Job Developer (3036 Danforth)

The Job Developer works with the Employment Services team to support job seekers who are distant from the labour market to access work opportunities. Participants include but are not limited to those who are newcomers to Canada, long-term unemployed, or those with little or no work experience. This position finds and maintains strong relationships with employers, as well as with participants throughout their job search and early phases of employment. The Job Developer helps to place participants in appropriate employment opportunities with a focus on decent work, and coordinates placements, contracts and financial incentives. This position reports the Senior Manager, Employment Services and is part of CUPE 7797.

MAJOR DUTIES:

• Manage the successful delivery of services to achieve funder and agency targets and outcomes, while ensuring excellent, individualized client service.

• Build trust and establish rapport with diverse participants by listening, understanding their needs, following through on commitments in a timely manner and believing in their potential and job readiness.

• Work closely with participants and team members to identify industries and positions in demand by our participants and who offer decent work, supported by labour market research. Perform outreach to employers in demand.

• Create strong, trusting working relationships with employers, promote the benefits of working with our participants, and facilitate appropriate, meaningful work opportunities for them in line with participant goals.

• Negotiate and administer employment agreements with employers including training objectives, commitments and financial incentives. Process and coordinate payment of financial incentives.

• Act as a spokesperson and champion for participants’ experiences and abilities with employers, stakeholders and colleagues.

• Advocate for better working conditions for participants.

• Set up experiential or on-the-job training for individual participants with employers including job shadowing, volunteering, job trials and work experience training opportunities.

• Ensure that participating employers meet program eligibility criteria, and conduct at least one site visit per employer prior to placement to confirm suitability and a safe work environment.

• Conduct frequent participant and employer monitors and provide coaching support to identify and resolve issues to enhance the likelihood of participants’ successful transition to employment and placement success.

• Develop and maintain support plans with employers/participants including mentoring and workplace accommodations.

• Keep up to date on local labour market trends, opportunities, and resources, as well as Employment Standards.

• Perform outreach, present to community groups and others to increase participant and employer engagement.

• Compile and analyze statistics, prepare comprehensive reports, maintain accurate, up-to-date files (soft and hard copy), and perform such other administrative duties as required in accordance with agency and funder expectations.

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS:

• A post-secondary diploma in a relevant discipline, preferably Career Counselling, Business/Marketing, or related, or a combined equivalent of education and experience.

• Strong, specialized skills and three or more years of experience in job development, job coaching/mentoring, or employment counselling with individuals facing complex barriers to employment; experience in Employment Ontario programs an asset.

• The ability to provide client focused service, and to motivate, encourage and empower participants who may be distant from the labour market in a positive, professional, compassionate manner.

• Excellent time management, interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work as a member of a team.

• Strong computer skills (Microsoft Office Suite, MS Teams, Zoom, DocuSign.) Knowledge of CaMS would be an asset.

• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion sensitivity and demonstrated ability to work with diverse groups; including youth, newcomers, those who identify as 2SLGBTQ+ as well as people experiencing poverty and marginalization.

• The ability to track trends and service gaps, with superior data collection and interpretation skills.

• Strong knowledge of Ontario labour market issues, OW, ODSP, and Employment legislation with the willingness to upgrade education and training..