Human Resources Placement Specialist

Harnett County; Lillington (NC); On-site; USD 40,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Harnett County Department of Social Services is recruiting a Human Resources Placement Specialist for the Work First Program. The role interviews clients to assess employment and socio-economic needs, develops job opportunities, and provides job readiness instruction.

Salary: $46,834 per year. Responsibilities include intake, case management and redetermination, organizing workloads, and applying manuals and policy guidelines to determine eligibility for Work First and related programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a human services or business field, or related experience.
• Associate’s degree with two years of directly related work experience.
• High school diploma with four years of directly related work experience.

Responsibilities

• Intake, Case Management and Redetermination (80%). Interview clients to obtain data on family composition, financial information, and employment; develop plans for self-sufficiency.
• Organizing (10%). Balance workloads and improve unit workflow and procedures.
• Guidelines (10%). Apply manuals and state/local policy to determine eligibility and program requirements.

Job description

Harnett County Department of Social Services is currently recruiting for a Human Resources Placement Specialist for their Work First Program. The primary purpose of this position is to provide supportive services needed to move families toward self-sufficiency. This employee will be responsible for interviewing clients to assess basic factors that affect employment and/or socio-economic needs; contacting a wide variety of employers to develop job opportunities, to facilitate job placement, or to identify on-the-job training situations; and providing classroom instruction for job readiness.

Hiring Salary: $46,834.00

Responsibilities and Duties

• Intake, Case Management and Redetermination (80%)Work involves functions such as intake, review and processing of Work First Applications. Through interviews with the client the employees will need to obtain all pertinent data concerning the family composition, financial information and employment. During these interviews the employees will complete assessments to identify the client’s physical, social, education, and work history skills and interest to develop a plan for self-sufficiency and establish and sign a Mutual Responsibility Agreement if appropriate. Employees will gather pertinent information that will help determine whether Work First or Benefit Diversion is most appropriate for the applicants. The employees will also complete intake as needed for Emergency Assistance, 200% and all Energy Programs. Through ongoing case management employees will assist the clients in reducing or overcoming barriers through counsel and advice and referral to other supportive agencies such as Mental Health, Vocational Rehabilitation, School and Daycare Programs, Child Support, etc. Employees will assist with job readiness and may refer clients to the Employment Security Commission. The employees will monitor the participation and progress of work activities through home/work site visits and gathering ongoing paperwork monthly. Employees may be required to perform other duties as assigned to meet agency needs.
• Organizing (10%)Employees balance workloads within the Work First Unit and coordinate overall workflow. Work requires employees to develop procedures and to make minor organizational changes and recommend changes to improve efficiency.
• Guidelines (10%)Employees refer to the Manuals and state and local policy in performing all functions required to complete the eligibility requirements. Guidelines are subject to periodic and frequent changes. Employees also utilize agency procedural guides in accomplishing the work. Correspondence and memoranda from State regulatory agencies are also used in interpreting policy.

** This position will require assisting in emergency and/or disaster situations.

Education and Experience

Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

• Bachelor’s degree in a human services or business field such as human resources, marketing, business administration, business management, healthcare management, or public administration from an appropriately accredited institution;
• Associate’s degree in a human services or business field (identified above) from an appropriately accredited institution and two years of directly related work experience;
• Graduation from high school and four years of directly related work experience.

Licensing and Certifications

Possession of a valid North Carolina driver's license.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Considerable knowledge of economic, social, and environmental conditions of the population served.
• Good mathematical reasoning and computational skills.
• Ability to communicate with clients, applicants and the general public to obtain data and to explain rules, policies and procedures.
• General knowledge of basic limitations and characteristics of various disabling conditions and the barriers these present to employment from the individuals’ and employers’ viewpoints.
• General knowledge of acceptable employment practices, interviewing procedures, and relational supportive counseling.
• Considerable knowledge of public assistance programs.
• Skill in appraising basic needs and/or interests that affect housing or jobs and exercising good judgment.
• Skill in establishing rapport with a cross-section of the business community and client population.

Work Environment/Physical Requirements

The caseworker’s physical work location will be at 311 Cornelius Harnett Boulevard, Lillington NC. Work space will be provided with regular office equipment such as a copy machine, calculator, computer, and other supplies. The physical effort required in this job is the same that is required in any office job. This caseworker will use close visual attention and mental concentration with talking with clients/applicants and accurately recording the information received. Regular work hours are 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Monday – Friday and one hour for lunch. Employees will make home / work site visits. Employees are subject to working with agitated clients, heavy workloads, and compressed timeframes. Clients may at times become agitated, verbally abusive due to the extreme situations or their emotional problems, but generally physical harm is unlikely on an ongoing basis.

Successful completion of a drug screening and criminal background check will be required as a condition of employment.