Employment Specialist

MERS Goodwill; Springfield, Northern (MO, KY); Hybrid; USD 42,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental & vision benefits

Life Insurance

403(b) Retirement

401(a) Retirement

PTO 15 days

Paid holidays

Flexible schedules

Job summary

MERS Missouri Goodwill Industries is seeking an energetic Employment Specialist to join the Springfield Career Center team. The role focuses on intake interviews, developing employment plans, and building employer relationships to place participants in jobs.

The position requires a high school diploma (bachelor's preferred); strong communication and the ability to work with diverse partners. Full-time benefits include medical, dental, vision, retirement plans, and PTO.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma required.
• Bachelor's degree and social service/sales experience preferred.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.

Responsibilities

• Review referral information and establish professional relationships; develop individual employment plans.
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with referral sources and provide ongoing communication about participant activities.
• Identify potential employer contacts using local job market knowledge and community resources.
• Complete agency paperwork timely and maintain confidentiality.
• Work with participants to develop job-seeking skills: readiness, resumes, and applications.
• Engage in employer outreach in the community, educating on MERS Goodwill programs and services.
• Provide retention services after placement through employer and participant follow-ups.
• Spend time on job coaching and follow-up support to improve performance.
• Assist with training to address performance issues and accommodations as needed.

Skills

Strong communication

Relationship building

Employer outreach

Team collaboration

Education

High School Diploma

Bachelor's degree (preferred)

Job description

Select how often (in days) to receive an alert:

Required Travel:50%
Position Type:Hourly Full-Time
Hourly Rate:$21.00

MERS/Missouri Goodwill Industries is looking for an energetic, self-motivated, and professionalEmployment Specialistto join ourSpringfield Career Centerteam! The ideal candidate will support our mission, "Changing Lives Through the Power of Work!" and embody our core values of diversity, integrity, passion, professionalism, respect, and responsibility.

If you're seeking an opportunity that empowers you to achieve new goals while pursuing a mission-driven career, then this is perfect fit for you.

Qualifications

A High School Diploma is required. Bachelor's degree and experience in social service and/or sales is preferred.

Ability to work effectively with others, build and sustain relationships with local employers, and demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills.

A driver's license and current insurance is required.

Primary Duties/Responsibilities

• Review referral information, establish professional and ethical relationships, perform timely intake interviews, and develop/maintain individual plan for employment with all participants.
• Develops and maintains positive relationships with referral sources and provides ongoing communication regarding participant activities.
• Effectively use intake and plan development information, local job market information, and knowledge of community resources to develop potential employer contacts and gain employment opportunities.
• Complete all agency paperwork in a timely manner and maintain confidentiality according to agency guidelines.
• Works with participants to develop job seeking skills such as job readiness interviewing, application completion, resume development, and job retention.
• Spends time in the community making employer contacts including cold calls (in person and over the phone), educating on MERS Goodwill programs and services, and following up on those contacts to secure employment opportunities.
• Provides retention services after a participant is placed on the job with a combination of contacts with the employer and the participant, both in person and over the phone.
• Spend a significant amount of time job coaching.
• Providing training to improve participants' work performance after the employer's training period has ended; problem-solving to create accommodations or other ways to address performance issues.
• Immediate date of hire individual and family medical benefits for full-time employees working 30 or more hours per week.
• Individual and family dental and vision benefits on the first of the month following the hire date for employees working 20 or more hours week.
• Voluntary Life and AD&D Insurance on the first of the month following the hire date for employees working 20 or more hours per week.
• 403(B) Retirement on date of hire for employees working 20 or more hours per week.
• 403(B) Retirement + Employer Match after one year of employment for employees working 20 or more hours per week.
• 401(A) Retirement on date of hire for employees working 20 or more hours per week.
• PTO Accrual up to 15 days based on hours worked.
• Paid holidays
• Flexible Schedules

MERS Missouri Goodwill is an equal-opportunity employer. MERS Goodwill does not discriminate in employment based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or any other non-merit factor.

MERS Missouri Goodwill requires various background and records checks upon employment.