Job Description:

Job Title: Employment Specialist
Location: Columbia, MO
Department: Supported Living and Employment Services
Employment Type: Full Time
Shift: Flexible
 

Job Summary:
Are you a passionate and dedicated employment specialist looking to make a positive impact in the lives of individuals with disabilities and barriers to employment? Join our team as an Employment Specialist!
 

As an Employment Specialist, you'll develop and implement all phases of clients’ vocational services, including individualized career planning, job placement, and retention support. Our ideal candidate is passionate about helping others, has relevant experience, and strong communication and collaboration skills.
 

Position Perks & Benefits:

Employee benefits package - health, dental, vision, retirement, life, & more**

Paid time off - 29 days per year including vacation & holiday pay

Mileage reimbursement - company paid for work functions requiring travel

NHSC approved - eligible site for tax-free student loan assistance

Top-notch training - initial, ongoing, comprehensive, and supportive

Career mobility - advancement opportunities/promoting from within

Welcoming, warm, supportive - a work culture & environment that promotes your well-being, values you as human being, and encourages your health and happiness
 

Key Responsibilities:

Respectful Interactions: Treat all clients, referral sources, stakeholders, and team members with unwavering dignity and respect.

Compliance Champion: Adhere strictly to all confidentiality protocols, CARF standards, and contractual obligations while providing services.

Flexible Availability: Maintain a flexible work schedule, including availability for evenings, overnights, and weekends as needed to support client needs.

Holistic Assessment: Compile and review comprehensive vocational, medical, psychological, and educational information to assist clients in crafting individualized career plans, job development strategies, and retention services.

Collaborative Planning: Schedule and actively participate in team and planning meetings, facilitating shared decision-making to discuss individual clients and their employment goals.

Client Orientation: Conduct thorough orientation sessions for clients, explaining available services and discussing their rights, responsibilities, and disclosure options.

Career Guidance: Assist clients in individualized career planning through interviews, community-based activities, and vocational counseling, identifying their strengths, needs, abilities, and preferences related to personal and employment goals.

Benefits Navigation: Provide individualized benefits planning at the onset of services, before clients start new jobs, and when making decisions about changes in work hours and pay.

Job Skills Training: Teach and reinforce essential job-seeking and job-retention skills to empower clients in their employment journeys.

Employer Engagement: Create and nurture relationships with employers, providing services aimed at developing competitive, integrated employment opportunities.

Client Advocacy: Serve as a dedicated advocate for clients with employers, referral sources, and other stakeholders, including families, schools, and social service agencies.

Employer Education: Educate employers on the benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities and facilitate job accommodations, such as assistive technology adaptations and job carving.

Community Promotion: Promote the system, services, and clients professionally with employers and through active participation in community events and awareness activities, which may include making presentations or public speaking.

Referral Coordination: Maintain frequent contact with referral sources to discuss shared clients, identify potential referrals, and ensure seamless service delivery.

Outcome Reporting: Regularly report job development outcomes and other relevant information to supervisors, including referrals, placements, retention, and areas of concern.

Crisis Response: Respond promptly and effectively to crises that may occur with clients at their worksites, ensuring their safety and well-being.

Extensive Travel: Travel extensively to conduct job development and support activities, including transporting clients to various locations.

On-Site Support: Provide on-site or off-site job support for clients as required, ensuring they receive the assistance they need to succeed.

Additional Duties: Perform other duties as assigned by leadership, demonstrating flexibility and a commitment to the team’s overall success.

Education and/or Experience Qualifications:

A high school diploma or equivalent certificate is required.

An associate's or bachelor's degree in an applicable field from an accredited institution is preferred.

At least one year of experience providing employment services.
 

Additional Qualifications:

Understanding of how to support individuals with disabilities and/or barriers to employment, education, and/or independent living.

Knowledge of case management and rehabilitation methods, principles, and techniques as they relate to mental health and/or substance use disorders.

Awareness of the challenges faced by individuals with mental illness and substance abuse disorders, and knowledge of how to access community resources.

Familiarity with methods, modalities, legal requirements, and court procedures related to treating mental illnesses and substance use disorders.

Basic knowledge of supervisory and training techniques and practices used in a substance use disorders/mental health setting.

Ability to evaluate services within assigned programs and provide input.

Strong verbal and written communication skills for producing clear and concise reports.

Strong customer service skills.

Proficiency in computer knowledge, including Word, Excel, internet platforms, and other electronic media.
 

Supervisory Requirements:

None
 

Brightli is on a Mission:
A mission to improve client care, reduce the financial burden of community mental health centers by sharing resources, a mission to have a larger voice in advocacy to increase access to mental health and substance use care in our communities, and a mission to evolve the behavioral health industry to better meet the needs of our clients.
 

As a behavioral and community mental health provider, we value diversity, equity, and inclusion in our workforce and encourage applications from individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. If you are passionate about empowering your local communities and promoting health equity, we invite you to join our mission-driven organization that is committed to building a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and authentic workplace.

We are an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer, and encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability or veteran status, or to other non-work related factors.

Burrell is a Smoke and Tobacco Free Workplace.