FTR Reentry Specialist

Summary  

At Mission Services of Silicon Valley, our purpose is simple and powerful: to help people build skills, find meaningful work, and thrive in our community. For nearly 100 years, we’ve been a trusted partner in connecting opportunity with people’s potential. By working hand in hand with local experts, employers, and community members, we create pathways to education, employment, and lasting economic mobility.  

As a team, we are committed to:  

• Empowering one another to do our best work and grow together.  

• Building strong partnerships and serving as a driving force for economic opportunity in Silicon Valley. 

• Modeling teamwork, integrity, and cultural intelligence in everything we do.  

• Acting with mutual respect—for each other, our community, and the environment we share.  

The Reentry Specialist is responsible for planning, delivering, and evaluating employability skills workshops to individuals facing employment barriers, including those involved in the reentry population. This role will travel to assigned offsite locations to conduct 1:1 and group workshops focused on resume creation, job application assistance, mock interviews, and interview preparation. The facilitator will guide the clients with their work and provide opportunities for them to do as much as they are able for themselves, thereby fostering their independence. 

In addition, this position will manage and process all incoming referrals for the NOW (New Opportunities for Work) program, ensuring timely intake and appropriate assignment of services to clients.  

Job Responsibilities 

Workshop Facilitation & Curriculum Development 

• Deliver engaging, interactive employability workshops at designated offsite locations. 

• Conduct individualized and group sessions focused on: 

• Resume creation and revision 

• Job search strategies and application completion 

• Interview preparation and mock interviews 

• Utilize trauma-informed and culturally responsive approaches tailored to reentry clients and individuals with employment barriers. 

• Provide constructive feedback and coaching to support participants' job readiness. 

• Participate in the development of new training and programs designed to increase employment opportunities for program participants. 

• Build a professional one-on-one working relationship with clients to aid in eliminating challenges that are hindrances to obtaining employment. This includes assessment, individualized attention, and coordination. 

• Accurately complete required documentation for enrollment 

• Work collaboratively with the business services team to identify which jobs are available, what qualifications are needed, and which workshops and trainings can best prepare jobseekers for these positions 

• Research job leads online, in newspapers, and through agencies and resources, and makes these leads available to clients 

• Keep up to date regarding job fairs and Internet resources 

• Assist participants in assessing their job skills for positions 

• Instruct in job seeking, application procedures, resume writing, interview preparation and job retention skills and attitude 

• Provide job search/career information workshops and presentations 

• Facilitate employment/hiring events, such as job fairs and on-site job interviews with employers 

• Create curriculum in response to inter-departmental collaboration and/or in response to program director requests. 

• Develop employment opportunities for clients through networking, offering program education to employers, and other means 

• Share employment resources with Reentry case management team 

Referral Management & Program Coordination 

• Screen and assess potential clients for Goodwill NOW Program and CEO Employment program.  

• Serve as the primary point of contact for all incoming referrals to the NOW program. 

• Track, review, and process referrals from partner organizations, case managers, and other stakeholders. 

• Maintain accurate records of referral outcomes and coordinate participant intake. 

• Ensure timely follow-up with clients and internal team members to ensure service delivery. 

Administrative & Reporting  

• Maintain accurate workshop attendance records. 

• Submit required reports and documentation to the Program Manager in a timely manner. 

• Assist with program evaluations, feedback collection, and continuous improvement efforts. 

• Drive own vehicle to workshop sites and others, as required; documenting and reporting mileage according to agency procedures, so that services can be provided in a timely manner; always complying with vehicle policy. 

Represent Goodwill Silicon Valley 

• Represent Mission Services and Goodwill in the community through participation in appropriate organizations and networking events 

• Responsibilities may be added, deleted or changed at any time at the discretion of management, formally or informally either orally or in writing. 

Preferred Qualifications/Experience 

• Bachelor's degree in business or related field with strong communication skills.  Preferably possess vehicle, insurance, CDL and excellent driving record. computer literacy and knowledge of MS office required. 

Key Performance Indicators 

• Workshop increased attendance rate and client participation in activities 

• Increased progress in job readiness: resumes created, applications submitted, interviews prepared for and attended 

• Successful client enrollments into NOW Program or CEO 

• Completion and quality of tailored action plans for each client 

• Number of referrals processed 

• Responsiveness and follow up on client requests or referrals  

• Number/percentage of reentry clients who are served each month with employment services 

• Frequency and quality of adjustments made to meet the specific needs and contexts of individual clients 

• Rate of receiving and utilizing client feedback to improve service delivery and workshop curriculum  

• Number of implemented improvements or adaptations based on performance data outcomes 

Equipment Used 

• Computer, telephone, copy and FAX machines 

Aptitudes/skills/temperament 

• To possess good oral and written communication skills. 

• General learning ability. The ability to “catch on” or understand instructions and their underlying principles. 

• The ability to reason and make judgments. 

• Ability to understand meaning of words and ideas associated with them and to use them effectively; to comprehend language; to understand relationships between words; to understand the meanings of whole sentences and paragraphs; to present information or ideas clearly. 

• Being willing to accept responsibility for the direction, control or planning of an activity. 

• Being able to influence peoples’ opinions, attitudes or judgments about ideas or things. 

• Having an analytical mind. 

• Being able to guide people beyond giving and receiving instructions. 

• Being respectful of and conforming to set limits, tolerances, and standards. 

• Being able to keep calm and collected in unusual or dangerous situations and to work under adverse conditions if necessary. 

• Ability to develop and maintain relationships with community partners and outside agencies. 

• Ability to manage multiple projects concurrently and be flexible with priorities. 

• Ability to make quick and sound decisions. 

• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain priorities and meet established deadlines. 

Working conditions 

• The job is performed indoors in a climatically controlled setting in cooperation with co-workers. There is regular contact with the public, business, and community agencies. The position requires minimal supervision. 

• Frequent travel to community-based partner sites and facilities 

Emotional Effort 

• Moderate: Occasional short deadlines. The work environment is occasionally hectic with occasional high activity, with great emphasis on teamwork. 

Physical requirements 

• The job involves sedentary and light work. Light work requires lifting no more than 20 lbs and frequent lifting and or carrying items weighing 10 lbs. 

• Light work differs from sedentary work in that it requires substantially more walking and standing and the lifting required is frequent; or that repetitive manipulation of clothing or other items while seated or standing is frequent. 

Goodwill of Silicon Valley is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer encouraging diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability unrelated to ability, marital status, family responsibilities, pregnancy, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, transgender, sex stereotyping, order of protection status, protected veteran or military status, or an unfavorable discharge from military service, and other categories protected by federal, state or local law