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position opening
EMPLOYMENT SPECIALIST

TIME:                 Full Time
SALARY:          $24,000 to $28,000
STATUS:          Non-exempt
BENEFITS:      Life, Disability, Health. Dental, Cafeteria Plan, 403(b) Retirement Plan

REPORTS TO: Employment Services Coordinator

GENERAL JOB DESCRIPTION
Employment Specialists provide individual holistic services to assist people with disabilities achieve permanent, integrated, competitive employment consistent with their strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests and informed choice. Services are customized according to each person’s needs and goals. Exact duty or combination of duties will vary according to the specific needs of each person served. Depending on the exact needs of the individual, services may include and are not limited to the following:

• Exploring realistic options and using creative problem-solving to remove barriers to employment.
• Teach basic pre-employment skills
• Develop a specific and realistic goal plan, including benchmarks, with each job seeker.
• Promoting self-advocacy.
• Resume, reference and application development

Employment Specialist activities provide immediate, frequent, and individualized contacts and small group leadership for the purpose of information sharing, facilitating decision-making, monitoring, problem-solving, motivating, and mentoring. It may require referrals to, and close collaboration with, other agencies and employers. Contacts include frequent phone or face-to-face meetings at the individual’s home or other appropriate locations.

Employment Specialists also must be able to establish and maintain on-going contacts with area employers, identifying and marketing to potential employers consistent with the vocational objective, skills, abilities and informed choice, and referral of persons to these specific job leads. In addition to job development, employment specialists provide guidance on appropriate disclosure of disability and requesting accommodations, negotiate and/or coordinate details of the hiring and facilitate on-the-job training agreements with employers.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of two years employment experience in the private sector.
• Personal experience with a disability or one year experience working with or providing services to people with a variety of disabilities.
• Pass all relevant background checks.
• Skill in assisting individual clients in recognizing their own strengths and needs for successful employment.
• Knowledge of the local job market, local employment trends, and incoming industry-businesses.
• The assertiveness and initiative necessary to contact employers, obtain placements, and maintain and add to an ongoing network of employers.
• Reliable transportation and insurability.
• Willingness to work flexible hours.
• Knowledge and experience with computers and office software.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• A bachelor’s degree in field such as human services, business, marketing, or personnel administration; or a degree in human services with minor studies in business, marketing, or personnel.
• Qualified person with a disability.
• Experience in Counseling.
• Experience in Teaching.

The above qualifications are written as “preferred” rather than “required” only because experience may be substituted for education. The ability to get along with people and to encourage them is essential in this work and will consider this as well when hiring new staff.

All programs and employment positions of Independence, Inc. are open to all members of the community, without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, martial status, sexual orientation, economic status, or disability.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 protects the rights of people with disabilities to equal employment opportunities. Arrangements will be made if you have a disability that requires an accommodation in completing any part of the employment process. A request for an accommodation will not affect your opportunities for employment. It is your responsibility to make your needs known. Call 785/841-0333 or 785/841-1046 (TDD).

Application Procedure:

Submit cover letter and resume by March 31 to:

Faye Coleman
Independence, Inc.
2001 Haskell Avenue Lawrence, KS 66046

fcoleman@independenceinc.org