Employment Specialist

Position Title: Employment Specialist (HVRP)

Reports to: Division Director - AimHire

Category: Exempt (Regular Full-Time)

Location: NW Washington DC 20009; On-site

Hours: 9:00am-5:00pm w/ Some Hybrid Allowance

About Us: Friendship Place is a nonprofit organization serving the Washington DC region empowering individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness to rebuild their lives with community involvement. Friendship Place offers the most effective model for addressing homelessness with innovative customized programs with positive demonstrable results and a lasting impact on the community and beyond. Our programs are person-centric and individualized to meet the needs and goals of individuals families youth/young adults and veterans experiencing homelessness. We provide outreach hospitality health care case management housing job placement services and advocacy. We have established a national presence and are known for sharing best practices in the field.

Our Core Values: Friendship Place is a PersonFirst Organization that promotes transparency and ethical practices among our team and those we serve. All individuals in our organization are expected to conduct their job tasks in a manner that is consistent with our core values. This includes the following:

Excellence and Innovation

Finding Ways to Say Yes

Caring at the Core

Agents of Change

Support Empowerment and Development

Integrity and Accountability

Summary: Under leadership of the AimHire Division Director the Employment Specialist provides employment support services through the US Department of Labor funded Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program or HVRP. The primary role of this grant-funded position will be to provide services to reintegrate homeless veterans into the labor force by placement in family-sustaining employment or training to provide an array of client-centered services to directly assist or link homeless veterans to essential services (i.e. housing medical care behavioral health basic needs etc.) in their local communities. The communities include The District of Columbia Montgomery County (MD) Prince Georges County (MD) Arlington County (VA) Fairfax County (VA) Prince William County (VA) and the City of Alexandria (VA). The goal of the project is to serve 125 veterans per project year. The Employment Specialist will carry a caseload of no more than 35 individuals at a time and must be able to effectively place eligible veterans into employment training opportunities employment and/or access supportive services that support employment and housing stability of the veteran and meet the objectives of the established grant project. The position must be capable of working with participants from varying backgrounds an understanding of the needs of veterans and understand key frameworks and practices of: Lifespan Development Trauma-Informed Care and LGBTQ Inclusion and his position is fully funded by a grant from the US Department of Labor Veteran Employment & Training Services (VETS) Division.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Employment and Training Services:

1. Ascertain participant employability by assessing participants education work experience resources and motivation.
2. Provide job readiness training and preparation including resume/cover letter writing mock interview coaching networking and computer/technology literacy as needed.
3. Develop Employment or Training Case Plan to identify participant goals and needed resources to support training or employment outcomes.
4. Assist participants in obtaining training and certification that increase employment outcomes as identified in each participants goals.
5. Enroll participants with accompanying city/state-based services such as Dept. of Employment Services and American Job Centers/One Stop.
6. Collaborate with the Job Developer & Outreach Specialist to connect participants to job opportunities with sustainable wage opportunities or training stake holders.
7. Support participants through initial placement with employment adjustments services/supports through coaching and follow-up.
8. Conduct retention/follow-up following participant exit from services.

Case Management:

1. Assess essential needs including housing mental and medical health and other barriers to stable employment.
2. Provide support to participants in navigating and accessing social services through referrals connections to services and enrollment with community-based services as needed.
3. Create housing goal plans and assist participants in mitigating housing crises through connections to Veteran specific housing programs (i.e. Grant Per Diem SSVF HUD-VASH etc.).
4. Collaborate with other identified case managers and/or providers to ensure wrap-around supportive services that support participants.

Administrative:

1. Regularly input necessary information into case management software maintain and update electronic and/or physical participant files in accordance with program policy and government grant compliance.
2. Record and report on key output data items including housing placements job placements training placement hourly wage household demographics retention earnings training placements/enrollments and supportive services connections/referrals.
3. Completion of any additional reporting required per contract.

