Employment Specialist
Los Angeles, CA

In-Person

Anticipated deadline to submit application: May 1, 2024 at 12:00pm PDT. Position may close early if application limit is met. Apply promptly for full consideration.

The Opportunity

CEO is currently seeking to hire an Employment Specialist for our local office, a role that’s crucial to CEO’s work to help individuals coming out of incarceration regain the skills and confidence needed for a successful transition to stable and productive lives.

Employment Specialists increase the range of employment opportunities available to our participants using participant interests, experiences, and their ambitions as foundation for participant job placements, and more broadly, for the identification and cultivation of potential employers for prospect portfolios.

The most rewarding part of being an Employment Specialist is the joy you feel upon making the “right fit” match between participant and employer. Your expertise and insight lead not only to successful matches in the now, but to participant longevity in the workforce which often drastically reduces the rate of recidivism.

As part of our mission, we strongly encourage individuals who have lived experience of incarceration or involvement in the justice system to apply for this role.

Who We Are

The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) provides employment services to people recently released from incarceration. Across the United States, 8,000-9,000 people participate in CEO each year, transitioning to employment that supports themselves, their families, and their communities.

What began as a demonstration project of the Vera Institute of Justice in the 1970s to address employment barriers facing the formerly incarcerated following release in New York City has grown into the leading reentry employment organization in the country, where over 30,000 formerly incarcerated individuals have secured full-time employment since 1996.

Who You Are

You’re deeply dedicated to social justice and perhaps are already working in the re-entry space
You come to CEO with experience in workforce development, recruitment, or sales/account management, a role in which you needed to meet performance goals on a regular basis
You’re passionate about making an impact in people's lives and interested in guiding them to achieve their career goals through a balance of accountability and empathy
You enjoy networking and cultivating lasting relationships with people and businesses, helping them understand how our work can help them achieve their business strategy and goals
You have excellent interpersonal and written communication skills with the ability to adjust to particular personalities and interaction styles on the spot
You’re resilient and never give up, anticipating and addressing challenges along the way while keeping your eye on the end goal
You’re comfortable working under pressure and meeting deadlines despite opposition or setbacks
You’re able to look at a set of data or market research and use it to guide your practice and decision-making

Responsibilities

Key responsibilities of the Job Developer include but are not limited to:

Business Strategy and Analysis

Envision, develop, and implement a strategic plan for placement services that ensures CEO meets its participant placement metrics
Conduct reviews of existing CEO business partnerships regularly, evaluate employer demand and usage of CEO services, and determine improvements and ways to leverage relationships with employers
Achieve weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual placement goals in accordance with CEO’s contractual obligations

Relationship Cultivation and Maintenance

Research, conduct outreach to, and build relationships with prospective employers willing to hire CEO participants and who have hiring needs that match the skills, experience, and interests of our overall participant cohort
Maintain relationships with existing employer partners
Schedule and conduct daily prospecting, cold calls, and face-to-face meetings
Serve as the liaison among employers, participants, and our criminal justice partners

Job Placement

You are expected to produce up to 5 direct placements a month
Screen and match program participants with employment opportunities, taking into consideration each participant’s skills, work experience, interests, and goals and aspirations
Customize participants’ resumes to fit identified opportunities
Manage a caseload of participants, support and coach them around applying for jobs, navigating the hiring process, and finding and securing right fit employment

Administrative Support

Document all participant and employer contact, activities, and outcomes in our case management system (Salesforce)
Perform other job-related duties and responsibilities assigned from time to time

Compensation and Benefits

The salary for this position is $54,500. In an effort to be both equitable and transparent, CEO's compensation philosophy considers a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, experience, internal equity, and home office location in making a final determination on our salary offer.

We recognize that salary is a part of the overall compensation package and also provide a comprehensive benefits package, including medical and dental coverage, as well as professional development opportunities and training, including regular training opportunities in Motivational Interviewing (MI). MI is one evidence-based skill that reentry and human service professionals can utilize when supporting participants to achieve their goals.

We also offer paid parental leave, participation in a retirement plan, sick and vacation leave, paid holidays and more. We are a workplace that promotes continual learning and teamwork, offering lunch and learns, team outings, holiday gatherings and more for our staff.

More About Us

The Center for Employment Opportunities believes that everyone deserves the chance to shape a stronger future for themselves, their families, and their communities. Our commitment to being an anti-racist organization that is inclusive across all identities and experiences drives us forward every day. We exist to create greater opportunities for people who face multiple barriers to personal and professional success, and we’re passionate about being agents of change who promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and access to opportunities for all.

People who are justice involved, people of color, people who identify as LGBTQ+ , and people with disabilities are highly encouraged to apply for vacant positions at all levels. CEO’s commitment to DEI aligns with the CROWN Act, creating an open space where our employees can present as their true authentic selves. We are an equal employment opportunity for all regardless of race, color, citizenship, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran or reservist status, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

Please note that due to the volume of resumes received, we are unable to contact each applicant regarding the status of each position or reply to candidates' inquiries via phone or email.

IND 1

Apply for this Job

* Required

First Name *

Last Name *

Email *

Phone *

Resume/CV *

Dropbox Google Drive

(File types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf)

Cover Letter

Dropbox Google Drive

(File types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf)

At CEO, we deeply value the diverse perspectives and experiences of our applicants. It is important for us to understand your perspective and experiences around enriching the lives of the individuals we support and in shaping a workforce that reflects the individuals we serve. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable hiring experience where every applicant's voice is respected and valued. This commitment strengthens our mission to provide impactful assistance to individuals impacted by the justice system. For the questions below, please share with us anything you believe would further help us understand your interest in working with us and in advancing our mission. Please confirm that you have read this statement. *

What excites you about working at CEO? *

Do you have any life experiences that have shaped your perspective and contributed to your understanding of the challenges faced by individuals impacted by the justice system?

Do you have a family member or household member who has been convicted of a crime or who has been affected by the criminal legal system?

What are your salary requirements? *

Are you legally authorized to work in the United States? *

Will you, now or in the future, require sponsorship for an employment authorized visa status or other work authorization? *

What are your pronouns?

Where did you hear about this job? *

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Center for Employment Opportunities’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Gender

Are you Hispanic/Latino?

Please identify your race

Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Veteran Status

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305

Page 1 of 1

OMB Control Number 1250-0005

Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
Blind or low vision
Cancer (past or present)
Cardiovascular or heart disease
Celiac disease
Cerebral palsy
Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
Diabetes
Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
Intellectual or developmental disability
Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
Short stature (dwarfism)
Traumatic brain injury

Disability Status

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.

Our system has flagged this application as potentially being associated with bot traffic. Please turn off any VPNs, clear your browser cache and cookies, or try submitting your application in a different browser. If this issue persists, please reach out to our support team via our help center.

Please complete the reCAPTCHA above.