Employer Engagement Specialist

Department for the Aging; New York (NY); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Department for the Aging in New York City seeks an Employer Engagement Specialist to build and maintain employer partnerships that support job placement and workforce initiatives for mature job seekers. The role centers on connecting qualified candidates to opportunities, coordinating hiring events, and aligning employer needs with program activities.

You will work with employers, training providers, and internal teams to advance age-inclusive hiring, track placements and retention, and

Qualifications

• A bachelors degree and two years of experience in community work or related duties.
• High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or related duties.
• Education/experience equivalent to the above; at least one year of the initial 1–2 qualification must be met.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategies to build and sustain a network of employers, training partners, and stakeholders that support job placement and long-term employment outcomes for program participants.
• Conduct ongoing outreach to employers to identify hiring needs, workforce trends, and opportunities for candidate placement.
• Engage employers to define workforce needs, hiring challenges, and required skills to align referrals and activities.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with employers, training providers, and internal teams to support program goals.
• Support job placement by matching qualified candidates to opportunities and maintaining a steady placement pipeline.
• Coordinate and support hiring events, on-site recruitment, and employer information sessions.
• Share insights from engagement to inform workforce strategies and improve responsiveness.
• Assess labor market demand to understand workforce needs of older adults.
• Provide support to program participants for job readiness, placement, and retention.
• Track employer engagement, placements, and retention, ensuring documentation.
• Facilitate workforce program activities and document program data for CQI and performance.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Communication

Project management

Data interpretation

Team collaboration

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree + 2 years experience

High school diploma + 6 years experience

Equivalent education/experience with 1+ year experience

Job description

With an overarching mission to eliminate ageism and ensure the dignity and quality of life of approximately 1.8 million older New Yorkers, the NYC Department for the Aging is deeply committed to helping older adults age in their homes and creating a community-care approach that reflects a model age-inclusive city. The Employer Engagement Specialist is responsible for developing and maintaining employer partnerships to support job placement and workforce initiatives for mature and experienced job seekers. This role focuses on connecting qualified candidates to employment opportunities, coordinating hiring events and supporting employer driven workforce strategies. The Specialist plays a key role in advancing age-inclusive hiring practices, strengthening employer relationships, and ensuring consistent placement and retention outcomes.

The responsibilities of the Employer Engagement Specialist include, but are not limited to:

• - Develop and implement strategies to build and sustain a network of employers, training partners, and stakeholders that support job placement and long-term employment outcomes for program participants.
• - Conduct ongoing outreach to employers to identify hiring needs, workforce trends, and opportunities for candidate placement.
• - Engage employers in defining workforce needs, hiring challenges, and required skills, and use this information to align candidate referrals and workforce activities.
• - Build and maintain strong working relationships with employers, training providers, and internal teams to support program goals.
• - Support job placement efforts by matching qualified candidates to available opportunities and maintaining a consistent placement pipeline.
• - Coordinate and support hiring events, including on-site recruitment events, employer information sessions, and workforce initiatives such as hiring halls and community-based outreach.
• - Gather and share insights from employer and industry engagement to inform workforce strategies and improve program responsiveness.
• - Assess labor market demand and stakeholder input to better understand and respond to the workforce needs of older adults.
• - Provide support to program participants to promote job readiness, successful placement, and employment retention.
• - Track employer engagement activities, job placements, and retention outcomes, ensuring accurate and timely documentation.
• - Facilitate workforce program activities, including orientations, workshops, assessments, employer engagements, and external events, while supporting service delivery and participant success.
• - Track, analyze, and report program data to support Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI), program performance, and strategic workforce initiatives.
• - Collaborate cross-functionally with staff, partners, and stakeholders to implement workforce strategies and translate goals into actionable outcomes.
• - Manage multiple priorities independently, complete assignments in a timely manner, and support additional program needs as directed by the Program Director.

COMMUNITY COORDINATOR - 56058

Minimum Qualifications

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or 2. High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or 3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" or "2" above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in "1" above.

Preferred Skills

• - Ability to communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders through clear verbal and written communication.
• - Familiarity with, or willingness to learn, the NYC workforce development ecosystem and key stakeholders.
• - Recognize employer hiring needs, with experience engaging employers and/or training partners.
• - Ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines with limited supervision.
• - Experience building relationships and fostering collaboration with clients, employers, and program partners.
• - Highly organized, detail-oriented, and self-motivated, with the ability to take initiative.
• - Ability to interpret and work with reports, data, and program documentation.
• - Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• - Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.
• - Willingness to travel to locations across New York City for meetings, events, and employer engagement.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education's website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.