For Friendship Place:

• Participate in the planning and development of new projects as they relate to participant services.
• Assess safety/well-being of participants and activate emergency services and other necessary support as needed.
• Must have or be able to obtain a First Aid/CPR/AED certification that includes a hands-on skills testing module. May be called into action to perform life-saving measures. First Aid/CPR/AED training will be provided by Friendship Place.
• Connect collaborate build and maintain positive relationships with external agencies that provide services to Friendship Place participants.
• Actively participate in case meetings staff meetings and supervisions.
• Actively participate in training and other events offered by Friendship Place and other agencies.
• Assists with volunteers when necessary.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education/Experience:

• Bachelors degree in psychology sociology human services or HS Diploma GED with 3-5 years of direct experience.
• At least 2 years prior work experience with individuals experiencing homelessness and/or veterans preferred.
• 2 years in workforce development field or supportive employment

Essential Skills and Competencies:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and strong attention to detail
• Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills; ability to be flexible and implement innovative solutions that help participants achieve success.
• Ability to prioritize tasks in a fast-paced dynamic environment.
• Model professional behavior and maintain boundaries and participant confidentiality.
• Ability to work with clients of all ages and from diverse backgrounds.
• Bi-lingual Service Delivery a plus

Working conditions: Position will spend time between office/desk settings traveling to meet with participants across the service area and attend meetings/engagements with key stakeholders. Travel time for a position may consist of up to 50% of time.

Physical and Environmental Requirements: Position requires split time between an office setting and traveling to engagements via car or public transportation. Employees must be able to sit for extended periods of time with repetitive motion and positions. Employees must be able to operate a motorized vehicle. Some lifting may be required (up to 20-25lbs).

Background checks: The selected candidate will be required to complete and pass background checks specific to contract requirements that may include criminal history background check and fingerprinting FBI Background Check DC Metropolitan Police Background Check State-of-Residence Police Background Check DC Child Abuse Registry (CFSA) National Sex Offender Registry Check Drug Panel and Alcohol Screening Tuberculosis Test and Driving Record check (for positions transporting participants). Reference checks and verification of current and/or previous employment are required.

Direct & Indirect Reports: None

Specific Requirements: Employees must have a valid drivers license and personal vehicle to carry out job duties and responsibilities.

Application Deadline: This job is open until filled or until the hiring manager determines they can no longer accept applications.

Compensation: The hiring pay range is between $53794.00 and $58835.00 per year. The starting salary is based on a step system. A candidates starting pay is determined based on meeting the basic position requirements and their current completed education credentials and work experience. Please note: The step system is set and not open to pay negotiation.

Benefits: We offer an excellent benefits package including low-cost health insurance health reimbursement flexible spending accounts employer-paid dental vision short and long-term disability life insurance 403B defined contribution plan matching employee assistance programs professional development employee resource groups 14 paid holidays 15 days of vacation and 10 days of sick leave during 1st year of employment and much more! (Benefits are pro-rated for part-time employees).

COVID-19: All Friendship Place employees regardless of their vaccination status must continue to take precautions against the spread of COVID-19 in accordance with the agencys COVID-19 protocols and applicable law and guidance. This includes but is not limited to wearing masks in congregated settings washing their hands or using hand sanitizer often monitoring their daily health and staying home if they are exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms (or if they are otherwise prohibited from reporting to work by health provider under CDC state and local guidance). Since the public health and legal landscapes regarding this policy are subject to frequent changes Friendship Place reserves the right to amend or cancel this policy at any time consistent with applicable law CDC guidelines and the DC Department of Health.

Location: Washington D.C.

Interview Process: Phone screening panel-style interview final interview.

Equal Opportunity Statement: We support all qualified individuals within our workforce without regard to race color religion gender sexual orientation gender identity and expression age national origin marital status citizenship disability veteran status personal appearance familial status family responsibilities political affiliations matriculation credit and any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Friend Place is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities in its employment services programs and activities. To request reasonable accommodation contact human resources at

How to Apply: Interested applicants should submit their applications through the organizations website. All of our current career openings can be found by visiting: Description