Self-Sufficiency Specialist - Part Time

DESCRIPTION:

Job opens: 03/06/2026

Job closes: 03/22/2026

Develop and facilitate job readiness classes, covering required job readiness subjects. Such as but not limited to workplace etiquette, conflict resolution, and career advancement.

Provide ongoing support to clients upon employment, assisting with workplace challenges, conflict resolution, and skill development. Develop job- search skills (résumé writing, interview preparation, etc.). Offer ongoing support and coaching to clients throughout the job search process, including assistance in networking, job applications, and access to training opportunities. Job Development: Cultivate relationships with employers and community organizations to identify job opportunities for clients. Match clients' skills, interests, and qualifications to suitable job openings and act as a liaison between clients and employers.

Coordinate job placements, including arranging interviews, conducting follow-up meetings, and supporting clients during the transition into employment.

 

Monitor clients' progress in their new positions, ensuring job satisfaction and addressing any concerns that may arise. Conduct comprehensive assessments to identify clients' education, skills, interests, and employment goals. Develop individualized employment plans in collaboration with clients, identifying potential barriers and proposing strategies to overcome them. Provide career counseling and guidance, helping clients explore career options and 

Negotiate job offers, ensuring fair compensation and appropriate accommodations, if necessary. Employment Placement and Retention: Reporting and Documentation:

Maintain accurate and up-to-date VIEW records of client interactions, services provided, and employment outcomes (placements, retention rates, etc.).Job follow ups and work participation. Generate reports on client progress and program effectiveness, identifying areas for improvement and recommending modifications to enhance outcomes. Employee must exercise considerable tact, courtesy, and discretion in contact with program applicants and the public. Reports to the Self Sufficiency Supervisor.
 
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the essential job functions satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary job functions herein described. Since every duty associated with this position may not be described herein, employees may be required to perform duties not specifically spelled out in the job description, but which may be reasonably considered to be incidental in the performing of their duties just as though they were actually written out in this job description.

 

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Facilitate and maintain job readiness training classes and coordinate services to assure efficient and effective service delivery and to meet program goals for client referral, placement, participation and transition.
• Notifies participants of adverse action to be taken against Social Services benefits in cases of failure to comply with program rules, regulations and/or requirements; initiates sanction procedures in such cases; notifies appropriate departmental personnel of changes in participants' households affecting eligibility or participation in program. Identifies instances of fraud and makes appropriate referrals and contacts.
• Performs a wide variety of administrative duties associated with case management, record keeping and reporting of assigned clients and programs to include: composing and typing correspondence and forms; planning and organizing caseload and establishing priorities; maintaining records and submitting reports, records, and other documentation required by local, State and federal governing agencies; utilizing automated information systems to maintain and retrieve information; ensuring confidentiality of records and files.
• Updates procedural manuals.
• Answers the telephone and directs phone calls to appropriate personnel.
• Performs employment intake as a part of the client orientation, including assessing experience, strengths, knowledge, skills, abilities, and limitations of clients.
• Develops employment plan, self-sufficiency plan and required measurable goals, objectives, strategies, and time frames for achievement.
• Works with clients to address barriers to employment and identify and make use of appropriate community resources. Maintains detailed case notes of services provided.
• Provides team support to Self Sufficiency Specialist VIEW/Child care unit.
• Works with businesses and industry to develop potential employment and training opportunities for clients.
• Fosters strong working relationships with businesses, community-based organizations, and partner agencies. Provides consistent communication with partner agencies to ensure coordination of services and development of job placement opportunities.
• Prepares and submits reports in a timely fashion and as necessary.
• Coordinates interpreters for Employment Program when needed.
• Completes data entry into agency software and all other required programs.
• Represents the Agency in the community and workplace in a professional and ethical manner.
• Demonstrates sensitivity to the service population’s cultural and socioeconomic characteristics.
• Demonstrates strong interpersonal, decision-making, problem-solving, oral, and written skills.
• Utilizes a basic knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.
• Performs other related duties as require

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:High school diploma supplemented with additional training and related work experience OR any equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilitiesSUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

• Knowledge of local, State and federal laws, ordinances, rules and regulations pertaining to government sponsored multiple benefit programs and employment programs.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of multiple benefit programs and employment training programs, as administered through the State and City Social Services programs.
• Knowledge of the social and economic factors in the community.
• Knowledge of the various programs' eligibility requirements of recruiting and placement procedures used by public and private employers.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of adult education to include GED program.
• Knowledge of a wide variety of occupational fields.
• Knowledge of other programs and services administered through the City Social Services Department and other community human services agencies or volunteer groups.
• Ability to use common office machines and audio-visual playback equipment.
• Ability to read and compare words and figures carefully and accurately.
• Ability to maintain accurate participant records and prepare reports from such records.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment in organizing and establishing format.
• Ability to analyze and evaluate programs and to prepare reports on the programs' functioning.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective communication with clients, other human services agencies, and employers in the community.
• Ability to effectively express ideas orally and in writing.
• Ability to make oral presentations before large groups of people.
• Ability to explain rules, regulations and policies of multiple benefit and employment programs in terms understood by applicants and the general public.
• Ability to provide guidance to less experienced staff.
• Ability to exercise considerable tact, courtesy and discretion in contact with program applicants and clients, and the general public.
• Ability to exercise considerable discretion in handling confidential files.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments.
• Ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
• Ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments and/or directions from superiors.
• Ability to read a variety of correspondence, reports, records, forms, statistical summaries, employment advertisements, etc.; to prepare reports, correspondence, records, forms, etc., using prescribed formats and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style.

VDSS is one of the largest Commonwealth agencies, partnering with 120 local departments of social services, along with faith-based and non-profit organizations, to promote the well-being of children and families statewide. We proudly serve alongside nearly 13,000 state and local human services professionals throughout the Social Services System, who ensure that thousands of Virginia's most vulnerable citizen have access to best services and benefits available to them.