Training & Workforce Development Coordinator, Institute for Community Justice

Posted by Philadelphia FIGHT on April 16, 2018

Philadelphia FIGHT/ Institute for Community Justice (ICJ) is currently seeking a full-time Training & Workforce Development Coordinator to coordinate services and resources within ICJ’s Reentry Center. This position includes assisting job-seekers in accessing the following: career information, linkage to community resources, placement assistance, information on education opportunities, information on how to overcome barriers to employment, and accessing additional supporting employment information. The workforce development coordinator will work with individuals with diverse backgrounds who are pursuing employment and training opportunities. The individual will work with a variety of organizations and employers to assure quality workforce development services are provided within the Reentry Center Job.

The Training & Workforce Development Coordinator will function as a core member of our dynamic Reentry Center team. The Coordinator will provide career readiness/job search, design curriculum and establish partnerships with hard skill/sector based training providers throughout the city for our clients to continue learning.  Moreover, the Training and Workforce Development Coordinator will enjoy an engaging, collaborative environment within ICJ’s Reentry Center, which encourages innovation and creative approaches to helping our participants succeed. ICJ is a citywide leader in Reentry Services and our programs are consistently on the cutting edge of the field. Equipped with the passion, creativity, organizational skills, and empathy that this position requires, our selected candidate will have the opportunity to work cooperatively with ICJ’s Reentry Center team of experts to help our community’s job seekers thrive.

Overall Purpose and Objective of Position:

The primary function of this position is to coordinate career and employment services for ICJ’s Reentry Center Workforce Development and Training Component by assisting individuals who have been impacted by mass incarcerated/mass imprisonment and returning citizens in finding career ladder/career lattice opportunities, case managing clients with vocational barriers, and assisting workforce development staff in their efforts to provide career case management to this population. This position reports directly to the Reentry Center Manager.
The Workforce Development Coordinator will assist in expanding the Institute for Community Justice’s (ICJ) workforce development programs and initiatives. The Workforce Development Coordinator is responsible for engaging participants in all aspects of career planning and development through 1:1 coaching, group workshop facilitation, vocational assessments, skill-building group workshops, and direct connection to employers and training opportunities.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Coordinates career and employment services for the Workforce Development Component of the Reentry Center.
• Ensures case management services are provided to clients enrolled in the Workforce Development program which includes addressing legal, educational, or health barriers.
• Works with clients and staff to develop an employment plan.
• Assists with the preparation of proposals and application packages.
• Performs necessary tasks to achieve Workforce Program goals and compile data for reporting.
• Responsible for quarterly reports and corrective action plans, as well as reports for other workforce funders and organizations weekly, monthly, and year-end reports.
• Uses a variety of local, regional, and national labor market information to assist clients in making informed employment choices.
• Assesses clients’ need for supportive services and initiates appropriate supportive services.
• Ensures a detailed case file is maintained on each client and assures that all case files include a skill set assessment.
• Secures meetings with companies hiring representatives to present the organization’s programs and makes presentation of clients’ employment backgrounds to prospective employers.
• Meets with referred clients to assess employment skills and goals and refer to job openings.
• Oversees job readiness and retention classes for clients to increase marketable work-related skills for obtaining and retaining employment.
• Works to place clients who have completed a training/vocational education program, as needed.
• Coordinates Career Fairs, Job Clubs, On-the-Job Training Programs, Credentialing/Industry Recognized Certifications, and Work Therapy Programs with clients and prospective employers.
• Provides engaging career readiness training, job training workshops, related sector skills training to program participants engaged in ICJ’s Reentry Center Employment programs.
• Create/enhance curriculum to ensure it meets the needs of the clients.
• Streamline ICJ’s partnerships with training providers across the city, serving as the point person for existing training partners, and developing new partnerships with organizations that can provide trainings both onsite and via referrals, leading to industry-recognized credentials and/or hard skills development.
• Coordinates direct sector skills training in areas such as customer service, hospitality, SERV Safe, OSHA, Flagger, Forklift or other related trainings.
• Collaborates with employers to develop employer focused training opportunities and conduct employer marketing.
• Handles special projects as assigned by supervisor.
• Performs other duties as required.
• Record Keeping:
  • Develops and maintains a database of local area employers contacting them at least monthly for potential job opportunities for clients.
  • Tracks clients to ensure follow-through and support them throughout training/licensing processes.
  • Maintains primary responsibility for the tracking of the client’s progress through his or her particular program and documents such progress in the case note section of the client case file and/or on various workforce forms in the client file.
  • Evaluates training impact and track training outcomes.

Ongoing Requirements:
• Demonstrated understanding of the core skills needed in returning to work and in conducting a job search.
• Demonstrated understanding of Philadelphia’s workforce development and training landscape.
• Ability to coordinate industry recognized credentials training opportunities
• Attend bi-weekly ICJ staff meeting
• Attend weekly supervisions
• Support the efforts of the Prison Summit, including but not limited to attending meetings, developing content and volunteering planning meetings.

Qualified candidates will have strong written and oral communication skills, along with a willingness to work with and effectively relate to diverse backgrounds. Candidates must have the ability to meet deadlines, perform self-directed follow-up and maintain accurate record keeping. Candidates must be able to demonstrate knowledge of the agency mission, vision, goals, and philosophy, along with all policies and procedures. This individual must abide by agency and professional code of ethics, including a professional approach to all functions and relationships with all levels of staff and public.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Human Services, Social Sciences, or a related field is desired.
• Three years minimum case management experience preferably in an employment program environment; must have training experience.
• Ability to work effectively with a diverse group of clients, staff, and community members.
• Experience in working with clients possessing multiple barriers to employment.
• Experience working with vulnerable populations to include individuals impacted by mass incarceration, ex-offenders, returning citizens, homeless, mental health and substance abuse.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills and written skills.
• Computer proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and Internet.
• Ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks.
• Must have strong presentation skills and possess the ability to interact with small, medium, and large groups.
• Passion for serving underrepresented populations, especially individuals who have been impacted by mass incarceration.

Other

Initial probationary period is three months.
Physical Demands:
● Occasional lifting of 10 – 20 lbs. and pushing of 5-20 lbs.
● Sitting, standing and walking approximately 80% of the time
● A medium to high level of manual dexterity required
● Bending and reaching approximately 20% of the time
● Normal accessibility and mobility required
● Normal overtime/extended work hours

FIGHT is an EEO, Affirmative Action, LGBTQIA, and people living with HIV/AIDS and protected veterans institution.

https://www.appone.com/MainInfoReq.asp?R_ID=1935029