ODSP Employment Services & Placement Specialist (*New)
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Job Description
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 Disability Employment Services program is dedicated to supporting job seekers accessing the Ontario government’s Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP). Our program offers comprehensive services to these job seekers, including job search assistance, job matching and placement, job coaching, retention support, and more. Employers committed to inclusive hiring can also benefit from our tailored services, such as direct access to skilled job seekers with disabilities, assistance in organizing and hosting community hiring events, and guidance on effectively onboarding and coaching new hires to ensure long-term job retention.
As the ODSP Employment Services & Placement Specialist, you will play a key role in supporting ODSP clients in securing and maintaining meaningful employment. Your responsibilities will include providing tailored job search assistance, job matching, job development, job carving, coaching, and retention support to your assigned caseload. Additionally, you will build and maintain effective relationships with employers to identify suitable job opportunities for your clients.
Position Type:
- Full-time (37.5 hours per week) one-year contract with excellent potential to lead to permanent
Base Location and Travel Requirements:
- The base office location for this opportunity is The Career Foundation’s North York office, located at Lawrence Ave. W. & Allen Rd. The successful candidate must be willing to work from our North York office on a full-time schedule and possess a valid Ontario G driver’s licence and a reliable vehicle for community outreach, client and employer engagement, and other essential job functions that require local travel within the communities served.
- The position is currently structured under a hybrid-remote schedule that permits one work-from-home day per week. The hybrid schedule is based on performance and operational needs and requires a private work-from-home space with reliable, high-speed internet. A company laptop and other equipment are provided.
Background Check Requirement:
- An offer of employment for this opportunity will be contingent on the incumbent providing a Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check (CRJMC), also known as a Level 2 Check.
Reporting to:
- Team Lead, ODSP Employment Services & Placement Specialist
Responsibilities include:
Employment Counselling, Coaching, and Case Management
- Serves a caseload of clients annually, ensures client progress is actively monitored and documented, with adjustments made to plans to achieve employment outcomes consistently.
- Conducts intakes and completes individualized needs assessments for clients to establish their eligibility for services and pre-employment needs.
- Collects, organizes, and analyzes client information through completed needs assessments and other mechanisms to appraise clients’ interests, aptitudes, and abilities to create individualized action plans that lead to successful outcomes.
- Provides solution-based employment counselling and ongoing support to an assigned caseload of clients in the areas of job search, job placement, job coaching, job retention, and other areas to support clients in achieving employment goals.
- Consistently monitors and tracks caseload success rates to achieve individual targets that contribute to the team’s overall objectives and expectations from the program’s funder.
- Enters and maintains thorough written documentation in online data reporting systems, ensuring that caseload files are up-to-date and ready for file audits.
- Provides effective job search readiness support services to clients on relevant topics, such as job search strategies, interview preparation, credential assessments, language support, and other areas to help them achieve successful outcomes, such as developing effective résumés.
- Develops and implements innovative, solution-focused employment strategies tailored to unique barriers and labour market trends.
- Empowers clients with self-advocacy skills to articulate their needs and strengths in workplace settings.
- Determines client eligibility for financial supports, administers eligible supports, and ensures proper documentation is on file to support expenditures.
- Guides and supports clients in completing applications for employment and training opportunities.
- Conducts timely follow-ups with clients throughout their job search efforts, and provides repeat, one-on-one job coaching sessions and support, as needed, to review goals, address barriers, and ensure clients are making progress toward goals, including facilitating community-based referrals when needed.
- Assesses and facilitates wraparound and intervention resources required to help clients address and overcome barriers that may prevent them from achieving successful employment outcomes.
- Supports clients in acquiring a clear understanding of industry perspectives and other information pertaining to the job opportunities to which they are applying.
- Designs and facilitates support group sessions on entrepreneurial thinking, self-employment, and disability disclosure and accommodations for workplace success.
- Provides comprehensive coordination of accommodation supports for clients, ensuring that their specific needs are met to enable full participation in services, programs, or employment opportunities.
- Performs other relevant duties as assigned.
Job Development, Placement, and Retention Support
- Establishes and nurtures strategic, long-term partnerships with inclusive employers and professional networks to create diverse and sustainable employment opportunities for clients.
