Employment & Training Specialist

The City of Alexandria is bordered by Washington D.C. and the Potomac River, Arlington and Fairfax counties, and Maryland. The small city has a cosmopolitan feel with 150,000 people living within its 15.75 square miles. At the Department of Community and Human Services, we provide essential safety net services to help city residents enjoy a sense of well-being, safety and self-sufficiency. Our behavioral health programs provide compassionate services that support self-determination and recovery. The beauty of our diverse and resilient people and our commitment to race and social equity, coupled with a historic district dating to 1749, charming waterfront, vibrant arts community and unique places for foodies and shopping, make the City of Alexandria a uniquely wonderful place to live, work and play. We invite all qualified candidates to learn more and apply for our Employment & Training Specialist position.

Self-Sufficiency Specialist II represents the full performance level in the occupational group for Self-Sufficiency Specialists responsible for determining eligibility for a variety of social services government assistance programs and assessing employability of clients to aid in their effort to achieve self sufficiency. Employees are dedicated wholly to Employment Services or to a combination of Benefits and Employment Services. The work is performed within established policies, procedures and guidelines, but certain aspects of eligibility determination require independent judgment, especially as related to evaluation of social factors influencing eligibility and employment. Employees seek supervisory help for difficult or unusual situations only. The Self-Sufficiency Specialist II is distinguished from the Self-Sufficiency Specialist III by the latter’s performing advanced technical work requiring depth and breadth of knowledge to understand, analyze and act as a technical resource for others on social services’ eligibility and employment programs.

The work of the Employment & Training Specialist involves timely enrollment, effective and efficient management of VIEW (Virginia Initiative for Employment not Welfare) cases providing excellent customer service. This consists of assessing, enrolling, providing direct service and referrals for education, training, employment, and other essential supportive services to aid clients in their effort towards economic self-sufficiency. Working in a team environment, the position is expected to have expert level knowledge in the application of VIEW program rules as well as meeting program expectations and goals/targets.

Example of Duties:

• Engages the client through an assessment process, identifying and evaluating the client’s work experience, education/training skills, proficiencies, deficiencies, and job readiness ability, to determine client’s level of employability. 
• Screens for and determines barriers to employment.
• Prepares referrals for crisis intervention and supportive services as required. 
• Assesses/reassess clients timely and develops/updates Activity and Service Plan by assigning the client to an appropriate component for both immediate and long-term employability.   
• Inputs assessment, activity and service plan and other case management data (component assignments, closures, job placements, follow ups and participation).
• Enters data into state case management system in a timely and accurate way according to local, state and federal requirements. 
• Chronologically, documents detailed contacts with clients and services received.
• Reports non-compliant clients to Benefits worker for sanctions and terminations. 
• Collects and compiles data concerning background information on clients, enrollments, placements and terminations.
• Reviews and verifies correspondence for validity (employment offer letters, school attendance, medical evaluations, job search, etc.)
• Interprets and implements policy and procedure in the facilitation of services.
• Reviews policy updates.
• Uses policy to compose technical documents for appeals, and summary reports as required.
• Ensures data input and reports are completed in a timely manner, meeting deadlines according to local, state and federal requirements.
• Acts as a liaison with mandated partners.
• Provides ongoing employment counseling clients. 
• Meets with team members, mandated partners, etc. as needed to address clients’ problems, employment needs, program participation and coordination of services.
• Assists with employment recruitments and Career Fair Events.

Minimum Qualifications:

High school diploma supplemented with additional training and related work experience with experience in benefit programs, use of computer software and hardware, and completion of required Benefit and Employment Services Programs training OR any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities. Working knowledge of practices of public social service organizations; employment services; Working knowledge of interviewing techniques such as data collection and investigation. Skill in operating a personal computer and the associated office and agency software. Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing with broad spectrum of individuals to include, but not limited to, customers, employers, courts, and medical professionals in person and on the phone; Demonstrated ability to interview, gather information, re-evaluate each client’s situation, and make referrals; Demonstrated ability to make eligibility and employability decisions; Demonstrated ability to independently identify customers’ employment needs and develop employment plans; Demonstrated ability to analyze information and determine from a variety of sources missing information and gaps; Demonstrated ability to use various types of automated technology to establish and maintain case records, access data such as estates, retirement accounts, and real estate, reports, and manipulate data; Demonstrated ability to maintain professional ethics related to confidentiality; Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment, discretion, tact and resourcefulness in solving problems and drawing logical conclusions; Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with applicants and recipients, other public and private agencies, associates, and the public in a positive and tactful manner under sometimes stressful situations.

Preferred Qualifications:

Four-Year College Degree with completion of college-level courses in social science, guidance and vocational counseling, human service delivery systems, or a related field; Some experience in vocational guidance and counseling; or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.