Career & Youth Development Specialist

Kinsley Power Systems; New York (NY); On-site; USD 55,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Spanish language differential

Job summary

JCCA is seeking a passionate Career & Youth Development Specialist to empower youth in foster care as they prepare for adulthood. The role centers on Positive Youth Development, equipping youth with independent living and career-readiness skills.

You will work with youth ages 14+ through coaching, group workshops, and collaboration with employers and community partners to create meaningful employment opportunities and support durable outcomes.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years of experience working with disadvantaged youth.
• Experience in youth development, workforce development, or foster care strongly preferred.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience motivating and mentoring young people.
• Ability to work independently and take initiative.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate youth development and independent living workshops and coaching sessions.
• Develop individualized goals and employment, internship, or vocational opportunities.
• Coordinate with employers, programs, and partners to build pipelines to success.
• Assist with discharge planning and transitional supports including Medicaid documentation.
• Support resume development, mock interviews, and job applications.

Skills

Youth development

Mentoring

Communication

Organizational skills

Trauma-informed practice

Collaboration

MS Office

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

JCCA is seeking a passionate, driven, and youth-centered Career & Youth Development Specialist to empower young people in foster care as they prepare for adulthood. This role is rooted in a Positive Youth Development approach and focuses on equipping youth with the independent living, career readiness, and self-advocacy skills they need to thrive.

The Career & Youth Development Specialist partners directly with youth (ages 14+) to:

• Assess strengths, interests, and needs
• Develop individualized Preparing Youth for Adulthood (PYA) goals
• Provide one-on-one coaching and group workshops
• Create employment, internship, and vocational opportunities
• Ensure compliance with PYA mandates and quality standards

You will collaborate closely with interdisciplinary teams, external employers, workforce programs, and community partners to build meaningful pipelines to success.

Youth Development & Independent Living

• Facilitate PYA workshops (financial literacy, job readiness, advocacy, independent living skills)
• Conduct Ansell Casey assessments and NYTD surveys
• Coordinate independent living groups and experiential learning excursions
• Support youth with obtaining vital documents, bank accounts, credit checks, and DMV documentation
• Assist with discharge planning and transitional supports, including Medicaid documentation
• Conduct career assessments and vocational planning
• Support resume development, mock interviews, and job applications
• Develop on- and off-campus employment and internship pipelines
• Oversee job readiness and internship programs (e.g., YA WORC, Mentored Internship Programs)
• Build relationships with employers and workforce programs
• Support non-college-bound youth in exploring alternative career pathways
• Track employment persistence at 3, 6, and 12 months
• Attend Family Team Conferences (FTCs), permanency planning meetings, and vocational reviews
• Train agency staff on Youth Development and Independent Living curriculum
• Partner with LGBTQ+ organizations and other external stakeholders
• Ensure accurate and timely documentation in CONX, Evolve, and Fair Futures platforms

Qualifications

• Minimum 2 years’ experience working with disadvantaged youth
• Experience in youth development, workforce development, or foster care strongly preferred
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Experience motivating and mentoring young people
• Ability to work independently and take initiative
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills
• Trauma-informed and youth-centered practice mindset
• Strong collaboration and relationship-building abilities
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Hours: Monday - Thursday 10AM -6PM; Fridays - 9AM-5PM

Ready to Empower the Next Generation?

Salary: $31.32 per hour ($57K annually) - differential offered for Spanish language skills