- Leverages job carving and customized employment strategies to align job roles with clients’ unique skills and abilities.
- Provides comprehensive retention support through regular check-ins with clients and employers, addressing challenges promptly and collaboratively.
- Develops individualized retention plans for clients, including goal setting, skill development, and workplace integration strategies to support long-term success.
- Works with employers to implement inclusive onboarding processes and workplace accommodations tailored to clients’ needs.
- Facilitates ongoing communication between clients and employers to ensure expectations are met and to pre-emptively address potential workplace conflicts.
- Monitors job retention and career advancement metrics, using insights to continuously improve placement strategies and support services.
- Organizes post-placement support groups or one-on-one sessions for clients to address topics such as workplace conflict resolution, time management, and career progression.
- Utilizes advanced digital tools and platforms to streamline job matching, enhance employer engagement, and track post-placement outcomes effectively.
- Conducts outreach to employers across various industries to promote The Career Foundation’s ODSP program, creating job opportunities tailored to clients’ needs.
- Collaborates with clients on job search activities, including identifying opportunities, cold calling employers, and networking to secure meaningful placements.
- Matches clients to suitable roles by leveraging employer relationships and advertised job openings, ensuring alignment with their qualifications and goals.
- Negotiates and manages employment agreements, including placement and incentive structures, while ensuring compliance with program guidelines.
- Develops and oversees on-the-job training plans, conducting follow-ups to ensure expectations are met and identifying areas for improvement.
- Provides on-the-job coaching and support, accompanying clients during their initial days in a new job to facilitate a smooth transition and build their confidence in the workplace.
- Acts as a mediator between clients and employers to resolve workplace issues and foster productive relationships.
- Collaborates with clients to build skills that enhance job stability, such as stress management, workplace communication, and adaptability to changing job demands.
- Works collaboratively with team members to develop innovative job development strategies and retention solutions to enhance client success rates.
- Performs other relevant duties as assigned.
Qualifications/ Skills Required:
- A post-secondary degree or diploma, either in the field of Career Development or related fields such as Social Services or Psychology, and relevant work experience is highly preferred. Candidates who meet these qualifications will be prioritized.
- A minimum of 2 years’ direct experience in disability employment services, employment counselling, job coaching, and/or job development, or other experience directly transferable to the position’s responsibilities, is required.
- Vocational Rehabilitation and Disability Management Certificate, Trauma-Informed Care Certification, and/or Certificate in Disability Studies are considered assets.
- Previous exposure in disability case management, return to work coordination, or supported employment services is considered a significant asset.
- Hands-on experience in vocational counselling, job coaching, and/or job development within the Employment Services industry is highly valued.
- Comprehensive understanding of disabilities, inclusive practices, community resources, supports available to job seekers, and current labour market trends.
- Excellent relationship development skills.
- Must be willing to work from The Career Foundation’s North York office (Lawrence Ave. W. & Allen Rd.) on a full-time schedule and possess a valid Ontario G driver’s licence and a reliable vehicle for community outreach, client and employer engagement, and other essential job functions that require local travel within the communities served.
- Experience in sales, marketing, mentorship, coaching and counselling, and employer relationship-building are considered assets.
- A professional and courteous approach to client service with a high level of respect for the diversity of the people served.
- Exceptional customer service skills and the ability to uphold the organization’s core values.
- Proven track record in a results-driven environment and experience with meeting assigned targets.
- High ethics and confidentiality standards with proven experience maintaining sensitive information and exhibiting tact, diplomacy, and good judgment.
- Excellent verbal and written English communication skills. Bilingualism is considered an asset.
- Proven attention to detail, time management, and the ability to multi-task to meet deadlines and achieve targets and objectives.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and Outlook 365 applications, including MS Teams and SharePoint.
- Must possess the aptitude and willingness to learn and work with new online systems and technologies.
- Willingness and flexibility to occasionally work outside regular business hours when required to ensure the team meets all objectives.
- Dedicated work ethic with a positive and client-centered approach to work.
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.
To apply for this position, please complete the application form below. We suggest using the latest version of Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge to complete the form, in order to ensure that your application is submitted correctly.
*Should you experience any technical difficulties while submitting your application, please submit your résumé to jobs@careerfoundation.org, along with a Word document that addresses all of the questions in the application form.