Participant Support and Employer Relations Specialist

About The Career Foundation: The Career Foundation is a dynamic non-profit organization that offers a wide range of employment, training, and HR services to job seekers and employers. Since its inception in 1988, The Career Foundation has steadily expanded its services. Operating out of multiple locations, we now help thousands of people each year successfully accomplish their employment goals. Our team of dedicated professionals has described The Career Foundation as caring, compassionate, innovative, and team-oriented. For more information about us and our services, please visit our website at CareerFoundation.com.

Some of the benefits and features available to our employees include:

• Competitive compensation
• A comprehensive health benefits plan that includes massage therapy, naturopath services, travel coverage, and much more
• A comprehensive dental insurance plan
• An RRSP Matching benefit
• An Employee & Family Assistance program
• Employee wellness initiatives
• Paid days off for religious observance purposes
• Paid days off for personal wellness purposes

Program and Role Description: The Career Foundation’s Completing the Circle (CTC) program is a youth employment and skills development project funded by Canada’s Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS). Our CTC program provides individualized support to youth with barriers to employment. Through the program, youth participants are empowered to find employment and are equipped with tools, support, new skills, and confidence to start and maintain employment.

In the position of Participant Support & Employer Relations Specialist with our Completing the Circle (CTC) program, you will be an essential member of the team, responsible for providing individualized wraparound support services to youth participants, ensuring they successfully complete the program and retain employment. In this role, you will participate in taking youth participants shopping for job-appropriate clothing and safety equipment, accompany youth participants to interviews for encouragement and support, monitor the progress of their job placements, communicate with placement employers regarding subsidy claims and reimbursements, and perform other essential duties to ensure participants achieve successful outcomes, including coaching and preparing youth participants for job search success. You will be responsible for achieving individual targets assigned to you that contribute to the team’s collective ability to meet all contractual obligations with the program’s funder.

Position Type:

Full-time (37.5 hours per week) one-year contract with excellent potential to lead to permanent.

Base Location and Travel Requirements:

This opportunity is based at our York office, located near Weston Road and Lawrence Avenue West, and requires frequent travel within all communities served by our CTC program, including York, Peel, and Hamilton, to meet the essential duties of the position. The role also requires regular onsite work from our Hamilton office, where the program also officially operates.

The successful candidate should possess a valid Ontario G driver’s licence and a vehicle to fulfill the core deliverables that require frequent local travel across the GTHA. The position also permits periodic work-from-home days on a rotational basis, contingent on program needs, operational requirements, and performance. The hybrid schedule requires a private, dedicated work-from-home space with reliable high-speed internet. A company laptop, cell phone, and other equipment will be provided.

Vulnerable Sector Check:

An offer of employment for this opportunity will be contingent on the incumbent providing an acceptable Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC).

Start:

As soon as possible

Reporting to:

Program Manager

Responsibilities include:

Participant Wraparound Support, Job Coaching, and Retention Services

• Provides individualized support to youth participants of The Career Foundation’s Completing the Circle (CTC) program prior to and during their job placements to address job search and employment retention challenges.
• Works in collaboration with other team members to guide youth participants in developing appropriate work habits, behaviours, and attitudes to help ensure they secure and retain employment.
• Assesses and facilitates program participants’ needs for personal supports, including interview and work-related clothing, transportation needs and allowances, personal protective equipment, training, certifications, and other supports available through the program.
• Participates in taking youth participants shopping for interview and job clothing, fittings for safety equipment, and organizes deliveries when needed to ensure participants receive the personal supports required.
• Coordinates training schedules for youth participants completing job-specific training.
• Accompanies youth participants to employer sites on their scheduled interview days, as needed and assigned to help provide additional support and encouragement.
• Visits and monitors youth participants on-the-job to observe progress and provide additional real-time support as needed, providing relevant status updates to the Program Manager.
• Facilitates communication between youth participants and placement employers to mediate issues as needed and assist in career development planning.
• Finds suitable alternative employment opportunities for program participants who do not retain their initial job placement.
• Identifies and provides resources to further support youth participants based on their individual needs to retain employment, including utilizing digital systems and technologies provided by The Career Foundation to further support clients in achieving successful outcomes.
• Regularly monitors personal performance against program targets to ensure achievement of expected results.
• Collaborates with fellow team members on topics such as job development and employment retention strategies that help lead clients to successful outcomes.
• Participates in conducting intakes, community outreach, and program information sessions as needed.
• Performs other relevant duties as assigned.

Administration of Participant and Employer Support Claims

• Collects all required documentation for eligible participant and employer claims, including paystubs.
• Conducts follow ups with participants and employers to receive any outstanding documentation and confirm receipt of payments.
• Works in collaboration with the Job Developer in verifying employers’ eligibility for wage subsidies.
• Organizes efforts to ensure that youth participants receive program support funds securely and maintains accurate and up-to-date documentation of all participant support expenditures.
• Ensures that The Career Foundation’s Finance department receives all necessary documentation to process and reconcile payments of claims that have been approved by the Program Manager.
• Supports with internal file audits to ensure all financial incentive information is complete and documented before files are closed.
• Performs other relevant duties as assigned.

Case Management and Documentation

• Enters and maintains thorough written documentation in online data reporting systems, ensuring that participant and employer files are up-to-date, accurately reflect records, and are ready for file audits.
• Supports the Program Manager with documenting standout participant success stories as needed.
• Performs other relevant duties as assigned.

Qualifications/ Skills Required:

• Post-secondary degree or diploma in human/social services, business, or administration is highly preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
• Minimum of two years of direct experience in job development, job coaching, community outreach, recruitment, or other experience that is directly transferable to the responsibilities of the position is required.
• Experience working with youth in an employment services capacity is considered a strong asset.
• Valid Ontario G driver’s licence and reliable vehicle to conduct essential work-related travel within the GTHA to effectively meet the core deliverables of the position.
• Exceptional relationship-building skills with a proven ability to develop rapport with people from all stakeholder groups.
• Excellent verbal and written English communication skills.
• High emotional intelligence, demonstrating patience, empathy, and connectivity when working with clients of various experiences, needs, abilities, and cultural or social backgrounds.
• Demonstrated track record in a results-driven environment with experience meeting targets.
• Exceptional customer service skills and the ability to uphold the organization’s service standards, policies, and core values.
• Knowledge of current labour market trends, job search techniques, and employment research methods is considered an asset.
• Professional and courteous approach to client service with a high level of respect for the diversity of the people served.
• Ability to maintain sensitive information and exhibit tact, diplomacy, and good judgment, with high standards of ethics and confidentiality.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and Outlook 365 applications, including Teams and SharePoint. Must possess the aptitude and willingness to learn and work with new online systems and technologies
• Flexibility to occasionally work outside regular business hours when required to ensure the team meets all objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to remain flexible and resilient, adapting quickly to changing priorities while maintaining trust and positive working relationships.
• Strong work ethic with the ability to multitask while maintaining a positive and proactive attitude.

The Career Foundation’s Commitment:

The Career Foundation is committed to diversity and inclusion and aims to create a healthy and rewarding environment for all. We welcome applications from qualified individuals who represent the diversity of the people we proudly serve, including, but not limited to, visible minorities, women, persons with disabilities, Indigenous peoples, and individuals of all genders and sexual orientation. The Career Foundation, in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), is also committed to accommodating applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. We will work with candidates requesting accommodation at any stage of the hiring process.