Position Summary
Siouxland Pathway is a program made possible by a grant awarded to SHIP by the U.S. Department of Labor Reentry Employment Opportunities program. Siouxland Pathway will serve 250 adults aged 18+ who were convicted under state or local law and are incarcerated in Woodbury County Jail, Residential Treatment Facility (RTF) or electronic monitoring and are within 20-270 days of release at time of enrollment. 

The Employer Specialist serves to recruit and engage local employers to hire formerly incarcerated individuals who are participants in the Siouxland Pathway program, and to act as a liaison between Pathway participants and employers. This position will service Woodbury County, Iowa and will report to the Siouxland Pathway Program Director.

Essential Job Functions
·       Reach out to existing priority employers who signed Letters of Commitment to be partners in the Siouxland Pathway grant and ensure each is committed to the project
·       Develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the priority employers to sign
·       Establish and maintain professional relationships with the priority employers to ensure a smooth transition once participants begin entering the program (10/1/25)
·       Identify, approach, and engage other local employers to become partners with the Siouxland Pathway program
·       Develop marketing materials, including social media, to recruit and attract potential employers
·       Develop a presentation on Siouxland Pathway to take out to potential employer partners and other civic groups
·       Develop and maintain a professional relationship with the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce
·       Develop and maintain a professional relationship with Iowa Workforce Development (IWD)
·       Assist Case Managers and other program personnel in preparing clients for employment opportunities
·       Provide resume-building and interviewing support to participants
·       Provide problem-solving skills to participants to remove barriers to employment
·       Act as a liaison between participants and employers
·       Maintain regular contact with employer partners after participant has been placed in a job; problem solve any issues that arise
·       Assess and analyze current and emerging workforce needs in the Siouxland area
·       Be knowledgeable about the local economic development initiatives and know what jobs are available
·       Attend job fairs, develop relationships with permanent and temporary staffing agencies, contact intermediaries such as local Chamber of Commerce (The Siouxland Initiative), IWD, or industry/trade associations
·       Be knowledgeable about apprenticeships, registered apprenticeships, skilled certificates, and industry recognized credentials available to the Siouxland Pathway program participants and participants’ potential career pathways
·       Be knowledgeable about U.S. Department of Labor Reentry Employment Opportunities (DOL REO) acceptable certifications and industry recognized credentials
·       Remain in contact with participants throughout their participation and employment serving as a retention guide
·       Collect data for documentation of participant’s involvement with the program, as set forth in the grant guidelines
·       Perform other duties as assigned
 
Education Requirements
?      BA or BS Degree in Social Work, Business, Education, or closely related discipline preferred, or the equivalency in years of case management
 
Experience/Qualification Requirements

• Sales or marketing experience preferred
• Some case management experience
• Experience working with formerly incarcerated individuals
• Good written and verbal skills
• Public speaking skills
• Self-motivated to take responsibility for the success of the program
• Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize work responsibilities with limited supervision and/or structured guidance
• Ability to build collaboration
• Ability to motivate people, particularly formerly incarcerated individuals, to succeed
• Computer skills
• Good advocacy skills
• Ability to form relationships and build partnerships with businesses and stakeholders
• Ability to travel throughout the service area (Woodbury County) as necessary, to monitor and assess program, young adults and program partners (must have a clean driving record)