Vocational & Campus Coordinator

Independent Living, Inc.; Berkeley, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Center for Independent Living, Inc. seeks a Vocational & Campus Coordinator to advance vocational and postsecondary programming for youth and adults with disabilities.

You will support employment navigation, disability accommodations, and internship opportunities while collaborating with colleges and community partners in Alameda County. The role combines direct, one-on-one assistance with curriculum development and program oversight, including supervising interns and stipend-based ambassadors

Qualifications

• BA/BS degree or equivalent lived/professional experience preferred.
• Knowledge of vocational rehabilitation systems and disability accommodations preferred.
• Experience in program management and/or development preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide one-on-one vocational support to consumers, including resume and job search guidance.
• Develop and facilitate workshops, panels, and trainings on employment and career readiness.
• Build relationships with colleges, employers, and community partners.
• Supervise interns and ambassadors, providing ongoing coaching and feedback.
• Maintain participant progress records and program outcomes.

Skills

Interpersonal communication

Relationship-building

Organizational skills

Time management

Bilingual (Spanish or Mandarin)

Education

BA/BS degree or equivalent

Job description

The Vocational & Campus Coordinator empowers youth and adults with disabilities through workforce development, postsecondary support, career readiness training, and individualized vocational guidance that promotes independence, inclusion, and meaningful employment opportunities.

About Center for Independent Living, Inc.

The Center for Independent Living (CIL), founded in Berkeley as the nation’s first independent living center, is a pioneer of the disability rights and independent living movement. Our radical legacy is rooted in peer-led advocacy, cross-disability solidarity, and the belief that all people with disabilities have the right to live with dignity, choice, and freedom. Today, CIL provides advocacy and direct services that increase awareness, collaboration, and opportunity among people with disabilities and the broader community. Our programs equip people with skills, knowledge, and resources to challenge ableism, eliminate barriers, and pursue lives they value.

Description

Position Summary:

The Vocational & Campus Coordinator supports the development and implementation of vocational and postsecondary programming at CIL. This role focuses on supporting people with disabilities as they navigate employment, career development and postsecondary education, including accessing reasonable accommodations and disability-related resources.

This position provides individualized one-on-one support for job-seeking consumers and contributes to the development and facilitation of vocational workshops, training, and educational programming. The Coordinator will support initiatives such as the monthly employment resource guide, the Digital Equity Ambassador Internship Program, the Salesforce Workforce Navigators Training Program, and other emerging workforce development and internship opportunities connected to vocational programming.

The role includes onboarding, supervising, mentoring, and providing ongoing support to internship participants and stipend-based ambassadors participating in workforce development programs funded through Ability Central and other grants. The Coordinator will provide individualized guidance, monitor participant progress, support professional development, and assist participants in navigating workplace expectations, accommodations, and internship responsibilities throughout their participation.

The role also includes building relationships with colleges, universities, workforce partners, employers, and community organizations to expand opportunities for people with disabilities. The Coordinator will collaborate with the Program Manager to support outreach, program development, curriculum creation, grant deliverables, and infrastructure development for new and existing grants tied to vocational programming, workforce development, youth leadership, and employment services.

Work Type:Hybrid position requiring regular in-office work and community-based engagement throughout Alameda County; this is not a fully remote role.

Essential Job Functions:

Vocational Services and Workforce Development

• Provide one-on-one vocational support to consumers, including:
  • Resume and cover letter development
  • Job search strategies and employment navigation
  • Mock interviews and interview preparation
  • Guidance on disability disclosure and requesting reasonable accommodations in the workplace
• Support job-seeking consumers with employment resources and hands-on job search assistance
• Assist in developing and maintaining monthly employment resource guides
• Provide guidance on workplace rights under Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Support participants in developing workplace readiness, professional communication, self-advocacy, and employment navigation skills

