Title: Career Development Specialist

Program: Employment Services Support Program (ESSP)

Hours & Compensation: Full-Time, 40 hrs/week, $25 - $27/hr

Schedule: Hybrid, in-person 2-3 days per week with some travel around North Shore

Location: Lynn, MA

Organization: New American Association of MA, Inc. (NAAM)

Website: www.naamass.org/

The New American Association of MA is a non-profit organization which provides social support services to refugees and immigrants residing on the North Shore. The core services include: ESOL classes, employment assistance and job coaching, skills trainings, case management, after-school and summer programming for youth and children K-12, citizenship assistance and civics/history classes.

The Employment Support Services Program supports families referred to NAAM by the Department of Transitional Assistance. Services include assistance with job search, job preparedness, and help to foreign-born clients to overcome cultural, linguistic, and personal barriers in order to obtain meaningful, sufficient, and rewarding work.

The Career Development Specialist will assist clients in setting and reaching their short- and long-term career goals, providing instruction, guidance, and counseling.

The Specialist will research, develop, and deliver job readiness materials to individuals and small groups. Information will be presented in a variety of mediums (written, visual, oral, electronic) and in the client’s best language. Translation and interpretation services will be made available when necessary. Subject matter will include American workplace expectations, appropriate dress and behavior, time management, navigating a commute, creating balance between work and family obligations, money management and motivational techniques, and overcoming cultural barriers to job success.

The Specialist is responsible for assisting individuals in finding and maintaining employment by providing career counseling, job placement services, and support tailored to the needs of diverse clients. This role involves working with job seekers, employers, and community organizations to establish partnerships and create sustainable employment opportunities.

The Specialist will collaborate with English Language Instructors, Employment Specialists, Employment Specialist Associates, Case Managers, and Program Managers, and will attend weekly staff meetings. This position will report to the site ESSP Program Manager. The Specialist will share materials and best practices between Lynn and Lowell, with occasional travel between the two sites. This role has the potential for advancement, we anticipate that this role can grow into a management position.

Responsibilities:

Assessments: Conduct comprehensive assessments to identify clients’ skills, interests, strengths, and barriers to employment.

Individualized Plans: Develop individualized employment plans for clients, outlining specific goals, training needs, and a timeline for job placement.

Cultural Orientation & Job Readiness: Provide training and coaching to clients on essential job readiness skills, including American workplace etiquette and communication with coworkers and supervisors.

Employment Search: Assist clients in job searching activities, including resume writing, filling out job applications, interview scheduling and preparation, hiring paperwork, navigating on-the-job training, and job placement maintenance.

Networking: Build and maintain relationships with local employers and businesses to identify job openings and secure employment opportunities for clients. Attend job fairs and visit job sites as needed. Share partnerships with fellow NAAM employment team members.

Vocational Training: Research, connect with, and arrange clients’ placement in vocational trainings, education, and skill development programs to improve clients’ qualifications and employability. Trainings include Home Health Aide and Certified Nursing Assistant programs, manufacturing trainings, ServSafe and other hospitality preparation courses, IT trainings, driving schools for private and commercial drivers’ licenses, etc. Manage invoices and payment to vendors.

Advocacy: Act as an advocate for clients in interactions with potential employers and public agencies to ensure fair hiring practices and access to job opportunities.

Documentation: Write and maintain case notes in case management tracking system about clients’ progress, services provided, clients’ needs, and job placements.

Reporting: Contribute to ESSP program reports on clients’ job placement and outcomes, for management and funding purposes.

Requirements:

· Bachelor's Degree preferred (or equivalent training and experience)

· Strong communication skills, written and verbal

· Proficient in at least one additional language (preferably Spanish, will also consider Swahili, Dari/Pashto, Arabic, Ukrainian, or Haitian Creole)

· Comfortable with and valuing of diverse populations

· Professional experience in career development, job coaching, and/or background in teaching or facilitating trainings

· Development of job training materials and/or education curriculum

· Ability to work independently and as part of a team

· Ability to multitask and contribute to the larger NAAM team supporting its constituents with an array of support services

· Strong computer skills; proficiency in Microsoft Office Home Apps and Microsoft 365 for Business Apps, Google Drive, WhatsApp, SalesForce (case management software a plus)

· Share NAAM’s mission to assist newly arriving refugees and immigrants with integration into American society, to promote economic stability, to build bridges with the larger community, and to foster the maintenance of refugees' and immigrants' cultural identities.

To apply, please submit resume and cover letter to Natasha Soolkin nsoolkin@naamass.org and Alexa Arena aarena@naamass.org.

Flexible work from home options available.