Job Description

The Job Coach (JC) provides supports for individuals with disabilities that need to obtain and maintain paid competitive employment within the community. The JC assists individuals with disabilities to find job matches that meet their interests and strengths through task analysis, as identified on their IPE’s (Individualized Plan for Employment) and psychological evaluations.

 

The goal of the Job Coach is to provide supports to these individuals in obtaining and retaining employment through active, individualized job search and preparation, provide on-going additional supports with individual and their employers, including worksite orientation, job aide development, coordination of accommodations and ensuring assistive technology that may be needed by the individual to obtain and sustain competitive integrated employment is utilized as specified in the plan. Provide post-employment job coaching at the work site until the clients stabilizes enough for the fading plan to be set in place.  Ensure a fading plan or fading schedule for the individual is developed that will address how use of service will decrease as the individual’s productivity and independence on the job increases and as he/she develops unpaid supports through coworkers and other on-the-job resources will be developed.

 

The JC may also work with clients on goal-oriented tasks where new skills are learned or enhanced; learn the specific requirements of the job; learn work-related activities and requirements, such as time and attendance rules; and learn appropriate work-related (including social) behaviors when dealing with supervisors and co-workers. JC’s report to the Executive Director, who serves as a director supervisor and mentor.

Job Tasks:

• Assist unemployed clients with job matches that meet their individual needs by evaluating their vocational goals, applying for jobs in their preferred field, accompanying clients on interviews, job fairs, etc.

• Conducts job development and job search activities directed toward positions that are individualized to the interests and uniqueness of the people on his/her caseload, following the policies and procedures of job coaching.

• Assist clients with interview preparation, resume/cover letter writing, etc.

• Develop positive working relationships with employers. Directly assist employers in communicating with clients, to clarify job duties, to provide safety information, and to facilitate productivity, client motivation, and good client attendance.

  • Conducts a minimum of five (5) employer contacts per week. Employer contacts are designed to learn about the needs of the business, describe supports offered by the program and describe client strengths that are relevant to the position.

• Assess clients’ vocational functioning on ongoing basis utilizing background information and work experiences. With the client’s permission, provides education and support to family members. Discusses client’s preferences for disclosure of psychiatric and substance use status to employers.

• Provide job coaching and proactive, intensive support services to employed clients, both at and away from the job site, to assist them in maintaining employment in the integrated labor market. Can include occasional evening and/or weekend work depending on the client’s employment schedule, and travel within PA, as required.

• Provides individualized follow-along support to assist clients in maintaining employment. Writes job support plans with clients and incorporating input from their team. Adjusts plan according to clients’ needs and preferences.

• Provides education and support to employers as agreed upon by clients, which may include negotiating job accommodations and follow-along contact with the employer.

• Provides outreach services as necessary to clients when they appear to disengage from the service. Uses a variety of methods to provide outreach.

• Provides timely interventions. Returns phone calls and reacts to situations in a timely manner. For example, returns client phone calls within 24-hours. Goes to see employers about job loss or job problems within 24 hours. Follows up on job leads within 48-hours. Meets with clients within one week prior to job starts and within three (3) days after job starts.

• Participates in weekly meetings with treatment team and communicates individually with individual’s team members between meetings in order to coordinate and integrate vocational services into treatment.

• Participates in face-to-face meetings with supervisor at least once a month to coordinate services for clients.

• Develops an individual employment (and/or education) plan with clients. Incorporates input from individual’s teams and family members, with permission.

• Provides supported education, using principles similar to job coaching, for clients who express interest in education to advance in their employment goals.

• Provide administrative support duties for Job Coaching Program.

• Assist Job Coach Manager with coordination of Employment Training Program.

• Assist with monthly billing and reporting.

• Ensure all staff attend all required annual trainings.

• Attend required ACRE Trainings.

• Meet with clients/families to complete applications.

• Work with Care Coordinators to assist with client enrollments to Job Coaching Programs.

• Input all intake/placement/discharge information.

• Assist staff with internal chart reviews/internal audits.

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

 

Essential Skills:

• Experience with implementation and adapting teaching methods based on the individual’s learning style.

• An understanding of addressing needs that are typically seen as barriers to community participation.

• Ability to develop partnerships with community resources and providers utilizing networking skills.

• Ability to assist individuals served in located and accessing non-medical community supports and resources.

• Effective interpersonal skills that build rapport and consistently respect individuals served and family members (with permission) and their ability to make choices and take risks.

• High degree of empathy and compassion and understandings principles of self-determination.

• Self-motivated and self-directed for the majority of the position. Ability to coordinate multiple schedules.

• High ethics and values and able to maintain high level of confidentiality.
   

General Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Attendance and participation in team meetings for assigned clients.

• Maintain 30 billable hours per week minimum as a full-time employee.

• Collaborate with other members of the client’s support team.

• Maintaining neat and orderly client files.

• Keeping progress notes up to date on a weekly basis and saved on the team storage system.

• Responding to emails and communications within 24 hours.

• Provide weekly check-ins with the JCM.

• Submit timesheets on a weekly basis.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

• Excellent judgment and sensitivity to the needs of clients.

• All other duties assigned.

 

Qualifications

• Minimum of a high school diploma or general education diploma (GED)

• At least one year experience in the field of human services, personally and/or professionally.

• Current Child Line Clearances, Criminal History Report, and FBI Clearances indicating no previous “founded” charges of child abuse or convictions that would compromise the person’s ability to perform the job.

• Possess and maintain recognized current certification or complete specialized training to ensure up-to-date knowledge of job-related skills and technology.

  • Completion of 40-hour PA’s ACRE (Association of Community Rehabilitation Educators) Training.

  • Completion of Mandated Reporter Training.

  • Completion of any other required trainings, and annual trainings.

• Knowledge of: Development Disabilities, possess skills in basic computer functions of email, document, and internet; knowledge of community and state resources; knowledge in vocational assistance.

• Skill/Ability to: Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, have the ability to teach coping/life skills, while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries with consumers; have the ability and willingness to function as a member of a team; access to a vehicle for independent travel preferred; capacity to effectively present information and respond (in written and/or oral format) to questions from team members, consumers, and other community members as appropriate.

 

Performance Standards

The following standards will be used to guide the on-going evaluation of the performance of JCs:

• All reports, forms, and worksheets conform to J.T. Mummert Consulting LLC designated formats.

• All reports, forms, and worksheets are completed accurately and submitted in a timely manner.

• Quality of services provided to consumers and their teams, as measured by satisfaction surveys and commentary provided to agency personnel.

• Being on time and prepared for scheduled appointments and meetings.

• Responding promptly and appropriately to questions or concerns from team members.

• Professional presentation (dress, confidence, initiative, tactful).

• Modifying approach based on feedback from supervisor (i.e., accepting constructive criticism).

• Communicating to others well orally and in writing.

Adhering to all policies and procedures of J.T. Mummert Consulting LLC.