Outreach Specialist / Job Developer

Overview

The Opportunity

CEO is looking to hire a dynamic and engaging Outreach Specialist / Job Developer for our Marin County office, who will serve as the face of the organization within local parole and probation offices, developing and deepening relationships with parole officers, providing them with information about our work, and building their commitment to referring a strong pipeline of participants for our programs.

In the day-to-day, the Outreach Specialist / Job Developer meets with parole officers, recruits program participants, and leads presentations about our program and offerings. In addition, increase the range of employment opportunities available to our participants using participant interests, experiences, and their ambitions as foundation for participant job placements, and more broadly, for the identification and cultivation of potential employers for prospect portfolios.

The most rewarding part of being an Outreach Specialist / Job Developer is the joy you feel upon making the “right fit” match between participant and employer. Your expertise and insight lead not only to successful matches in the now, but to participant longevity in the workforce which often drastically reduces the rate of recidivism.

Who We Are

The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) provides employment services to people with recent criminal convictions. Across the United States, over 6,000 people participate in CEO each year, transitioning to employment that supports themselves, their families, and their communities.

What began as a demonstration project of the Vera Institute of Justice in the 1970s to address employment barriers facing the formerly incarcerated following release in New York City has grown into the leading reentry employment organization in the country, where over 25,000 formerly incarcerated individuals have secured full-time employment since 1996. In 2016, CEO embarked on a 5-year strategic plan to grow to serve 9,000 participants annually.

Who You Are   

• You demonstrate commitment to CEO’s mission and interest in working in a fast-growing and results-oriented nonprofit environment  
• You have a deep interest in re-entry or criminal justice reform  
• You demonstrate respect, fairness, patience, and efficiency to participants, employees, and community partners  
• You come to CEO with experience in workforce development, recruitment, or sales/account management, a role in which you needed to meet performance goals on a regular basis
• You’re able to look at a set of data or market research and use it to guide your practice and decision-making
• You enjoy networking and cultivating lasting relationships with people and businesses, helping them understand how our work can help them achieve their business strategy and goals
• You identify and/or anticipate problems, analyze situations, and provide solutions while working effectively under pressure and maintaining focus on objectives  
• You are comfortable conducting outreach and skilled in relationship building; ability to ascertain the values of a particular individual or group and craft persuasive written or verbal communication given those priorities  
• You are comfortable with technological tools such as Salesforce and Google Suite  
• You are able to travel throughout the Marin County area 

The Nitty Gritty
Key responsibilities of the Outreach Specialist include, but are not limited to:   

•  Developing and deepening relationships with probation officers and community based organizations, providing them with information about our work and building their commitment to referring a strong pipeline of participants for our programs  
•  Meeting with probation officers, facilitating program referrals for prospective clients, leading presentations about our service offerings, and sharing feedback with about client progress at CEO  
•  Making referrals for participants when needed  
•  Attending and presenting at DOCCS bureaus and other referral sources  
•  Identifying strategies to recruit 18-25 year old potential participants through observation and experimentation  
•  Detailing reports of daily activity interactions with POs and participants, maintaining accurate and up-to-date contact information, and completion of participant profiles in Salesforce  
•  Serves as a liaison for employment verification between CEO and our justice partners  
•  Utilizing Motivational Interviewing to guide participants to programmatic engagement   

Key responsibilities of the Job Developer include, but are not limited to:

• Envision, develop, and implement a strategic plan for placement services that ensures CEO meets its participant placement metrics
• Conduct reviews of existing CEO business partnerships regularly, evaluate employer demand and usage of CEO services, and determine improvements and ways to leverage relationships with employers
• Achieve weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual placement goals in accordance with CEO’s contractual obligations
• Research, conduct outreach to, and build relationships with prospective employers willing to hire CEO participants and who have hiring needs that match the skills, experience, and interests of our overall participant cohort
• Maintain relationships with existing employer partners
• Schedule and conduct daily prospecting, cold calls, and face-to-face meetings
• Serve as the liaison among employers, participants, and our criminal justice partners
• Screen and match program participants with employment opportunities, taking into consideration each participant’s skills, work experience, interests, and goals and aspirations
• Customize participants’ resumes to fit identified opportunities
• Manage a caseload of participants, support and coach them around applying for jobs, navigating the hiring process, and finding and securing right fit employment
• Document all participant and employer contact, activities, and outcomes in our case management system (Salesforce)

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $54,936 annually, commensurate with demonstrated experience and abilities. We also offer a comprehensive benefits package, including medical and dental coverage, paid parental leave, participation in a retirement plan, sick and vacation leave, paid holidays, and more. We’re a workplace that promotes continual learning and teamwork, offering lunch and learns, team outings, holiday gatherings, and more for our staff. CEO is also dedicated to ongoing staff development and training, including regular training opportunities in Motivational Interviewing (MI). MI is one evidence-based skill that reentry and human service professionals can utilize when supporting participants to achieve their goals.

More About Us

The Center for Employment Opportunities believes that everyone deserves the chance to shape a stronger future for themselves, their families, and their communities. Our commitment to being an anti-racism organization that is inclusive across all identities and experiences drives us forward every day. We exist to create greater opportunities for people who face multiple barriers to personal and professional success, and we’re passionate about being agents of change who promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and access to opportunities for all.

People who are justice-involved, people of color, people who identify as LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities are highly encouraged to apply for vacant positions at all levels. CEO’s commitment to DEI aligns with the CROWN Act, creating an open space where our employees can present as their true authentic selves. We are an equal employment opportunity for all regardless of race, color, citizenship, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran or reservist status, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

Please note that due to the volume of resumes received, we are unable to contact each applicant regarding the status of each position or reply to candidates’ inquiries via phone or email.