Human Service Worker Iii

Job Announcement

This job ad will be used to fill multiple positions. Seeking a reliable, well-organized individual with a dynamic professional attitude to serve as an active member of the Public Assistance and Employment Services, Employment and Training team. Seeking a strong candidate to work as part of a team that provides community and business development, outreach, job development, and extensive case management to young adults (17-24) with barriers to employment.

Programs include Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Youth Program and specialized grants. Specific duties include, but are not limited to:

• Creates and delivers job readiness and leadership development trainings in-person and virtually to young adults on topics including resume writing, interview skills, and workplace etiquette.
• Provides intensive case management to young adults with barriers to employment and creates a flexible and accommodating environment.
• Performs data entry and meets deadlines.
• Prepares and maintains reports and records.
• Initiates and maintains ongoing contact and relationships with clients, partners, employers, and community service providers to deliver ongoing support
• Conducts and coordinates formal and informal assessments to determine clients’ interests, abilities, and barriers to employment.
• Provides career guidance and planning to address job readiness, training, and supportive service needs.
• Effective communication skills needed to serve individuals and families from a diverse background and provide extensive support to young adults with challenges to employment.
• Builds relationships with employers to create work-based learning opportunities and permanent job placements for young adults with barriers.

The successful applicant must be an active listener, adaptable, and able to handle dueling priorities with a focus on customer service. This position requires a flexible professional, who is ready to take on different roles and tasks depending on office and program needs. Participation in job fairs, outreach events, trainings, and other related activities may require some evening and/or weekend work. Some local travel is required.

Note: Location varies depending on the needs of the department at One-Stop Employment Centers throughout Northern Virginia in the counties of Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William.

Illustrative Duties

(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position job description.)

Maintains knowledge of current public assistance and employment policies and applies, explains and interprets complex federal, state, and local policies to clients, service providers, attorneys, the public, and other interested parties;
Performs client needs assessment to aid in making appropriate referrals to other services;
Works with clients to assist with gathering of information necessary to establish eligibility;
Compiles and maintains data and documents and may prepare written narratives to support eligibility determinations;
Uses various forms of automated technology to document, obtain, and verify information, to generate reports, and to authorize benefits and services for clients, service providers, attorneys, the public, and other interested parties;
Assists clients in obtaining services and coordinates these with other service providers as needed;
Coordinates and manages clients' participation in a variety of services;
Provides guidance and assistance to employers and clients in the operation of an employment resource center;
Performs employability assessment of economically disadvantaged clients to develop a plan of service to aid them in securing employment;
Works with clients to identify and address barriers to employment;
Provides career counseling;
Assists job seekers with job search and resume development;
Participates in curriculum development, facilitates workshops, and works with businesses and workforce partners in response to customer needs;
Plans and participates in orientations and workforce related workshops;
Identifies, recruits and develops job opportunities with employers to place program participants including job sites for community work experience and on-the-job training;
Tracks, monitors, and reports on employment resource center resources, job leads and employment databases;
Develops marketing and presentation materials for the business community, the public and other human service providers;
Assists the supervisor with duties that may include training, coaching, and reviewing the work of less experienced staff;
Serves as policy expert in one or more program areas, providing guidance, direction, and information to other staff;
Assist in the development of service strategies.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)

Knowledge of basic human behavior and social problems;
Knowledge of social, economic, health and cultural factors that can serve as barriers to employment;

Ability to read, interpret and apply complex program policies and procedures;
Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing;
Ability to make mathematical computations;
Ability to schedule and manage workload sufficient to meet deadlines;
Ability to use automated technology to establish and maintain case records;
Ability to handle multiple deadlines, computer systems, high volume of client contact, high caseloads, and competing priorities;
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, co-workers and other human service providers;
Ability to work effectively with people under stress and those from various socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds;
Ability to maintain professional ethics related to confidentiality of client information;
Ability to provide excellent customer service;
Ability to work in a team environment;
Ability to maintain flexibility.
Ability to manage a complex caseload;
Ability to assess client needs through collection and analysis of employment history and other personal, family and cultural information;
Ability to use supportive counseling techniques to enhance and develop clients' problem solving capabilities;
Ability to identify client issues needing referral to other human service providers (e.g., substance abuse, spousal abuse);
Ability to lead and coach other professional level staff;
Ability to develop and present training programs;
Ability to develop presentations using automated technology.

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following:
(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for "Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to")

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a bachelor's degree plus two years of human services or related professional work experience.

Contingent upon the area of assignment, some positions within this class may require specific certification(s) prior to employment and/or the ability to acquire necessary certification(s) within a specified time period following employment. The certifications are identified in the position description and employment advertisement .

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
None.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to the position must satisfactorily complete a criminal background check and a Child protective services check.

This position is considered essential personnel and will be required to report to work during times designated countywide as approved for unscheduled leave regardless of the emergency situation (i.e., weather, transportation, other disaster).

All newly hired employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (two weeks after the last required dose) as a condition of employment or obtain approval of a medical or religious exemption prior to their start date. Proof of an exemption or vaccination status will be required during the pre-employment onboarding process. New employees who obtain an exemption from the vaccine mandate for medical or sincerely held religious beliefs may be subject to a weekly testing requirement. Vaccinated employees and employees with a medical or religious exemption will complete the attestation online on their first day of employment or shortly thereafter.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Demonstrates experience providing ongoing case management using electronic records management systems.
• Thorough knowledge of federal, state, and local laws, performance measures, and quality standards governing federal workforce programs.
• Knowledge of social, economic, health, and cultural factors that can serve as barriers to employment.
• Experience delivering services and providing resources to individuals with barriers to employment (i.e., individuals with disabilities, ex-offenders, high school dropouts, etc.).
• Knowledge of labor market conditions, career guidance, and job development techniques.
• Certified Virginia Workforce Development Professional (VWDP) or National Workforce Development Professional (NWDP).
• Clear and concise oral and written communications skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
Ability to use automated technology.
Ability to travel throughout the area.
Sufficiently mobile to work with clients and employers.
All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include exercise.

The population of Fairfax County is very diverse where 39.8% of residents speak a language other than English at home (Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and others) and we encourage candidates bilingual in English and a foreign language to apply to this opportunity.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact 703-324-4900 for assistance. TTY 703-222-7314. EEO/AA/TTY.