Specialist, Support

Goodwill Kentucky is looking for an energetic, self-motivated, dynamic professional Support Specialist to join our team. The Support Specialist will work closely with individuals seeking assistance from Goodwill to overcome barriers to employment and meet their career goals. If you are looking for an opportunity that allows you to reach new goals while striving in a high-energy, fast paced environment, the Support Specialist opportunity is for you.

Goodwill’s Mission is to connect Kentucky job seekers with the resources and services they need to find and maintain long-term employment and a career path. We serve Kentuckians who have disabilities or experience other challenges finding success in the workforce, such as criminal backgrounds, language barriers, limited education, lack of transportation and chronic poverty.

• Works closely with career coaches – To serve participants requiring limited, short term support services, make referrals to other resources, sign-up for additional career services training and employment services.
• Functions as a member of the Career Coaches’ team, giving and receiving peer input into the delivery of services, sharing of resources, etc.
• Reports on individuals served, placed, retained, etc. as instructed. Maintains current and accurate data in the assigned data entry system.
• Monitors participants served and acts as a first line of service for problem resolution.
• Communicates with and serves as a liaison between Career Coaches, participants, and other agencies. ; Escalates the level of service available to participants as needs or career goals are known and communicates that escalation to career coaches for continuity of services.
• Makes referrals to other community organizations, agencies, and programs to address participant need. Makes “soft-touch” referrals for additional resources, such as providing a job lead, helping construct a short, basic resume, or assisting with a job application.
• Communicates with job seekers to help identify and address most immediate needs, such as obtaining food, clothing, transportation, etc.; Provides direct and up-front support to individuals coming to Goodwill for help in overcoming barriers to employment
• Performs other duties as assigned.

 Additional job duties may be specific and determined based on grant or partner funding requirements.

• High School Diploma or GED required.
• Associate’s degree or one-year of work experience in lieu of college degree in workforce development/social services environments, such as a workforce development program and/or community rehabilitation program, providing services to individuals with disabilities and/or other disadvantages preferred.
• Case management experience preferred.
• Must have outstanding oral and written communication, teamwork and interpersonal skills with the ability to work with a variety of diverse people.

• This job may have physical requirements that is considered sedentary work. Sedentary work involves sitting for long periods of time; occasional bending, squatting, kneeling, stooping; good finger dexterity and feeling; frequent repetitive motions; talking, hearing, and visual acuity and occasional lifting up to 15 pounds.
• Travel across the state, as required and to other locations beyond the assigned work location is occasionally required.