Business Services Specialist I (2962)

Summary:

The Business Services Specialist I will assist job seekers with finding employment to ensure long-term stability and job retention. This position will work with job seekers to identify areas of interest, evaluate potential barriers, and create personalized plans to explore suitable job opportunities or career paths that align with their individual goals.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Review assessments, create individual employment plans, and interview job seekers to determine employability and access to gainful employment opportunities.
•  Supports job seekers through interviewing techniques and offering opportunities to build skills.
• Helps Job seekers complete resumes and cover letters and apply for jobs in their chosen area or vocation.
• Aligns resources to support job seekers in preparing for job interviews.
• Ensure proper documentation is obtained by job seekers for employment, including, but not limited to, Driver’s licenses, social security cards, and other acceptable forms of identification. If needed, assist clients in obtaining necessary identification documents by submitting applications to the proper state and local authorities to request re-issuance of their identification documents.
• Engagement with assigned participants will continue throughout the job development process and into employment retention.
•  Advocate on behalf of the job seeker with employers.
• Host training workshops to support job seekers.
• Networks with employers to identify job opportunities, navigating serving a vulnerable population, and access to Goodwill Career Fairs.
• Attends all Goodwill Career Fairs and assists with event setup. Supports job seekers and employers throughout the event. Helps with post-event breakdown. Conducts follow-up with employers after the event concludes.
• Maintain accurate data for clients served and report it to the supervisor as requested. Reports will include, but are not limited to, weekly and monthly reports, as well as any additional information requested.
• Conduct follow-up calls and manage cases with participants.
• Ensure participant information is entered into the appropriate form, database, or report promptly and maintain confidentiality requirements.
• Conducts a warm handoff of participants to peers to ensure they do not experience a delay in services.
• Comply with the agency’s policy and procedures and Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities standards. Performs other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:  

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred. A degree in human services, business administration, career counseling, workforce development, or a related field is preferred. Experience may be considered instead of education at the discretion of the Vice President of Mission Services.
• Experience assessing work experience, educational attainment, transferable skills, aptitudes, abilities, needs, interests, readiness for employment, and barriers that hinder employment is highly desired. 
• Strong counseling and coaching skills. Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills.
• Previous experience in human resources, human services, or job development is a plus.
• Computer literate. Excellent organization, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) highly desirable. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Must have the ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with community partners. 
• Must be flexible, multi-task oriented, and able to prioritize job duties with minimal supervision, including flexibility in work hours.
• Must always exercise discretion and confidentiality.
• Must attend required meetings.
• Must have good written and computer skills necessary to perform job duties.
• Must follow all safety procedures and correct safety issues, if possible.  
• Must have a valid driver’s license and have access to a reliable vehicle.
• Able to operate a computer and MS Office software, including Word and Excel. 
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.  Responds appropriately to supervision.
• Ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences, and communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. 
• Demonstrates responsible behavior, initiative, effort, and commitment toward completing assignments efficiently.  
• Demonstrate problem-solving skills and pay attention to detail.

Competencies:                                                 

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Problem Solving: Identifies and resolves problems promptly, develops alternative solutions, and uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.
• Communication and customer services: Ability to read, write, and communicate effectively in English.  Spanish/ French-Creole is a plus, but not required. Use terminology that is appropriate to the intended audience.  Edit written work for spelling and grammar.  Speaks clearly so others can understand. Demonstrates listening to and understanding information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences, and getting clarification.
• Mathematical Skills: Applying basic arithmetic calculations, fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.  Presents numerical data effectively.
• Ethics: Maintains high standards of ethical conduct, exhibits honesty and integrity, and refrains from theft-related, dishonest, or unethical behavior.  Works with integrity and maintains confidentiality.
• Planning/Organizing: Prioritize and plan work activities, use time efficiently, and develop realistic action plans.
• Job Commitment: Accepts responsibility and demonstrates responsible behavior, initiative, and tenacity; Works with minimal supervision and is dependable.
• Professionalism: Follows all corporate policies and procedures, including occupational safety and health policies and procedures, and responds to management directions.  Maintain a professional demeanor with participants, staff, and other professionals.  Project a positive image of Goodwill.  Reacts well under pressure and accepts responsibility for their own actions.  Follows through on commitments.
• Work Quality: Demonstrates accuracy, completeness, and neatness.  Seek opportunities to enhance and promote quality.  Applies feedback to improve performance.  Monitors own work to ensure quality.
• Quantity of work: Produces the assigned amount of work in an efficient and timely manner.
• Attendance/Punctuality: Report to work as scheduled and on time and remain on the job throughout regular work hours.  Notify supervisor of lateness, absence, or if an urgent reason for leaving work arises. Commit to long hours for work when necessary to reach goals; Complete tasks on time or notify supervisor of an alternate plan.
• Teamwork: Works and interacts with others to accomplish overall group goals; solicits feedback to maximize results.
• Safety and Security: Observe all safety and security procedures; report any safety deficiencies to your immediate supervisor.  Uses equipment and materials properly. Knows what “Material Safety Data Sheets” are and where they are kept.
• Personal Characteristic: Dress in appropriate business attire. Conduct yourself professionally. Take initiative. Be dependable and accurate, and take pride in your work.   

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, talk, hear, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, reach with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop, crouch, carry, push, and pull. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Clearing House Compliance Notice: In accordance with federal regulations, this position requires successful completion of a Clearinghouse background check prior to employment. All candidates must be registered with the FL Clearinghouse | Florida Agency for Health Care Administration  (https://info.flclearinghouse.com/) and provide consent for the employer to access their records. Employment is contingent upon a clear record and ongoing compliance with all applicable regulations.