Employment Specialist at Covenant House New York – New York, New York

About Covenant House New York

Join a Legacy of Hope and Empowerment at Covenant House New York!

For over 50 years, Covenant House New York (CHNY) has been at the forefront of transforming lives by providing comprehensive shelter, housing, and wrap-around support services for vulnerable homeless, runaway, and exploited youth. As the largest provider of these essential services in New York City, CHNY impacts the lives of over 1,500 young people aged 16-24 every year.

At CHNY, our doors are open to all young people in need, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression. Our dedicated team offers various services, including shelter, housing, education, employment, health, mental health support, youth development, and anti-human trafficking initiatives. We operate with harm reduction and trauma-informed principles to ensure the best care for our youth.

But our mission goes beyond immediate support. We are passionate advocates for systemic change, influencing public policy, and raising awareness of the critical issues surrounding youth homelessness. Our ultimate goal is to provide a safe refuge and empower young people to build a brighter future founded on compassion, unconditional love, and absolute respect.

Join us in making a difference in the lives of countless young people. Join a team that inspires long-term transformation and hope.

About the role

Reporting to the Employment Services Manager, the Employment Specialist assists youth in assessing their job skills for employment opportunities, instructs program participants in job seeking, application procedures, resume writing, interview preparation, and job retention skills and attitudes. S/he arranges for interviews, monitors participant performance on the job, and counsels participants when job performance is not satisfactory. The ideal candidate works with individuals to improve job performance and gain necessary job skills, reviews other employment options, maintains contact with employers during the youth's employment, and reports results to appropriate staff and tracks activity and progress data.

What you'll do

• Initiate and maintain ongoing personal contacts with a variety of business and industry representatives and job placement/training agencies to promote programs for participant placement.
• Make cold calls to potential employers and explain the benefits and employment support services provided by CovWorks, including support for employers’ special needs.
• Matches job skills with applicant qualifications.
• Refers qualified youth to employers and conducts necessary follow-up when applicants are placed in positions.
• Generate reports as required by the Program Manager.

Qualifications

• Independently recognizes and performs duties that need to be done without being directly assigned.
• Establishes priorities; organizes work and time to meet them.
• Has insight into problems and the ability to develop workable alternatives?
• Responds to supervision, coaching, and constructive criticism in a positive manner.
• Adheres to attendance and punctuality requirements as outlined in policy. Provides proper notification for absences and tardiness. Takes corrective action to prevent recurring absences or tardiness.
• Observes all policies governing conduct while at work (e.g., telephone and computer use, electronic messaging, smoking regulations, breaks, and other related policies)
• Ability to professionally communicate and relate well with all levels of personnel (colleagues, youth, and related professionals)
• Dedicated to the mission of Covenant House.