CAREER COACH/FACILITATOR - Job Vacancy

Employment Solutions for Immigrants Inc. | Manitoba START CAREER COACH/FACILITATOR JOB DESCRIPTION POSITION SUMMARY In consultation with the Executive Director/Designate, the Career Coach/Facilitator will be responsible for the design and delivery of individual and group counselling supports that facilitate the occupational exploration, decision-making and career transitions of newcomers to Winnipeg, seeking entry into the labour market. The incumbent will provide career guidance and assistance in determining steps to take and processes to follow, this way enhancing newcomers’ ability to deal with change and transition, while developing strategies and coping mechanisms that deal with real and perceived barriers to education, employment and career mobility. The Career Coach must have demonstrated knowledge and experience in dealing with the business sector in identifying opportunities to match newcomers skill sets with employer requirements for work placement and employment purposes. He/she must be able to deal with issues affecting self-esteem and be able to contribute to the development of newcomers’ confidence and self-worth; assertiveness training, decision-making, employability/essential skills and soft skills are also a critical aspect of the personal development of their overall employability and readiness to undertake career/educational upgrading challenges. In addition to conducting more in-depth needs assessment to determine appropriate course of action, the Career Coach/Facilitator will assist individuals with the creation of realistic action plans for employment, education and career mobility, as well as facilitate the acquisition of necessary resources and supports for self-sufficiency. QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS The incumbent:  Must possess post-secondary diploma or degree from an accredited institution in Social Sciences and a strong background in Career Counseling; an equivalent combination of skills, education and experience will be considered;  Must have experience in the field of individual and group counselling, preferably in facilitating career decision-making processes;  Demonstrated skills in needs assessment, action plan development and familiarity with career and/or vocational planning and occupational choices would be an asset;  Experienced in managing and effectively monitoring a heavy caseload of newcomer clients, and in appropriately responding to their career/employment related needs;  Possess a strong results-oriented approach, with advocacy and marketing skills and the ability to work cooperatively within a multi-disciplinary team;  Extensive knowledge and understanding of issues surrounding labour market supply and demand, life skills, employability/essential skills and all aspects of work search preparation and self-marketing;  Awareness of perceived and or real obstacles to employment acquisition with a view to empowering newcomers with the knowledge, skills and attitude for successful entry into the labour market; demonstrated ability to connect them with organizations and resources that best respond to their needs;  Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain positive and mutually beneficial relations with individuals, corporations, government and community-based organizations;  Must demonstrate ability to multi-task, prioritize and meet deadlines, while performing tasks efficiently and independently and as a part of a dynamic culturally diverse team;  Strong computer skills, including word processing, database applications, and Internet research;  Must be client-service oriented and possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills; with the ability to relate and empathize with the needs of immigrants from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds;  Must possess own transportation, be able to work within a flexible schedule and demonstrate readiness to adapt to changing priorities in a dynamic multi-tasking environment;  Knowledge of a second language is a definite asset. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Group Facilitation/Individual Case Management • Determining newcomers primary needs and short-term goals, identifying barriers to attaining goals and exploring alternatives to obtaining expected results; • Establishing rapport with by creating an environment of trust that feels safe and comfortable for them, validating, recognizing, supporting and encouraging their previously acquired knowledge skills and efforts; • Providing newcomers with assistance in clarifying and honing their skills and career plans initiated during employment intake sessions; exploring, when appropriate, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) opportunities; • Offering individual and/or group counseling support to ease the stresses associated with career transitions and to develop employability and career management skills; • Offering guidance and direction in researching labour market opportunities, setting priorities and assessing and expanding career related options; • Examining time-frames and process each client may have to undergo to attain their career goals, thereby instilling realistic expectations; jointly reviewing and revising education/career plans and developing strategies for long-term career management success; • Providing information, guidance and orientation on specific occupational requirements and opportunities in the clients’ intended occupational field, and referring to other professional institutions/organizations as deemed appropriate; • Researching and adapting career decision-making tools relevant to the changing needs and occupational fields of newcomer youth; • Identifying and linking newcomers with community resources, including financial, personal and educational, best suited to meet their career and personal needs; • Assisting clients with job readiness preparation, jointly developing and producing professional marketing tools, enhancing their work search approaches for job acquisition and maintenance; • Identifying career laddering/work placement opportunities for newcomers to obtain practical, hands-on experience; • Conducting and documenting on-going, timely and responsive follow-up to gather current information, ensuring that the clients’ employment/career needs are being addressed, and that all avenues of assistance and support in their career development have been accessed; • Employing cross-cultural sensitivity in interactions with newcomers and a cross-cultural approach to service delivery; being accessible and available for client inquiries, handling these in a timely and efficient manner, while also promoting independent action on their part; • Providing opportunities for clients to give ongoing feedback and evaluation about services provided; maintaining confidentiality of information and obtaining signed releases at all times for inter-agency communication. Public Relations/Employer Relations • Establishing and maintaining strong strategic alliances and relationships with potential employers/mentors, businesses, professional associations, institutions community agencies, service clubs and unions in order to locate opportunities for clients to connect, link up and attain their goal of self-sufficiency; • Matching workplace requirements with newcomers’ skill sets and ensuring appropriate match with available opportunities; when necessary, jointly developing workplace training plans, monitoring client’s performance and progress towards learning/skill development goals; • Negotiating with employers utilizing the Work Experience (only if applicable) as a tool to break down barriers to access and to enhance clients’ ability to attain meaningful work and learning experiences; • Identifying workplace mentors when possible for support, productivity enhancement and skill development; monitoring performance and job readiness and identifying gaps and training needs as required; • Seeking training solutions and other workplace supports to ensure new entrants have the competencies necessary to take on and retain employment via referral and advocacy services; • Participating in educational forums and workshops, making presentations to outside organizations and other service providers, and tapping into the expertise of professional organizations and community resource persons as necessary to best assist clients in achieving their goals of self-sufficiency; • Creating information networks and opportunities for to learn and further develop their knowledge and skills; maintaining a clear perspective on LMI supply and demand and disseminating information pertinent to career decision-making, training and upgrading; • Assisting newcomers with their self-marketing tools, utilizing resources at their disposition to ensure employers are aware of, and can tap into the wealth of knowledge, skills and experience these clients bring to the workplace; • Communicating effectively with, and working in close collaboration with project colleagues, in an effort to accomplishing objectives and facilitate clients’ access to other services and resources. Record Keeping and Office Procedures • Documenting all relevant client data into Protegra including counselling notes, action plans and interventions used; preparing monthly statistical summary and narrative reports highlighting challenges and opportunities and incorporating whenever possible a case scenario that best illustrates services rendered and benefits derived; • Conducting ongoing follow-up and monitoring clients performance, and following through to completion; establishing a record system for easy access of information pertaining to the clients’ occupational fields, employed, and those who are pursuing training and/or upgrading opportunities; • Using role models in sessions for motivational purposes and to keep the dream alive, document success stories, etc. attending staff meetings and providing briefing information relevant to all project staff while contributing to program development and organization efforts; • Participating in fairs, educational panels, promotional events, presentations to mainstream and community organizations and other activities that will service to raise community awareness; • Identifying and documenting changing needs and collaborating in the preparation of fact sheets, displays and speaker series, etc. The Career Coach/Facilitator may be called upon to perform other supporting tasks from time to time, where deemed appropriate. __________________________ __________________________ Date Approved Career Coach/Facilitator __________________________ __________________________ Date Approved Fatima