SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

BACKGROUND: For over 40 years, Urban Strategies, Inc. (USI) has assisted residents and community stakeholders to design and implement a wide range of transformative projects in distressed U.S. communities. Our goal is to ensure that our all of families are stable and thriving. USI recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law. At USI, we have a clear vision: to be a place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come, to stay and do their best work. USI’s dedication to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion is clearly reflected in our mission and values.

JOB SUMMARY: The Employment Specialist will recruit and connect low-income adult residents of the housing community to opportunities for education, job readiness, skills training, and employment through results-oriented strategies. The ideal candidate will understand, and be able to effectively deliver, services based on established ties with employers in each city.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop a results-oriented action plan centered on economic mobility for targeted project.
• Develop comprehensive community strategies for employment and career advancement
• Work with employers to facilitate job opportunities.
• Provide ongoing counseling, recruitment, and screen clients for: employment education, entrepreneurial and employment opportunities, and workforce training programs
• Conduct individual assessments for residents who need assistance with employment
• Create individual development plans for clients seeking employment and/or career advancement
• Develop and implement tracking procedures to ensure and document compliance with contract provisions related to labor compliance
• Learn, and fully utilize, the company’s internal data tracking system
• Interpret Federal, State, and Local labor laws, rules, regulations and objectives as they pertain to resident hiring according to Davis Bacon and Section 3 compliance

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and/or experience required:

• Bachelor’s Degree or higher in Social Work, Sociology, Psychology, Human Resources, Redevelopment, Construction or other relevant field
• At least three years of professional work experience in a relevant field

Skills and/or competencies required

• Strong working knowledge and experience in common construction industry practices, procedures, labor costs, hiring, and assessments of workforce needs
• Strong working knowledge of common human resources hiring practices, interviewing and candidate selection
• Ability to analyze and interpret disaggregated data, and to base program designs on resident-driven and data-driven rationale.
• Strong adaptive skills. Must excel in fast-paced environment a broad set of diverse stakeholders.
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office Excel, and Power Point
• Ability and commitment to handle privileged information in a professional and confidential manner.
• Availability to attend evening and weekend functions as required.
• Possession of a valid driver’s license and insurance and availability of automobile for use at work to travel to various sites.
• Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills.

THIS JOB DESCRIPTION IS NOT INTENDED TO BE AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSTRUED AS AN ALL INCLUSIVE LIST OF ALL THE RESPONSIBILITIES, SKILLS OR WORKING CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE POSITION. WHILE IT IS INTENDED TO ACCURATELY REFLECT THE POSITION ACTIVITIES AND REQUIREMENTS, MANAGEMENT RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY, ADD OR REMOVE DUTIES AND ASSIGN OTHER DUTIES AS NECESSARY. REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS MAY BE MADE TO ASSIST INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES IN MEETING THE EXPECTATIONS OF THIS POSITION.

USI is an Equal Opportunity Employer