Labor & Employment Specialist II (PROWD)

State of Colorado; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 39,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement benefits (PERA)

Health insurance

HSA

Life insurance

Disability coverage

Paid holidays

Flex schedules

Wellness program

Employee discounts

Travel opportunities

Job summary

The Department of Labor and Employment in Denver is seeking a Labor/Employment Specialist II to support re-entry, transition planning, and workforce services across Colorado. You will assess needs, develop plans, and connect individuals with community resources to improve public safety and employment outcomes.

Responsibilities include coordinating with Federal, state, and local partners, delivering services to offenders, and ensuring program compliance for grant-funded initiatives through 2027.

Qualifications

• Five (5) years of relevant experience in a related occupation.
• Experience with past and currently incarcerated persons in probation, parole, correctional, or prison facilities and/or career development.
• Ability to coordinate with multiple organizations to provide career development, mental health, and social services.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with individuals from various education levels.

Responsibilities

• Assess re-entry needs of individual offenders and develop transitional plans.
• Research and gather community resources and support.
• Provide linkages to other agencies and organizations and deliver services in groups or one-on-one.

Skills

5 years experience

Incarcerated individuals experience

Coordination with multiple orgs

Effective communication

Job description

The Department of Labor and Employment

The Department of Labor and Employment keeps Colorado strong and competitive. We connect workers with great jobs and assist those who have been injured on the job. We help people who are unemployed through no fault of their own by providing temporary wage replacement and we ensure fair labor practices. We provide an up-to-date and accurate picture of the economy that helps in decision making. And we protect the workplace – and Colorado communities – with a variety of consumer protection and safety programs. This is a values-driven organization, committed to accountability, agility, collaboration, and respect.

We believe in outstanding customer service, an inclusive culture, continued process improvement and in our role as a trusted and strategic partner. Recognizing that knowledgeable employees drive our success, we are seeking dedicated individuals who exhibit our shared values and our passion for quality and excellence in all we do.

Benefits

• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including a PERADefined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus 401(k) and 457 plans
• Medical and dental health plans
• Employer supplemented Health Savings Account
• Paid life insurance
• Short- and long-term disability coverage
• 11 paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave
• BenefitHub state employee discount program
• MotivateMe employee wellness program
• Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more
• Access to participate in employer-supported employee affinity spaces
• RTD EcoPass Commuter Program
• Some positions may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more information go to https://dhr.colorado.gov/dhr-resources/student-loan-forgiveness-programs

Pay for Position

HOURLY $28.59 - $41.84

BIWEEKLY $2,286.92 - $3,347.20

MONTHLY $4,955.00 - $7,252.27

This position is in Denver County.

Development Programs (WDP) exists to plan, develop, administer, deliver, oversee, and monitor employment and training programs and services according to Federal and State guidelines for job seekers, employers and other customers across the state of Colorado. This unit also acts as department liaison with various state groups who provide employment and training services, and local service delivery entities including the State operated workforce centers, counties, and subcontractors.

The Partners for Reentry Opportunities in Workforce Development (PROWD) Re-entry Specialists provide services in Federal Bureau of Prison (BOP) facilities and Residential Reentry Centers (RRC). This position will assess the re-entry needs of individual offenders, develop, and implement transitional plans, research and gather community resources/support, provide linkages to other agencies and organizations, provide services in both a group and individual setting. Works in close coordination with Federal Parole Officers, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Local Workforce Areas, state/local agency staff, community and faith-based organizations, and other individuals/groups providing services to offenders in order to enhance public safety. All services and programs delivered by this position are performed consistent with the professional standards and in accordance with CDLE, BOP Parole regulations, guidelines, and operating procedures.

These positions are grant funded with a grant end date of September 30, 2027.

Class Code & Classification Description

H6N3XX Labor/Employment Specialist II

Minimum Qualifications

Experience Only:

• Five (5) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position.
• Experience to include one or more of the following; working with past and currently incarcerated persons in probation, parole, correctional and prison facilities and/or career development.

Or

Education and Experience:

• A combination of related education and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned equal to five (5) years

Required Competencies

• Demonstrated success in working with Adults in Custody (AIC) to assist their transition back into the community
• Ability to coordinate with multiple organizations to provide career development, mental health, and social services
• Knowledge of and the ability to participate on multidisciplinary teams to support AICs
• Understanding of various career development assessments, interest inventories, and other employment related tools
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with individuals from various education levels
• Knowledge of effective outreach and recruitment strategies with justice involved individuals
• Ability to facilitate meetings that include groups of professionals that provide various services
• Able to construct and facilitate presentations to share information with stakeholders, AICs, and service providers
• The ability to research and present Labor Market Information to groups with various levels of education
• Ability to travel throughout the assigned region, driving a state owned or personal vehicle

Preferred Qualifications

• Administering assessments
• Evaluating training and job readiness
• Case management
• Performing duties similar to those assigned to the position as a classified State of Colorado employee.

Conditions of Employment

• THIS POSITION IS OPEN TO CURRENT COLORADO RESIDENTS ONLY
• You must pass a thorough background check & MVR prior to employment which will include the E-Verify process.
• Travel will need to occur to the Federal Bureau of Prisons this position is assigned to serve
• You must pass a Federal Bureau of Prisons background check to work in the facility this position is assigned to serve
• These positions are grant funded with a grant end date of September 30, 2027.

Appeal Rights

As an applicant who has been removed from consideration during the selection or comparative analysis process, you may file an appeal with the State Personnel Board and/or request a review by the State Personnel Director. A standard appeal form is available on the State Personnel Board website, https://spb.colorado.gov/forms-and-filing. If you appeal, your appeal must be submitted in writing on the official appeal form, signed by you or your representative, and received at the following address within ten (10) days of your receipt of this notice: Colorado State Personnel Board/State Personnel Director, Attn: Appeals Processing, 1525 Sherman Street, 4th Floor, Denver, CO 80203. Fax: [phone]. Phone: [phone]. Email address: [e-mail]. The ten-day deadline and these appeal procedures also apply to all charges of discrimination. Refer to Chapters 4 and 8 of the State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures, 4 CCR 801, for information about the appeals process. The State Personnel Board Rules and Personnel Director's Administrative Procedures are available at spb.colorado.gov.

For questions regarding this recruitment, please contact : [e-mail]

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

The State of Colorado strives to create a Colorado for All by building and maintaining workplaces that value and respect all Coloradans through a commitment to equal opportunity and hiring based on merit and fitness.

The State is resolute in non-discriminatory practices in everything we do, including hiring, employment, and advancement opportunities.

The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to our ADAAA Coordinators at [e-mail]. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. For all other inquiries about this recruitment effort, please call 303-318-8200.

While a salary range is posted for this position, an eventual salary offer is determined by a comprehensive salary analysis, which considers multiple factors including but not limited to education and experience compared to others in the organization doing substantially similar work.