Join us in helping connect individuals to employment, education, and training.

ScaleLIT’s IPS Supported Employment Specialist carries out the services of the IPS Supported Employment program by assisting unhoused clients to obtain and maintain employment that is consistent with their vocational goals.

Job Summary:

The IPS Supported Employment Specialist will receive and track referrals from Continuum of Care partner organizations. This full-time staff position will be mobile, regularly traveling to partner sites throughout Chicago to engage with unhoused participants and establish trusting collaborative relationships directed toward the goal of competitive employment.

Key Areas of Responsibility:

Engagement, Assessment & Employment Supports

• Provide individualized support to a caseload of up to 20 clients to help them obtain and maintain competitive employment in the community

• Assesses clients' vocational functioning on an ongoing basis utilizing background information and work experiences. With the client's permission, provides education and support to family members. Discusses client's preference for disclosure of psychiatric status to employers.

• Develops an individual employment (and/or education) plan with clients. Incorporates input from mental health team and family members, with permission.

• Provides individualized follow-along support to assist clients in maintaining employment. Writes job support plans with clients and incorporates input from the mental health team. Adjusts plan according to clients’ needs and preferences.

• Provides education and support to employers as agreed upon by clients, which may include but is not limited to negotiating job accommodations and follow-along contact by the employment specialist with the employer.

• Provides outreach services as necessary to clients when they appear to disengage from the service. Uses a variety of methods to provide outreach.

• Assists clients in obtaining information about their benefits (e.g., SSI, Medicaid, etc.) and how they will be affected by employment in order for clients to make good decisions about employment opportunities. Refers clients to benefits counseling, as needed. Helps clients report earnings, as needed.

• Spends 65% or more of scheduled work hours in the community. For example, meets clients at community locations such as, workplace, coffee shop, meeting with potential employers, library, American Job Centers, VR oce, etc. or accompanies clients to apply for jobs, investigate local GED or colleges, etc.

• Provides supported education, using principles similar to supported employment, for clients who express interest in education to advance their employment goals.

• Provides timely interventions. Returns phone calls and reacts to situations in a timely manner.

Job Development:

• Conducts job development and job search activities directed toward positions that are individualized to the interests and uniqueness of the people on his/her caseload, following the principles and procedures of IPS supported employment.

• Conducts a minimum of six employer contacts per week. Employer contacts are designed to learn about the needs of the business, describe supports offered by the program and describe client strengths that are relevant to the position.

Program Coordination:

• Form strong relationships with the partners to ensure accurate and timely referrals.

• Participates in weekly meetings with the mental health treatment team and communicates individually with team members between meetings in order to coordinate and integrate vocational services into mental health treatment.

• Works collaboratively with Supervisor and partners to identify additional resources to support the development of local career pathways.

• Develops a timely reporting system to communicate outcomes to the partners.

• Other duties as assigned by scaleLIT.

• Minimum 3 years of experience in adult education, career counseling, human services, or a related field.

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred.

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.

• Familiarity with adult literacy services (ABE, ESOL, GED, NEDP, etc.), providers in the region. Familiarity with the TABE, BEST and other assessments related to literacy, career exploration, job training, and higher education.

• Must value diversity.

• Understanding of the Housing/homelessness sector.

• Understanding of needs and resources for individuals with disabilities.

• Experience in counseling, coaching, or advising in group sessions.

• Candidates with lived experience and expertise of homelessness encouraged to apply

• Strong organizational, interpersonal, planning, and follow-up skills.

• Ability to work independently, plan meetings, maintain your own schedule.

• Ability to travel among the partners and other stakeholders.

• Ability to read, understand, and express oneself clearly and effectively in oral and written communications.

• Technical aptitude to use a variety of technology and software applications for multiple purposes.

• We know there are great candidates who might not check all the boxes in any one job description, or who possess important skills we haven’t thought of. If that’s you, don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself! We encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, citizenship, or ability.

Salary:

$54,000 - $57,000 per year to be determined based upon skill level

Benefits:

PTO, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois medical and dental, vision insurance, 401K, life insurance, and short and long-term disability.

Location:

Mobile, traveling to various partner locations and American Job Centers in The City of Chicago

ScaleLIT is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Minority/Female/LGBTQ/ Gender Identity/Veteran/Returning Citizen/ Disabled

All Are Encouraged to Apply

Interested candidate can send an updated resume to the IPS Program Manager, Susie Harkins, at susie@scalelit.org

Please add the subject line, "IPS Employment Specialist Application" and attach your resume as a PDF or Word Document.