Employment Specialist at Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion – Burnaby, British Columbia

The Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion (BACI) has been supporting people with disabilities for decades. We’ve learned a lot over those years and our learning has shaped the evolution of our services, our advocacy efforts, and the way we help build inclusive communities. We recognize that people with disabilities have significant gifts and abilities to offer potential employers and in your role as an Employment Specialist with BEST, you’ll be supporting people in recognizing these gifts and applying this knowledge to find meaningful paid employment.

Position: Regular Full-Time Employment Specialist

Location: Community Based

Salary: $33.77/hour

Hours: 37.5 hours/week Schedule: Monday - Friday as per schedule

Key Responsibilities:

In this flexible role, you will be setting high expectations while managing a diverse portfolio of job seekers in varying stages of job development. Key responsibilities include.

• Facilitating a Process of Discovery: Working collaboratively with job seekers using a person-centred approach and your creativity to uncover their strengths and skills, and ideal conditions of employment for job seekers.
• Developing and delivering pre-employment instruction and workshops: Supporting learning and growth for job seekers as they build the skills that they need to be successful in paid employment. Developing and delivering engaging and effective content.
• Marketing and Job Development: Proactively cultivating relationships with potential employers and the business community to source out competitive job opportunities, identify potential job carving opportunities, customizing jobs, creating job trials and placements. Negotiating employment proposals, contracts and facilitating training plans.
• Job Coaching: Conducting detailed task analysis and using a variety of instructional approaches to coach an individual to perform their job duties. Taking a collaborative approach with the individual, co-workers, families etc. to support their work performance, and ensure natural supports are in place.
• Documentation and Communication: Maintaining accurate reports and documentation on the job seeker and their participation, and submitting reports as required. Ensuring that all documentation is complete. Maintaining confidentiality of individuals, their families and Association records and reports.

Competencies:

• We’re looking for someone who brings their natural enthusiasm, flexibility, lots of energy and a can-do attitude. Adaptability and a sense of humour are essential as is the ability to reflect on supports and bring new ideas to the team.
• Being an effective communicator and being able to reflect on and adapt your communication style to the many ways that job seekers, families, employers, and co-workers communicate is critical.
• Taking a collaborative approach is essential, as is an openness to working with other staff teams along with an ability to see both the details, and the big picture – you’ll need to understand the different ways that having an Employment Specialist fits into the bigger picture of someone’s life.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree or Diploma in Social Services, Career/Employment Counselling, Sales/Marketing, Business.
• 3-5 years’ experience working in the employment field, augmented with formal training in the areas of supported and customized employment.
• Further training in behavioural and communication support, and person-centred planning preferred.
• Valid CPR, First Aid, NVCI certification.
• Valid Class 5 BC Driver’s license and a vehicle used for work are required.

This a regular full-time unionized position. If you’re passionate about seeing people’s strengths first and raising the expectations for people with cognitive disabilities and share our belief that paid employment is for everyone, please submit a cover letter and resume.