Employment Placement Specialist

Position Summary:
The Employment Services Specialist is responsible for employer expansion, talent development, support, and brand management resulting in the successful placement of PCK graduates in hospitality and food service industry positions. The core activity of this role is to oversee all job placement, preparation and career-related retention services for trainees enrolled in the 16-week food service job-training program. This includes acting as a liaison between the program and graduates.

This role is dedicated to helping people who need support securing employment and have completed professional culinary skills class. The role will collaborate and establish strong partnerships internally and externally. This is a key role to create opportunities, events, and a strong path for our students to achieve the ability to progress to their next opportunity. 
 

Primary Responsibilities: 
•    Build, maintain, and expand a network of businesses for potential placement of PCK Culinary Students.
•    Research and strategically develop relationships with potential employers according to trainee needs and industry trends.
•    Delivers classroom education regarding life skills and employment, including but not limited to, best practices on resume writing, interviewing, interview follow up and networking as a candidate. 
•    Assist and instruct students with job search, basic computer skills such as internet support, job related communications and ability to navigate job boards. 
•    Cultivate long-term relationships through regular program engagement, increase presence at special PCK events and encourage PCK graduate hiring.
•    Collect, maintain, report accurate and timely employment data into PCK’s database, according to predetermined tracking intervals.
•    Oversee the externship program; develop potential sites according to program standards and trainee abilities.
•    Oversee and advise job search, career planning and placement for all current trainees and past graduates who are eligible for employment services.
•    Assist employers in contacting current trainees, graduates, and alumni interviews.
•    Work to improve retention by monitoring performance, analyzing problem areas, prescribing solutions, and conducting intervention activities and processes.
•    Motivate trainees to achieve success.
•    Oversee and implement employment and personal coaching to students and graduates to strengthen job placement and retention and to prevent/minimize job loss.
 

Educational Achievement:

• High School Diploma/GED or work equivalent, additional formal education highly preferred

Work Experience:

• A minimum of 3 years of experience in workforce development, recruitment, or motivational coaching experience in a student centric environment.
• Minimum 1 years’ experience working with low income or other transitioning community of people highly preferred. A robust knowledge of the issues facing people living at or near the poverty line, rehabilitation, and reentry into the work force. Ideally in an education or employment placement role.
• Previous expertise in managing projects or programs. Ability to handle multiple assignments and deadlines simultaneously; Strong organizational, planning, prioritization and time management skills. 

Required Skills and Abilities:

• Strong administrative capability to work with databases, produce reports, analysis
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite and database software; familiarity with Apricot a plus.
• Excellent interpersonal skills: ability to build strong relationships and work collaboratively with diverse individuals and teams internally and externally.
• Adept at speaking to and training groups which may include a mix of participants who are culturally, ethnically, socioeconomically diverse and multilingual.
• An exceptional communicator, both in writing and orally; an extrovert who gets energy from connecting with individuals, aligning the case for support, and creating opportunities for engagement; one with social grace who can build enthusiasm for Philabundance.