Career Specialist

FLSA: Non-Exempt

Hours Per Week: 15/Part-time

Met Council is America’s largest Jewish charity dedicated to serving the needy. We fight poverty through comprehensive social services and by treating each client with compassion, integrity, and respect. Our ten different departments are staffed by experts who help over 305,000 clients each year and advocate on behalf of all needy New Yorkers. Our services include 100% affordable housing at 21 locations, family violence program, Holocaust survivor assistance, geriatric social work, crisis intervention and the largest free kosher food distribution program in the world. Our network of 101 food pantries, affordable housing sites, and JCCs provide services directly in neighborhoods across New York City.

Position Summary:

The role of the Career Specialist at the Chesed Center is to work effectively with clients of all backgrounds impacted by poverty. This includes answering phone calls, meeting with and assessing clients for career services, registering clients for courses, following up with them and referring to appropriate outside career resources where needed. The Career Specialist will also be responsible for working with course instructors and clients to ensure that courses are scheduled and that clients are informed of course schedules.

Principal Responsibilities:

As part of the Chesed Center team, this staff member will be directly working with clients. While working directly with clients the Career Specialist should be able to:

• Answer Chesed Center calls and formulate individualized career plans with each client.
• Participate in individual supervision, weekly group meetings and monthly Social Service Department meetings.
• Comply with demands of funding grant and assist in preparing grant reports.
• Assess client needs.
• Represent agency in meetings as needed.
• Demonstrate cultural sensitivity to all clients.
• Provide information and referrals to clients regarding resources in the community when needed.
• Work effectively with partner agencies including legal services.
• Attend trainings and seminars regarding topics related to Chesed Center work.
• Maintain ongoing contact log notes and related documentation.
• Work collaboratively with Chesed Center team and cover when staff is out, as needed.
• Obtain appropriate documentation.
• Participate in community events and distributions as needed.
• Conduct in-person and remote client registrations and input information into EMR.
• Conduct regular follow ups with clients and collaterals to ensure appropriate and effective referrals.
• Recognize and adhere to professional roles and boundaries, able to assess client’s capacity to carry out mutually decided upon, realistic career goals.
• Manage a caseload of clients.
• Other job-related duties as assigned.

Competencies:

• Attention to detail
• Make timely, informed decisions that take into account fact goal constraints
• Capable of serving persons under stress while still providing empathic responses
• Strong knowledge of the insular Jewish communities in Brooklyn
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to multi-task
• Able to easily adapt to changes and flexibility in schedule
• Ability to perform public speaking
• Superior interpersonal skills
• Strong knowledge of career and education and other available resources and referrals
• Strong communication skills
• Ability to work within a fast-paced work environment and make appropriate decisions
• Use Social Work ethics to support client and system needs
• Ability to assess safety of clients and create safety plans as needed
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team
• Manage own time, priorities, and resources to achieve goals

Skill and Education:

• Knowledge of career resources and government entitlements and resources
• Social services/career work experience
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Services or related field (preferred)
• Excellent computer literacy and word processing skills
• Experience with Microsoft Word and Excel

Language Skills:

• Fluent in Yiddish or Hebrew

Reasoning Ability:

• Ability to function effectively within a crisis environment and make appropriate and safe decisions

Work Environment:

• Demonstrate cultural sensitivity especially to insular, immigrant and minority groups
• Must be able to work in a busy environment with a sensitive population

Special Requirements:

This position is based at a Brooklyn satellite office with occasional meetings/training at the main location in Manhattan. Client home visits and participating in outdoor events in Brooklyn may be required on occasion.

Compensation: $24 to $25 per hour.

Benefits: Pre-tax commuter benefits; 403(b); plus pro-rated vacation, sick leave and holidays.