As an Employment Consultant with Relay Resources, you’ll be at the forefront of our launch into the world of competitive and integrated employment (CIE). You will be responsible for managing and actively supporting a caseload of clients with disabilities in various phases of exploring employment options, applying for jobs, learning new roles, and maintaining their employment. You’ll spend most of your time out in the community working with clients to find employment opportunities that align with their unique strengths, skills, and interests. You will also be building relationships with a self-cultivated network of employers and coaching clients at their job sites. By the end of each workday, you’ll take time to thoroughly and accurately document your work with clients in reports that are reviewed by our contracting partners.

Starting Wage: $58,000 per year (DOE)

Key Job Duties:

• Manage a dynamic caseload of clients ensuring services are being delivered at a professional standard and you are actively helping each client move closer to their employment goals, or troubleshooting barriers that impede progress, every week.
• Work with clients to assess their strengths, skills, and abilities as well as barriers that can be addressed with accommodations or role customization.
• Use a person-centered approach to make recommendations for employment pathways to explore. Develop opportunities for clients to explore these pathways with local employers through job shadows, informational interviews, and vocational assessments.
• Reach out to local employers who have roles similar to those your clients are seeking to market the benefits of employing the clients you are working with. This can be done through strategic networking, cold-calling, scheduling informational interviews, or other creative means.
• Support your clients to secure job offers that meet their non-negotiable criteria and align with their job goals. This will often require negotiating adjustments to the standard job role while still meeting the essential needs of the business, requesting accommodations, and “selling” the benefits of working with a job coach to set the client up for success in the role. Your goal will be to secure 2 job placements each month once you are fully trained and staffed.
• Provide targeted coaching support to clients at their job sites (and occasionally off site) to ensure they can maintain employment and have access to the tools and support they need to be as successful and independent in their role as possible.
• Work with employers to develop creative solutions to challenges, propose and implement accommodations, and deescalate situations where a new employee isn’t meeting their expectations.
• Advocate strategically with your clients so they have what they need to be successful at work.
• Manage time and tasks effectively to provide quality client services and complete required documentation and detailed reports daily.

Experience

You must meet at least one of the criteria below:

• Have at least one year of experience working with individuals with disabilities (this can be personal or professional experience) OR
• Have year of human-services related experience, such as economical disadvantages, employment, abuse and neglect, substance abuse, aging, disabilities, prevention, health, cultural competencies, or housing OR
• Six months of prior experience working as a Job Coach or Developer OR
• A bachelor’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling or Special Education OR
• Possess a Certified Employment Supported Professional (CESP) certificate OR
• Document that you have completed of the Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE) collaborative training OR
• Possess an Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators (ACRE) training certificate

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Ability to follow oral and written directions and maintain required documentation
• Ability to support individuals with a wide range of support needs to maintain successful employment in diverse work settings
• Demonstrate a high degree of emotional intelligence
• Exercise grit and resilience to overcome obstacles to desired employment outcomes
• Ability to collaborate effectively with key stakeholders including Vocational Rehabilitation counselors, case managers, clients’ family members, group home staff, transition teachers, and employers.
• Knowledge of basic disability etiquette

Education

Possess a bachelor’s degree in human services, psychology, sociology, teaching, counseling, or a related field or be able to demonstrate that you possess equivalent knowledge through experience.

Other

• Have a valid and unrestricted Oregon Driver’s License and a reliable vehicle. This role will require frequent travel throughout the Portland Metro area. Your mileage will be reimbursed.
• Pass an ORCHARDs criminal history background check.
• Be willing to work some evenings and weekends. This role requires occasional evening and weekend work to support clients who are starting new jobs during non-traditional work hours.

Preferred knowledge, skills, and experience

• Possess knowledge of developmental disabilities services provided by Vocational Rehabilitation and Oregon Department of Developmental Disabilities
• Bilingual
• Experience with disability advocacy
• Previous experience as a job coach, job developer, or employment specialist
• Case management (broadly defined) experience
• ACRE or CESP certified

How to Apply:

We conduct Hiring Events each Thursday from 2:00PM-4:00PM where we can assist anyone with the application process, review open positions and potentially set up an interview the same day. If Thursdays do not work for you, you can apply directly through our online portal found at https://relayresources.org/ under the “Join Our Team” Tab.

Building Address: 5312 NE 148th AVE., Portland, OR 97230.

Phone: (503) 261-1266

Email: careers@relayresources.org

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Disabled people / people with disabilities and neurodivergent people are strongly encouraged to apply.