Tuition reimbursement, up to $4,000 per year
- Online professional development opportunities through the Learning & Development Center
- County employment qualifies as a public service organization for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
- Employee resource groups – help employees build connections through common bonds with colleagues
For information about Ramsey County's 2025 benefits, visit: https://www.ramseycounty.us/employees/employee-open-enrollment-2025-benefits
Salary : $63,811 - $95,717
