Employment and Educational Specialist in Washington, District of Columbia at Community of Hope

Employment and Education Specialist

Washington, DC | Hybrid | $25.96 - $26.92 | Washington Post Top Workplace

We are seeking two passionate individuals who are eager to serve underserved families in DC and values the impact that having hope can offer by working in one of our Short Term Family Housing Programs. We follow a Housing First model and philosophy, and work to keep families all along the continuum of homelessness – safe with a roof over their heads. As a Employment and Educational Specialist you will help clients residing in STFH programs become gainfully employed and/or increase their income by providing linkages to employment and/or educational options through direct client services.

Our Approach and Values:

• We celebrate people’s strengths and acknowledge the impact of trauma on people’s lives.
• We embrace diversity, welcome all voices, and treat everyone with respect and compassion.
• We lead and advocate for changes to make systems more equitable.
• We strive for excellence and value integrity in all that we do

What You’ll Do

• Provides direct services to and meets at least bi-weekly with housing clients to achieve their employment and educational goals through actions steps such as resume writing, job interviewing, completing job and school applications, and networking.
• Reviews past employment and education histories of clients and identifies possible barriers to obtaining and retaining employment and/or education upon initial meeting and as client information changes.
• Researches and develops community resources for clients’ employment and educational development and provides linkages to clients.
• Connects eligible families to TANF, assisting with applications, monitoring the status of the application, and supporting the client to resolve any challenges.
• Tracks and monitors school attendance and works with families and schools to address any attendance issues. Collaborates with case managers to ensure that CFSA calls for school negligence are made according to DC’s Mandated Reporter requirements.
• Meets monthly with case managers to review and coordinate services provided to shared clients.
• Provides training for staff on employment-related topics as needed
• Maintains appropriate files, including detailed, timely case notes, Releases of Information, etc., according to the specifications in the program contract guidelines.
• Attends scheduled trainings and workshops as required by funders and supervisor.
• Prepares for and attends Administrative Reviews and Fair hearings, as needed.

Must-Haves

• Associate’s degree or two years of college required. In lieu of the education requirement, candidates must have a minimum of two years of experience working in homelessness services programs or the provision of social services.
• Strong interpersonal, customer service, verbal and written communication, and organizational skills.
• Ability to think critically, use good judgement, and maintain client confidentiality.

Nice-to-Haves

• Professional experience in counseling, teaching, or coaching.
• Demonstrated knowledge of local employment resources and the social service system.
• Experience working in workforce development.

Why You’ll Love Working Here!

At COH, we prioritize the following well-being and work-life balance-centered benefits: (Full-Time)

• 8 x Washington Post 150 Top Workplaces winner
• 8-hour workdays with paid lunch
• 3 weeks vacation (additional week after two years), 2 weeks sick leave, + 11.5 paid holidays and one personal floating holiday on an annual basis.
• Annual performance-based raises, up to 5% of your annual pay
• Tuition reimbursement & loan repayment (NHSC & DCHPLRP), Licensing reimbursement & CEU funding
• Medical, dental, vision, life & disability insurance + 403(b) retirement
• Leadership development, internal promotions and career growth opportunities
• A culture grounded in equity, compassion, and well-being

About Us:

Community of Hope is a mission-driven, innovative, rapidly growing nonprofit, and Federally Qualified Health Center. For over 45 years, we have provided health and housing services, perinatal care coordination, and community support services to make Washington, DC more equitable. Community of Hope also strongly emphasizes maternal and child health, with midwifery practice and the only free-standing birth center in DC. We are honored to be one of DC’s largest providers of housing and homelessness prevention services for families and individuals throughout DC. Through our Family Success Center, our WIC nutrition centers, and our various partnerships, we have reached hundreds and believe that everyone in DC deserves to be healthy, housed, and hopeful.

With the help of our amazing staff, we have successfully provided:

• 50,000+ medical visits
• 6,300+ dental visits
• 17,000+ emotional wellness visits
• 1,384 families and 220 individuals with housing/homelessness prevention services

Ready to bring hope and health to our DC community? Apply today!

To request a reasonable accommodation to complete an employment application or for general questions about employment with Community of Hope, contact a Recruiting Coordinator. Email: hr@cohdc.org Phone: 202-407-7747. Community of Hope is an equal opportunity employer.