Workshops, Trainings, and Curriculum Development

• Develop and facilitate workshops, panels, webinars, and trainings related to employment, career readiness, disability rights and visibility in the workplace, and post-secondary success
• Assist in the development of training curricula and educational materials for youth and adult consumers
• Support workforce development, internship, and ambassador training initiatives
• Facilitate orientations, onboarding, and ongoing educational sessions for internship and ambassador cohorts
• Provide individualized coaching and ongoing support to participants throughout workforce development and internship programming

Youth & Postsecondary Support

• Support programming for transitional age youth navigating post-secondary life, including college, vocational training, employment, and independent living
• Provide guidance to students and young adults on requesting and navigating disability accommodations in higher education and employment settings
• Participate in youth internship, leadership, and vocational readiness programming

Program Development & Partnership Support

• Provide programmatic support for workforce development, internship, leadership, and vocational readiness initiatives serving youth and adults with disabilities
• Assist with program visioning, design, implementation, and infrastructure development for stipend-based and community-based training opportunities
• Supervise interns, ambassadors, peer mentors, and other assigned staff or program participants, including providing ongoing guidance, coaching, support, and performance feedback
• Support onboarding, scheduling, training, and day-to-day supervision of assigned interns, ambassadors, and staff
• Support participant engagement, retention, and successful completion of program goals and deliverables
• Maintain communication with participants, families, community partners, supervisors, and assigned staff, as appropriate
• Support the development and maintenance of partnerships with community organizations, employers, educational institutions, and funding partners
• Serve as a point of contact for external partners, maintaining regular communication, coordination, and collaboration
• Assist with outreach, recruitment, onboarding, and ongoing participant support across assigned programs
• Collaborate with internal staff to support program coordination, accessibility, scheduling, and continuous program improvement
• Support implementation of vocational, workforce development, digital literacy, leadership, and community engagement opportunities as assigned

Outreach & Communications

• Work with CIL’s Media Team to develop outreach materials promoting vocational programs, events, and services
• Participate in community events, workshops, presentations, and outreach activities to promote CIL services and programs

Documentation & Reporting

• Maintain accurate documentation of participant engagement, services provided, attendance, goals, internship progress, and program outcomes
• Track program deliverables, participant progress, staff activities, and overall program impact using internal reporting systems
• Assist with data collection, evaluation activities, reports, program updates, and success stories related to program outcomes and funding requirements

Collaboration & Professional Development

• Meet regularly with the Program Manager and youth team to review program updates, discuss challenges, and strategize program growth
• Engage in ongoing professional development related to:
  • The Americans with Disabilities Act
  • Disability accommodation processes
  • Vocational services and workforce development
  • Emerging best practices in disability inclusion and employment

Education and/or Experience:

• BA/BS degree or equivalent lived/professional experience preferred
• Demonstrated knowledge of vocational rehabilitation systems, employment support services, disability accommodations, and workforce development resources strongly preferred
• Experience in program management and/or program development, at least 2 years preferred
• Demonstrated success in helping clients with disabilities pursue goals pertaining to advocacy, community organizing, vocational rehabilitation, workforce development, and/or employment services is required
• Experience supporting, mentoring, supervising, or coordinating youth, interns, ambassadors, or workforce development participants preferred
• Experience facilitating trainings, workshops, or educational programming preferred

Qualifications:

• Strong interpersonal communication and relationship-building skills
• Excellent organizational and time management abilities
• Ability to manage multiple projects, internship cohorts, and responsibilities simultaneously
• Ability to provide mentorship, supervision, and supportive guidance to youth and adult participants in workforce development and internship settings
• A creative and strategic thinker who enjoys building new programs and initiatives
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently in a collaborative environment
• Ability to support participants in navigating workplace expectations, accommodations, communication, and professional development
• Experience facilitating trainings or workshops a plus
• Bilingual in Spanish or Mandarin a plus

Physical Demands:

• Must be able to lift 10 pounds
• Travel to schools and other agencies and organizations when needed

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

All job offers are contingent on successfully passing a pre-employment background check.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

CIL Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity), national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Persons with disabilities, veterans, women, and individuals from historically marginalized communities are strongly encouraged to apply.