JOB TITLE: Career Coach
DIVISION: Adult Services
DEPARTMENT: Reentry Career Services - US DOL Pathway Home IV program
LOCATION: Northwest Activities Center and SEMCA Michigan Works (location TBD)
REPORTS TO: Lead Career Coach
FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt/Hourly
CLASSIFICATION: Full-Time, Regular
APPROVED DATE: 04/28/2025
JOB SUMMARY: Assesses inmates in the Wayne County Criminal Justice Complex who will be released to Wayne County to determine eligibility into the Pathways Home IV program funded by the U.S. Dept. of Labor. Provides job readiness training, vocational training referrals, and placement assistance into subsidized and unsubsidized employment.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Interviews jobseeker to assess service needs.
- Jointly with the jobseeker, develops an Individual Employment Plan (IEP) that identifies jobseeker interests, goals, needs, and placement strategy.
- Jointly with the jobseeker, develops a Discharge Plan that identifies next steps post-release.
- Assesses jobseeker’s career and job readiness and recommends strategies to enhance their marketability including referrals to training and/or workshops.
- Identifies problem areas and service gaps and assures implementation of Career Plan; identifies and prepares reports to supervisor on areas identified as barriers to services for jobseekers and prepares a plan of action. Refers jobseekers who are not job ready back partners for additional barrier removal services and/or academic reinforcement.
- Ensures jobseekers are connected with available job placement services, including recruitment events. Refers jobseekers to the Reentry Employment Specialist/Navigator job match, placement, and retention support.
- Actively screens caseload to refer candidates to Temporary Work Experiences (TWE), a form of subsidized employment designed to bridge those with little to no work experience with increased skill development in a work setting.
- Actively participates in all job search and placement events (fairs) and activities as assigned promoting teamwork, professionalism, courtesy, and jobseeker satisfaction.
- Cross-trains with the Reentry Career Services team in order to support program outcomes.
- Performs visits to other locations, jobseekers’ places of residence, training providers’ and employers’ sites, as necessary.
- Participates in ongoing professional development and maintains current knowledge of best practices in workforce development.
- Manages a comprehensive caseload of no more than seventy (70) intensive jobseekers, ensures accurate documentation of case records in all appropriate databases (Wayne County database, LaunchPad/Salesforce, OSMIS).
- Provides follow-up services after job placement at intervals of once a month through the end of the program year for each assigned participant to ensure retention. Documents efforts and outcomes in participant CMS profile and case file.
- Works closely with referral partners (for barrier removal) and Employment Specialist/Navigator (for job retention) and other staff to ensure successful outcomes for jobseekers.
- Maintain case reporting in MIS systems and jobseeker’s files.
- Performs other related duties as assigned by SERCO leadership.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: None
JOB QUALIFICATIONS:
- Experience in career planning, placement, employment, training, or a related field preferred.
- Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university.
- Knowledge of education, training and community resources; of career coaching principles, objectives, standards, and methods; and of program policies and procedures.
- Must demonstrate experience and effectiveness meeting performance metrics for a high-risk client base.
- Familiarity with Human Centered Design principles, including Motivational Interviewing.
- Mental ability to handle pressures related to dealing with detainee and parolee populations and multiple individuals from diverse backgrounds and with varying levels of need
- Ability to communicate effectively; to assess jobseeker needs; and to assist with case management activities
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access).
- Bilingual language skills are a bonus, but not required.
Special Requirements:
- Must be able to pass a LEIN security clearance, Wayne County Sheriff’s clearance, and FBI fingerprinting, granting access to MDOC and/or Wayne County correctional facilities and data management systems.
- Must possess and provide a valid Michigan Driver's License.
- Must have internet access at home and the capacity to work virtually up to 70% of the time.
- Must be willing to work a flexible schedule and have access to reliable transportation in order to travel to various American Job Center locations across the city and MDOC and Wayne County Corrections Offices.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to see, talk and hear. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, sit for extended periods of time, and have sufficient hand, arm, and finger dexterity to operate a phone, computer keyboard, and other office equipment. Must be able to lift a minimum of 10 pounds.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. - This job operates in a normal school environment with a noise level, which is at times, moderately loud with little discomfort due to noise, dirt, dust and the like. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.
Equal Opportunity Employer
This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by a person assigned to this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties and responsibilities that may be performed by a person so classified. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.
