Job Placement Resource Specialist

Kinexus Group
Coverage for Kalamazoo & St. Joseph Counties, MI
On-siteCareer-pivot friendly

Who this role is best for

Criminal justice professionals with labor market knowledge will find this role's emphasis on job placement and community reintegration appealing, especially given the geographic focus on Kalamazoo and St. Joseph Counties.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with criminal justice or social work backgrounds and experience in workforce programs
    — “Knowledge or experience related to Criminal Justice or Corrections preferred”
  • Individuals who thrive in flexible, community-oriented work environments with high collaboration
    — “Our team, providing services in all of Region 8, is committed to reducing crime and recidivism”
  • Professionals who are comfortable with hands-on support and administrative coordination
    — “Manage and execute an individually dispersed budget containing training funds and work-related supplies for participants”

Things to consider

  • Regular travel is required across the Region 8 service area, which may involve significant time on the road
    — “Regular and ongoing travel within the Region 8 service area”
  • The role involves managing multiple administrative tasks, including purchasing and tracking supplies for participants
    — “Purchase state ID’s, Driver’s Licenses, Birth Certificate and other vital documents for participants”

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience in labor market analysis and employer engagement in your resume and interview responses
    — “Understand labor market and in-demand industries for participants being served”
  • Emphasize your ability to build rapport with businesses and support participants through employment barriers
    — “Establish rapport with regional businesses, becoming knowledgeable about employer hiring practices”
  • Showcase your skills in creating and executing action plans for individuals with complex needs
    — “Administer assessments, producing assignments and action plans for participants regarding long-term Economic Stability”
Pace · SteadyCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · Team

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • Assisted with job placement
  • Provided social support
  • Coordinated training opportunities
  • Managed budgets
Typical background
Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experienceExperience in criminal justice, counseling, social work, or related field

Skills & requirements

Required

Job PlacementSocial Support ServicesEmployment ReadinessCareer ManagementLabor Market AnalysisBusiness OutreachTraining CoordinationBudget ManagementDocumentation

Preferred

Criminal JusticeCounselingSocial WorkSociology

Stack & domain

Job PlacementCareer PlanningSocial Support ServicesAssessmentTrainingBusiness OutreachCommunity ResourcesCommunicationProblem-solvingTeamworkLeadershipWorkforce DevelopmentCommunity ServicesCriminal Justice

About the role

Original posting from Kinexus Group via Greenhouse

OUR ORGANIZATION:  

Kinexus Group, recently recognized as one of Nonprofit Times 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2026 Best Nonprofits to Work For, is a cutting-edge community development organization with growing initiatives to create an economically thriving Michigan. We are change agents who create solutions for business, workforce, and community challenges to promote economic vitality. 

OUR TEAM:

Our team, providing services in all of Region 8, is committed to reducing crime and recidivism, which requires working with partners on the many layers of support, education, and services necessary to guide at-risk or previously incarcerated individuals. We focus on transitioning these individuals back into the workforce so that they can seamlessly return to independence within their communities.

WHAT WE EXPECT FROM YOU:

The Job Placement Resource Specialist is responsible for coordinating employment and social support services for Offender Success participants. Through the Offender Success Program, the Specialist will provide participants with tools and resources to enter suitable, meaningful and long-term employment. The Specialist will analyze the labor market and establish rapport with regional businesses, becoming knowledgeable about employer hiring practices. The Specialist will assist participants with career management services including job readiness, job placement, career planning and social supports.

Responsibilities and duties:

Work with participants as well as parole agents, community coordinator, and others to assist with successful job placement and other work-related services and supportive services for participants.

Administer assessments, producing assignments and action plans for participants regarding long-term Economic Stability

Utilize assessments to identify financial assistance needs, educational goals, and employment strengths to establish an action plan for working through barriers and achieving goals.

Routinely work with businesses to verify employment, address any concerns, and determine future suitability for participants.

Understand labor market and in-demand industries for participants being served

Engage and connect with business alliance groups to support and understand employer needs

Partner with Region 8 workforce boards Business Services Team for employer outreach and education

Link participants to training opportunities with local workforce boards, community colleges, training partners and providers

Receive referral from the parole office and conduct all required reporting on the mandated MDOC spreadsheet with each participant’s services, amount spent and overall totals

Create and maintain files with updated case notes marking progress of participant and services utilized

Manage and execute an individually dispersed budget containing training funds and work-related supplies for participants

Purchase state ID’s, Driver’s Licenses, Birth Certificate and other vital documents for participants

Purchase and track bus tokens and passes

Manage and issue food and hygiene kits for participants.

Issue, track and reconcile clothing vouchers issued for participants.

Maintain ongoing communication with participants and awareness of community resources

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:  

Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent combination of training and/or experience OR relative field work or experience in criminal justice, counseling, social work, sociology or related field

Understand the challenges of those individuals’ seeking services who are returning into society after incarceration

Microsoft spreadsheet knowledge

Strong communication skills

Disciplined analytical thinking/ decision making

Knowledge or experience related to Criminal Justice or Corrections preferred

Knowledge and experience related to workforce employment and training programs preferred

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Regular and ongoing travel within the Region 8 service area

Flexible & Open

Competitive Salary & Benefits

Opportunities for Growth

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM US: 

A robust onboarding experience to integrate you into our team.

Team of Teams training in support of the organizational strategies.

Job training and development to ensure you are established and growing in your role.

Cross Operational Meetings with your peers.

Be a part of transformational change in Michigan.

We have unique culture that requires individuals to be BOLD, INSPIRATIONAL, ENTREPRENEURIAL and INCLUSIVE. We spend more waking hours with each other than we do with family or friends, so finding someone that adds to our culture is extremely important.

Kinexus Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Program. Auxiliary aids, reasonable accommodations and/or services are available upon request for individuals with disabilities. Michigan Relay Center: 711 Voice and TDD. Kinexus is a partner of American Job Centers.

Source: Kinexus Group careers (Greenhouse)

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