Career Navigator Instructor

Goodwill of Lorain County; Elyria (OH); On-site; USD 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

The Career Navigator Instructor at Goodwill of Lorain County delivers career development, workforce readiness, and life skills instruction while providing individualized career coaching and participant support. This role helps participants identify goals, build employability skills, and overcome barriers to secure education, internships, or competitive employment.

Collaborating with community partners and internal teams, the instructor ensures comprehensive services align with Goodwill’s mission

Qualifications

• Associate degree preferred; high school diploma or GED required, or equivalent experience.
• Experience with workforce development, career coaching, or related fields is acceptable.
• Experience working with diverse populations is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Deliver career readiness, workforce development, STEM, digital literacy, financial literacy, customer service, workplace expectations, and soft skills training through classroom instruction, workshops, and individualized coaching.
• Develop and maintain curriculum, lesson plans, instructional materials, and participant resources that support career exploration, career planning, and employment readiness.
• Complete participant intake, assessments, ISPs, goal setting, case documentation, and ongoing progress monitoring.
• Provide career coaching, identify barriers to employment, connect participants with community resources, and assist with employment, education, certification, and workforce program applications.
• Support participants with job placement, career advancement, employment transitions, and retention through ongoing follow-up and coaching.
• Develop partnerships with employers, educational institutions, workforce agencies, and community organizations to expand career exploration and employment opportunities.
• Maintain accurate participant records, prepare required reports, track program outcomes, and ensure compliance with organizational policies, funding requirements, accreditation standards, and confidentiality requirements.
• Participate in staff meetings, strategic planning, outreach events, career fairs, and other initiatives that support participant success and the Mission Services Department.

Skills

Career coaching

Interpersonal skills

Presentation & facilitation

Time management

Organizational skills

Written communication

Verbal communication

Documentation

Multitasking

Confidentiality

Education

Associate degree preferred

High school diploma or GED required

Experience in workforce development or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

AI applications

Northstar Digital Literacy

Workforce tech platforms

Job description

The Career Navigator Instructor delivers career development, workforce readiness, and life skills instruction while providing individualized career coaching and participant support. This position helps participants identify career goals, develop employability skills, overcome barriers to employment, and successfully transition into education, training, internships, volunteer opportunities, and competitive employment. The Career Navigator Instructor collaborates with community partners, employers, and internal departments to ensure participants receive comprehensive services that support successful employment outcomes and align with the mission of Goodwill Industries.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Deliver career readiness, workforce development, STEM, digital literacy, financial literacy, customer service, workplace expectations, and soft skills training through classroom instruction, workshops, and individualized coaching.
• Develop and maintain curriculum, lesson plans, instructional materials, and participant resources that support career exploration, career planning, and employment readiness.
• Complete participant intake, assessments, Individual Service Plans (ISPs), goal setting, case documentation, and ongoing progress monitoring.
• Provide career coaching, identify barriers to employment, connect participants with community resources, and assist with employment, education, certification, and workforce program applications.
• Support participants with job placement, career advancement, employment transitions, and retention through ongoing follow-up and coaching.
• Develop partnerships with employers, educational institutions, workforce agencies, and community organizations to expand career exploration and employment opportunities.
• Maintain accurate participant records, prepare required reports, track program outcomes, and ensure compliance with organizational policies, funding requirements, accreditation standards, and confidentiality requirements.
• Participate in staff meetings, strategic planning, outreach events, career fairs, and other initiatives that support participant success and the Mission Services Department.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Associate degree in a related field preferred but not required. High school diploma or GED required. Or a minimum of two (2) years of experience in workforce development, career coaching, employment services, adult education, training, facilitation, case management, or a related field, or an associate degree in a related field.
• Experience working with diverse populations is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of workforce development practices and employment resources.
• Strong presentation, facilitation, coaching, and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, organizational, and time management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining accurate documentation.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), AI applications, Northstar Digital Literacy, and other workforce technology platforms.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgment.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit, stand, walk, and conduct training sessions for extended periods.
• Ability to travel between Goodwill locations and community partner sites as needed.
• Ability to occasionally lift and carry up to 25 pounds.