Lead Employment Specialist - Boston, MA - International Institute of New England

The mission of the International Institute of New England (IINE) is to create opportunities for refugees and immigrants to succeed through resettlement, education, career advancement and pathways to citizenship. One of the oldest and largest human services organizations for New Americans in the region, IINE serves more than 9,000 people each year in Boston and Lowell, Massachusetts, and Manchester, New Hampshire. Our programs include case management, youth and family services, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), employment and skills training, and immigration legal services.

A dynamic, forward-looking, and rapidly growing non-profit organization, we seek well-qualified, solutions-focused candidates who are experts in their respective fields. Successful candidates will join a committed team of professional staff and volunteers who are devoted to welcoming and serving new Americans.

Overview

The Lead Employment Case Specialist works with and helps the employment case specialists assist refugees, immigrants, non-native English-speaking clients enrolled in site employment programming in preparing for jobs and achieving employment outcomes. The Lead Employment Specialist maintains a small caseload of clients, assigns cases within the team and coordinates the day-to-day activities within the employment program, with an emphasis on meeting the needs of clients while fulfilling contractual obligations. Working closely with the Manager of Career Services, the Lead Employment Specialist ensures proper and timely case documentation and is responsible for contributing to reports as assigned.

Position: Lead Employment Specialist

• Department: Employment
• Reports to: Career Services Manager
• Supervises: Employment Case Specialist
• Status: Non-Exempt, Full-Time
• Location: Boston, MA
• Position Format: Hybrid
• Pay: $27.51/hour

Benefits:

Full-time employees will be eligible for all benefits including Personal Time Off (PTO), sick days, and twelve paid holidays. You may participate in all benefit programs that IINE establishes and makes available to eligible employees, under (and subject to all provisions of) the plan documents that govern those programs. Currently, IINE offers medical, dental and vision. Company-paid life insurance, company-paid short-term disability (STD), long term disability (LTD), accidental death and dismemberment and disability coverage, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), other benefits including 403(b) with company match plan(s) pursuant to the terms and conditions of company policy and the 403(b)-plan document. Other perks such as discounts through our vision plan, fitness reimbursement and more.

Responsibilities

• Supervise 1-3 Employment Specialists; provide regular feedback and evaluation according to IINE policies and procedures, provide weekly check-ins with each staff member.
• Coordinate the day-to-day activities of the Employment team in coordination with Career Services Manager, ensuring the highest priority cases and tasks are completed.
• Provide and supervise comprehensive employment services to IINE clients including career planning, goal setting, resume development, program enrollment, job placement, job follow up, and job support services.
• Monitor labor market, solicit employers through telephone, mail, and personal contact, maintain knowledge of the needs and requirements of employers, educate employers to the needs and abilities of client population, and screen worksites for safe, non-exploitative work conditions.
• Work with employers to identify, create and develop a wide range of suitable employment opportunities for clients.
• Understand the needs of clients relating to credentialing, re-credentialing, training, and further education; maintain resources and resource materials.
• Assist with intake and assessment as needed.
• Work with clients to develop career plans. Facilitate access to education, training, test preparation courses, and credential reviews as needed.
• Coordinate with case managers to access financial resources to support individuals seeking employment.
• Ensure clients receive job counseling, job coaching, and group job search workshops as needed.
• Assist in the management and implementation of workforce training programs such as Work Orientation Workshops.
• Maintain weekly case records in accordance with Institute guidelines and funding requirements on all services provided. Ensure that the team completes case notes and case documentation timely and accurately.
• Contribute to reports monthly. Assistance with administrative work, such as report writing, data tracking, etc. is required.
• Attend staff meetings, weekly Client-focused meeting, and all other meetings and training as assigned.
• Provide ongoing support and training to employment specialists and interns.
• Perform all other duties assigned by supervisor.

Required Skills/Abilities

• Proficiency in additional languages strongly preferred, particularly Creole, Dari, Pashto, Arabic, Swahili, Ukrainian, Spanish, or French.
• Interest in international, refugee, and asylee issues
• A command of Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to work with clients needing a range of support services.
• Excellent organizational, verbal, written, and interpersonal skills.
• Access to reliable transportation.
• Extremely well organized, detail oriented, flexible, and able to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• High-levels of discretion and professionalism in dealing with confidential information.
• Ability to work independently and as a team.
• Ability to work under pressure and remain calm and composed under stressful situations.
• Ability to work collaboratively with staff, clients, service providers and others.
• Ability to evaluate/interpret information and make good and independent judgements or decisions.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Human Services, Counseling, Education, or related field.
• Minimum of 1 year of related experience in job development and employer engagement required.
• Minimum of one year experience managing staff preferred.
• Minimum of 1 year of adult teaching experience, preferably with immigrant populations preferred.
• Experience working with immigrant populations preferred.

Work Environment Conditions

• Occasional travel to IINE offices.
• Exposure to bright, overhead office lighting, use of office technology such as laptops, printers, mail machines, and other in-office equipment.
• Occasional travel to client homes and surrounding towns.
• Seldomly night and weekends events and work.

Physical Demands

• Occasional lifting, pushing, and pulling materials (boxes, equipment) of 50 pounds or more.
• Continuous sitting (or standing) at a desk for long periods of time.
• Occasional driving to and from IINE offices as needed.

Covid-19 Policy

IINE does not require applicants for most positions to show proof of Covid-19. Some federal contracts, however, require IINE staff to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination, and some immigration status adjustments, such as a Green Card, require proof of Covid-19 vaccination as well. Consequently, for some positions, IINE staff may be required to show proof of vaccination, and in others, IINE staff will be supporting clients who are required by law to have proof of vaccination in order to adjust their status in the United States.

US Work Eligibility Notice

This position requires lawful authorization to work in the United States, and IINE is unable to provide visa sponsorship in connection with this.