Work Ready Internship & Job Development Coordinator

Kids for the Future; Ridgeside (TN); On-site; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, vision & dental coverage

401(k) matching

Generous paid time off

Employee discounts

Job summary

Signal Centers in Chattanooga, TN, is seeking an Internship & Employment Placement Coordinator for our Work Ready program. You will build relationships with local employers, coordinate internships and job placements, and guide clients toward sustainable careers.

You will manage outreach, develop Career Plans, provide job readiness coaching, and collaborate with program staff to place participants with barriers to employment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in a related field.
• Experience in community outreach or job development preferred.
• Ability to build relations with businesses, Chambers, and partners.
• Excellent customer service, communication, and diplomacy.
• Ability to work with diverse populations and priorities.
• Experience with ACES/Trauma-Informed Care is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop relationships with businesses to determine workforce needs and promote internships.
• Place calls, emails, and conduct outreach visits to employers.
• Understand local workforce trends and grow program partnerships.
• Help clients develop a Career Plan for chosen pathways.
• Assist program staff with internship development and job placements.
• Identify sites for job shadowing and placements and secure them.
• Provide counseling, job prep guidance, and barrier removal support.
• Deliver trainings and workshops for clients and partners.
• Assess work readiness, make referrals, and follow up to ensure retention.
• Carry a caseload of 20-25 participants with notes and data entry.

Skills

Customer service

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Time management

Multitasking

Collaboration

Data entry / record-keeping

Education

Bachelor's degree (related field)

Job description

• Location 109 N Germantown Rd,Chattanooga, TN, 37411-2756,United States
• Job Category Workforce Development , Career Counseling, Employment Specialist
• Employee Type Regular Full Time Exempt
• Required Degree 4 Year Degree
• Manage Others No

Description

Passionate about connecting people to purposeful careers? Join our Work Ready Team and make a lasting impact!

About This Role:

Work Ready is a dynamic, mission-driven workforce development program transforming the career trajectories of TANF-eligible individuals throughjob training, paid internships, and intensive case management. We empower participants to build confidence, gain in-demand skills, and secure long-term, stable employment with benefits.

As the Internship & Employment Placement Coordinator, you will be the connector who brings this mission to life—building strong employer partnerships, opening doors to meaningful career pathways, and guiding clients as they move from job-ready to job-secure. This role blends community engagement, coaching, and strategic relationship-building to create life-changing opportunities for individuals.

Qualifications:

• Must have a Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Public Relations, Business Administration, Career Counseling, Workforce Development, or a related field.
• Previous Experience with Community Outreach or Job Development Is Desired.
• Ability to establish and maintain good working relations with local and regional businesses, Chambers of Commerce, Community Agencies & Partners, and underserved populations.
• Enthusiastic with excellent customer service, interpersonal and communication skills, patience and diplomacy.
• Must have the ability to collaborate with a diverse workforce.
• A multi-tasker with the ability to prioritize job duties with minimal supervision.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to maintain Case Management notes and data entry requirements.
• Prior training and experience in ACES/Trauma-Informed Care desired
• Previous experience working with individuals with barriers to employment desired.

Job Responsibilities:

• This position will develop and build relationships with businesses to determine their workforce needs and promote internship and employment opportunities for clients.
• Will place calls, send emails, and perform outreach visits to employers to promote the internship and job placement program
• Develop a thorough understanding of local workforce trends, needs, emerging and growing industries within the service area of the program through connections with local economic development organizations, Chambers of Commerce, regional industry groups, and others.
• Work in conjunction with the program staff, assists clients in the development of a Career Plan for the career pathway chosen
• Assist the Program Director and Employment Specialists of the program with internship development, internship placement, job development, and job placement activities.
• Interact with local businesses to identify appropriate sites for job shadowing, internships, and job placements for Work Ready clients, and assists in securing appropriate sites
• Provide services, assessments, counseling and job prep guidance along with case manager and relevant staff to clients; (Barrier Removal: connections to public benefits, interview/workforce attire, transportation (e.g. bus tickets, car repair), Basic skills improvement (digital literacy)
• Facilitate training, workshops, presentations and meetings for clients or partners (Resume development, Practice Interviewing/Mock Interviews, Networking).
• Assess client’s work readiness, make job referrals, and placements, and provide follow-up to help ensure job retention and continued engagement in support service programs
• Carry and maintain a caseload of 20-25 participants, providing guidance and resource linkage while maintaining appropriate case notes, conducting necessary assessments, and entering data into the system to track program progress & outcomes.
• Other duties as assigned.

Core Values/Ethical Conduct:

• The ability to consistently model our Core Values of Accountability, Community Impact, Compassion, Trustworthiness, and Teamwork
• The ability to interact with staff, clients, management, community partners and funders in a respectful and professional manner.
• The ability to create and embrace new ideas and utilize creative problem solving with an eye to improve services and delivery methods.
• The ability to work cooperatively with staff, clients, management, funders and community partners.
• The ability to be wise, accountable, and careful with use of resources and time.
• The ability to conduct oneself with honesty, reliability, and fairness, holding to our code of ethics.

Working Here:

We believe in supporting our employees and their families as they journey throughout life. Our commitment to our full-time staff includes the following benefits:

• A competitive benefits package with health, vision, and dental coverage, HSA, Dependent Care FSA, group life insurance, Teladoc (telemedicine), EAP mental health resources, and short & long-term disability options.
• Up to 4% matching 401(k) employer contribution, plus a 3% base contribution.
• Generous paid time off to support work-life balance.
• Employee discounts on paid services

Our culture is important and we’ve included it in our strategic plan by creating goals which include creating a culture of belonging where everyone has what they need to succeed and thrive and investing in developing the next generation of leaders. Join us in our mission to create a community of lifelong independence, where your contributions are valued, and your professional growth is nurtured. Together, we can make a difference.

Signal Centers is an equal opportunity employer and seeks to affirm the dignity and worth of every person in all that we do. It is, therefore, the policy of the organization to practice and ensure the fair and equitable treatment of all employees and to promote the full realization of this policy through all employment practices.