Bilingual Lead Vocational Counselor — Long Branch

INTERFAITH WORKS, INC.; Silver Spring (MD); On-site; USD 57,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

14 paid holidays

21 days PTO

Medical/dental/vision coverage

Long-term disability insurance

Life and AD&D insurance

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Job summary

Interfaith Works in Silver Spring, MD seeks a bilingual Lead Vocational Counselor to support the Long Branch Thrives initiative. Based at the Long Branch Community Hub, you will provide employment coaching, resume support, and engage employers to expand opportunities for residents exiting homelessness.

You will work with Spanish/English or Amharic/English speakers, help build workforce partnerships, and ensure grant objectives are met while delivering client-centered services within a dynamic

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience.
• Fluency in Spanish and English or Amharic and English with ability to provide services in the participant's preferred language.
• Strong interpersonal, verbal, written, and presentation skills.
• Valid driver's license and access to reliable transportation.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook) and virtual meeting platforms such as Zoom and Teams.
• Strong organizational, administrative, and time-management skills.
• Experience developing resumes, cover letters, and other employment-related materials.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively, exercise sound judgment, and manage competing priorities.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of participants and lead clients through a structured, targeted job search process, providing individualized vocational counseling, coaching, and skill-building.
• Support achievement of grant outcomes by maintaining strong participant engagement, job placement activity, employment retention efforts, and successful workforce development outcomes.
• Meet regularly with participants to monitor progress, reinforce accountability, adjust employment goals, and provide ongoing employment retention support.
• Conduct vocational assessments and develop individualized employment plans that address participants' strengths, goals, and barriers to employment.
• Build and maintain relationships with employers through direct outreach, networking, and community engagement activities to identify employment opportunities and create hiring pathways for participants.
• Deliver job-readiness training and coaching, including resume development, interview preparation, workplace expectations, job search strategies, and techniques for successfully navigating the employment process.
• Develop expertise in workforce barriers and employment challenges faced by the communities served through the program and support participants in navigating employment systems, accessing opportunities, and advancing along career pathways.
• Serve as the primary workforce development representative for the Long Branch Thrives initiative and actively participate in community meetings, partnerships, outreach efforts, and collaborative activities.
• Collaborate with case managers, community partners, employers, and service providers to ensure coordinated support and successful participant outcomes.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation, case records, outcome tracking, grant data, and reports using Dynamics 365 and other required systems.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen workforce programming, improve participant outcomes, and support implementation of grant-funded initiatives.
• Demonstrate exceptional organizational skills, initiative, problem-solving ability, and a results-oriented approach to achieving program and grant goals.
• Serve as a trusted representative of Interfaith Works within the Long Branch community, building relationships with participants, employers, and community partners while advancing workforce development opportunities and program goals.

Skills

Bilingual Spanish/English

Bilingual Amharic/English

Communication skills

Microsoft Office 365

Zoom/Teams

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office 365

Zoom

Teams

Job description

Interfaith Works in Silver Spring, MD seeks a bilingual Lead Vocational Counselor to support the Long Branch Thrives initiative. Based at the Long Branch Community Hub, you will provide employment coaching, resume support, and engage employers to expand opportunities for residents exiting homelessness.

You will work with Spanish/English or Amharic/English speakers, help build workforce partnerships, and ensure grant objectives are met while delivering client-centered services within a dynamic