Brooklyn and Bronx Employment Specialist

Background

The HOPE Program is a leader among New York City job training providers, upskilling adult
jobseekers (ages 18 – 70) for a broad range of sectors, including a focus on green construction,
maintenance, infrastructure and related careers. We work with individuals facing deep
structural barriers to employment, including histories with the criminal legal system, current
and/or past homelessness, substance abuse disorders, low educational attainment and more.
Our comprehensive approach includes classroom training, industry-recognized certifications,
digital literacy and access, financial literacy and access, mental health support, case
management, paid job training, and our signature “HOPE for Life” approach, which provides a
vital community of support throughout the lives of HOPE graduates’ careers. With measurable
outcomes among the strongest in the industry, HOPE’s impact sits at the intersection of
COVID-19 recovery, racial justice, and building a more equitable future for New York City. Our
work is best described in the words of our graduates, such as Ramon.

The Position

HOPE is seeking an Employment Specialist for the Bronx & Brooklyn who will provide
dedicated one-on-one support job search and job connection for both current students and
returning graduates. The position reports to the Director of Employment and Business Services.
This is a hybrid position, working out of both of HOPE’s offices in Downtown Brooklyn and
South Bronx locations at 1 Smith Street and 1360 Garrison Avenue at least twice weekly.
The Employment Specialist will work with students in both Brooklyn and Bronx at the end of
the classroom phase of the program to understand their career plans, and review their baseline
resumes, cover letters, and interview skills. Once the classroom phase ends, the Employment
Specialist will work with students to prepare them to search for work and connect them to jobs
along their career pathways in a variety of sectors, including maintenance, construction and
remote customer service. When graduates return seeking employment, the Employment
Specialist will connect them to new work.

The position will work closely with a peer team of Employment Specialists serving all HOPE
programs in Brooklyn and the Bronx sites as well as the Business Development team.

Responsibilities

Student Services
● Build relationships and manage a caseload of up to 100 students and graduates who
complete programs annually, ensuring that 80% of them connect to work within 90
days and stay in their job for at least 90 days.
● Through the use of Motivational Interviewing and a holistic, student-centered approach,
provide consistent and high quality employment-focused engagements to ensure that
students are qualified candidates for the job opportunities that they seek. More
specifically,
o Develop an engaged coaching relationship with students and graduates.
o Partner with students and graduates on their short and long term career goals.
o Ensure all have a complete and updated employment portfolio, including
resumes, cover letters, and references, and support in tailoring materials and
practicing for interviews for open positions and ensure they are equipped for
self-directed search.
o Assist students and graduates in understanding their potential career pathways.
o Screen for HOPE-developed internships and job opportunities with trusted
employers.
o Maintain communication with students regarding applications, interviews, hiring,
new hire follow-up, and documentation for reporting to the Director.
o Secure proof of employment for new hires and facilitate a smooth handoff to the
Retention Associate.
o Support a culture of #HOPE4Life where program completers remain engaged
with HOPE and pay it forward when they can.
Student Feedback and Data Entry
● As part of a student-centered organization seeking to successfully match students to
sustainable career pathways, share student and employer feedback with the Director
and other teams.
● Conduct timely data entry in Salesforce and document preparation for soft and hard
copy files on services and outcomes.
● Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

● At least two years of case management or workforce development experience.
● Demonstrated ability to support clients in meeting their personal goals. (This position is
measured against placement rate.)
● Excellent oral and written organizational and communication skills.
● Experience documenting interactions with clients within a 48 hour period and using a
CRM (HOPE uses Salesforce.)
● Google Suite, Zoom and Internet research proficiency.
● Ability to build rapport with a wide range of clients and practice client-centered
counseling.
● Must be a strong team player who works well independently.
● Problem solver, flexible and adaptable.
● Experience in developing processes is preferred.
● Ability to work in both the Bronx and Brooklyn offices.

Salary/Benefits

The salary range is $45,000 – $55,000, depending upon experience. HOPE provides a full
package of benefits including healthcare and dental insurance, retirement plan, competitive
vacation (plus half-day Fridays during summer which is equal to 7.5 additional vacation days),
and 12 paid holidays.

Interested Candidates

Email cover letter, indicating what position you are applying for and where you saw the listing,
and resume to hr@thehopeprogram.org. Resumes unaccompanied by a cover letter will not be
reviewed. No telephone calls, please.
Effective November 1, 2021, HOPE employees are required to provide one-time verification of
vaccination against COVID-19.
The HOPE Program is an equal opportunity employer.