Transition and Employment Specialist (Fort Smith/Van Buren)

Summary:

The Transition and Employment Specialist will work within the Easterseals Arkansas pre-employment and employment programs. The Specialist is responsible for assessing and increasing strengths, interests, and abilities of the individuals we serve related to employment skills acquisition and job development. The Transition and Employment Specialist will also be responsible for providing supported employment and related services to include but not limited to employment skills development,  job development, on-site job coaching and monitoring of progress. Requires consistent exercise of discretion and judgment.  Specialist should be outgoing, self-driven, motivated, flexible, goal oriented, and personable, able to connect with and build a positive/open working relationship with the students, school district staff, Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, and local employers.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Classroom Instruction: (In person):

• Utilize teaching methods, materials, curriculum fidelity, and adaptations appropriate to meet individual’s needs.
• Assess the learning strengths and areas of development and interests of the individual.
• With the individual’s input and the results of the assessments, develop goals and outcomes.
• Instruct individuals on employability skills such as but not limited to communication, technology, problem solving/critical thinking, teamwork, personal appearance, financial management, professionalism, self-determination, self-advocacy, resume’ writing, interview skills, and job search.
• Assist the individual in developing a portfolio to include certificates of skills attained, letters of recommendation from internships, etc.
• Assess the individual’s progress in the classroom and at the work experience site.
• Monitor and record daily attendance in class and at the work experience site.
• Educate and train employers at the work experience sites information about disability awareness and strategies on how to supervise individuals with disabilities and how to educate co-workers on accommodating and interacting with individuals with disabilities.
• Maintain accurate and complete files for all individuals served.

Recruitment and Selection of Individuals for Transition and Employment Programs:

• Assist in recruitment for the Easterseals Arkansas programs.
• Review employment development and employment referral applications and ensure they are complete.
• Ensure that each referral qualifies for Vocational Rehabilitation Services and/or other applicable funding that may be available.
• Participate in the ACCE and/or other pre-employment and employment program referral selections including interviewing prospective referrals as applicable.
• Be available to the current and prospective employers, referrals and their parents/guardians (when applicable) to answer questions about the program.
• Communicate the mission of Easterseals Arkansas as well as provide information about each of the Adult Services programs available to promote the programs to prospective referrals, parents/guardians, community and business leaders/employers.

Employment Instruction and Support:

• Develop relationships with a variety of businesses for potential work experience sites and employment.
• Acts as liaison between the individual served, parents/guardians, school districts, Easterseals Arkansas, and employers.
• Coordinate work experience and/or employment placements and provide job coaching to the individual and/or assistance to designated business support personnel (natural supports) to ensure the individual served is successful.
• Provides support to parents/guardians (when applicable), employers, and individuals placed.
• Provides other trainings that are necessary to ensure that work experience site and/or employment placement is successful, e.g., social skills, reporting earnings, etc.
• Communicate regularly with the business liaison or supervisor and respond to questions or requests within 24 hours or schedule a visit when necessary.
• Coordinate job placement opportunities within the business and necessary job supports for the individual served. 
• Remain with the individual served on the job until it has been determined that the fading schedule implemented at time of placement can begin.  
• Compile and submit the documentation, reports and billing as required by the applicable funding agency and maintain copies in an organized individual case file for each referral in compliance with Easterseals Arkansas, HIPPA and other applicable regulatory policies and procedures.

Professionalism/Initiative:

• Maintain professional competence and any training requirements by participation in trainings offered by Easterseals, other sources and self-study.
• Use professional development to identify, develop, and initiate new classroom instruction and training techniques to enhance the quality of services.
• Use professional development to remain current on best practices as it relates to assisting individuals with securing competitive, integrated community employment.
• Able to work independently and demonstrate the ability to lead others as the program grows, e.g., future job coach staff).

Supervisory Responsibilities:

There are no supervisory responsibilities.

Compliance/HIPAA:

While performing the duties of this job, employee will comply with all federal, state and local laws and regulations pertaining to Easterseals Arkansas.

Employee has access to the protected health information of the individuals directly served by this person, except psychotherapy notes.  Employee will not attempt to access any other protected health information unless otherwise approved by Supervisor or Privacy Officer.

Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and Experience:                                     

Education: Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in special education or education, master’s degree preferred; or a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling. We may consider an employee without a degree who has the same knowledge level and  who has performed substantially the same work as a degreed employee but has attained the advanced knowledge through a combination of work experience and advanced intellectual instruction and not experience alone.  Experience that may be considered: a minimum of three years’ experience working with individuals with disabilities. Experience must include assessment, development of goals, learning strategies for individuals with disabilities, and behavior management. The Transition and Employment Specialist must successfully complete, receive and maintain the Job Coach Certification provided by Arkansas Rehabilitation Services during the duration of employment.

Travel:

Services will be provided in schools and employer job sponsor sites. 

Competencies and Knowledge:   

• Knowledge of disabilities and how to adapt instruction to the learning style of each individual served.
• Knowledge of how an individual’s disability may impact performance in a work environment and how to identify and/or suggest accommodations in the work environment for each individual to ensure success.
• Ability to utilize virtual meeting platforms to effectively lead online classes and meetings.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to take initiative.
• Independent work ethic for self-management of schedule.
• Utilize sound judgment and decision-making skills.
• Work as a team with the referrals and their families.
• Ensure a productive team relationship with co-workers, school district personnel, businesses and industry.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

Valid Arkansas Driver's License

Ability to obtain additional credentials based on future organizational and/or regulatory requirements. 

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk and hear. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk; sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 60 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently exposed to moving mechanical parts. The employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Easterseals Arkansas has designated this position as a “non-safety sensitive” position under the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment.